Villa Owners

[Mumof2]

Hi

I'm trying to whittle down my short-list of villas. Can anyone give me some advice on any specific questions I should ask. The key areas for me are the size of the pool, whether its south facing and whether its got a covered lanai. So I've asked about all three. I'm just wondering whether there is anything I should ask (if you get my drift).

 

[Miffy2003]

Is this to buy or to rent Mumof two?

If it's for rental it may be worth also asking people that have stayed in a villa what they look for (more of them around than villa owners!)

 

[JohnnySharp2]

There are lots of things you should ask before renting a villa, as Karen says is this what you mean?

 

[Mumof2]

Hi Johnny and Karen. Yes, It is about renting a villa.

Sorry - I realise now I've not made myself very clear.

I had thought of booking a villa for this summer - but changed my mind and we'll now probably stay in the Bahama Bay resort in a condo. However, next year there will be 7 of us going and I'm wondering how far out we should book and also I'd like to know whether there are any specific questions I should ask of the owners.

 

[JohnnySharp2]

Ok, first of all I would book one in the Kissimmee area , just off the 192 gives easy access to restaurants, supermarkets and is close to Disney and the I4.

South facing - therefore gets the sun all day
Covered Lanai - most have that anyway, but I guess you could ask.
Private, secluded pool - fully fenced for extra privacy.
Ceiling fans in all the rooms, you would be surprised how much these are useful, the air-conditioning in homes is more regulated than in hotel rooms so you do not get that icey blast when you walk in.
TV in the bedrooms.
Home less than 5 years old (preferable as some villas are older, I have stayed in a 10 year old home that needed a lot of re-furbishment).
Local Management Company within easy reach.
Prefer carpet lounge, as tiles can feel a bit cold - especially for little one's.
Alarmed patio doors, preventing kid's from reaching the pool unsupervised.

That's a start for you perhaps? I am sure owners are already considering bookings for next year.

You can afford to be choosy as there are so many homes out there, and I am sure many owner's are struggling to fill their homes regularly.

 

[Mumof2]

Thanks, Johnny. That's a great help. I've written out to a couple on my ++list asking for some info.

Infact, I'm now back to thinking a villa may be better for this year after all. Decisions, Decisions, Decisions!

 

[JohnnySharp2]

Thanks, Johnny. That's a great help. I've written out to a couple on my ++list asking for some info.

Infact, I'm now back to thinking a villa may be better for this year after all. Decisions, Decisions, Decisions!

A villa is just great to have, the extra freedom, cooking facilities, private pool plus TV/VCR etc, just find for us they suit our needs better.

Joshua loves water and likes to play in the pool so often it's just nice to relax away from the parks.
The only downside is having to drive everywhere, although there are restaurants and supermarkets nearby, there is nothing within walking distance, however there are so many plus points.

 

[tartangirl]

Agree with the questions so far.

I always check that you pick up the keys at the villa (or are sent them before you go) as I dont like the thought of driving to a management company to get the keys. Most villas have lockboxes at the villa.

Not all villas have a covered lanai and for us this is an absolute must. It not only gives shade from the sun but in the summer months it also keeps the pool furniture dry during the thunderstorms.

We prefer the pool to be north facing so the pool gets some shade.

It's nice to see the extras to help make a final decision (cable TVs in bedrooms, ceiling fans, games room in the garage). This is usually available from the web-site the villa is advertised on.

Beyond the above we pick a price beyond which we wont go and a general area that we want to stay.

 

[vernon]

1) Local management company that you can contact with any problems
2) Ask about Security systems and pool alarms. This is particularly important if travelling with younger kids, the door to the pool should be alarmed so if it's opened and a button isn't pushed (button is too high for small kids to reach) alarm sounds (it should also ring if you push the button when you enter the house but don't close the door). This will help reduce the risk of a small child sneaking out to the pool area unsupervised.
3) ceiling fans are good, certainly for bedrooms and most of the living areas
4) If property is fenced or not. Personally I don't like big solid fences because I think they are ugly, but I can see reasons for others wanting to have them so knowing one way or the other is useful.
5) # of Cable TV locations
6) internet access
7) lockbox or villa company pick up. Personally I prefer the idea of collecting them from a company.
(a) it shows you where the companies offices are if you need to get get hold of them and they are ignoring your calls.
(b) you get a feeling for the company based on what their offices are like
(c) you do get some sort of personal relationship with the company, all be it very briefly.
(d) if you have trouble locating the development/exact villa it's usally a lot easier to find a management companies office if you have someone inside that building directing you. Not all the staff know the exact location of each villa, nor do they know if recent road works mean the directions you have ( and they would be working from) are correct. They will however have driven to their own office and will know if there are any local diversions you need to know about. The company will have a map for you and directions from their office to the house, these are usually easier to follow as they have less instructions than if you're coming from much further away.
IMHO all of the above could be vital in the unlikely event of things not turning out exactly how you expect things to be.
8) age of the property could give you some idea on it's likely condition, although that isn't always the case. Some older houses are incredably well maintained, and some newer ones can still have been abused. It's even possible that a brand new place might be still having "teething problems" from shoddy construction.
9) ask if the owners have a list of former customers that have rented the property. This isn't 100% as it's always easy for an owner just to have a few friends to act as references, but it may help.
10) map quest the actual location and check the driving distances. An owner is always likely to err on the side of promoting their home on how far it is and how long the drive will be to the attractions. Map quest will give you a more realistic read of the drive.

 

[Pootle]

Just bumping this post because Vernon gave such an excellent response I thought it deserved to be around a little longer

 

[PChef]

Thanks for such great tips, Vernon. That's all so useful.

Michelle

 

[Mumof2]

Hi

A very BIG Thanks from me too Vernon and Johnny Would have said this earlier but have been so busy searching that its taken me FOREVER to find what I hope is the right thing.

Anyway my printer isn't working so I have just sat and written out all the questions you guys listed and I'll ask the owner when she calls me back.

Thanks again