VRBO--is it safe?

[My2Qtz0205]

There are 6 adults, 3 children in our group this year, so we are looking for a rental property off-site. I have heard many of you mention good things about Windsor Hills, so I looked them up and found a cute 4 bedroom house that would work for us. My mother-in-law is a bit skeeved by the rent-by-owner bit, though. Can you guys tell me about your experiences, good and bad!

 

[djm99]

It's safe I've used them a few times. I haven't had a problem. I prefer to use them. Other sites charge xtra fees. Most notably the cleaning fees are not included in the total price.

 

[ElizBlair]

I have used VRBO a number of times, although not in Orlando (yet). All of my experiences have been good. I am pretty sure the site itself would remove a listing if there was a report of fraud. Since I have been looking for our upcoming Disney trip I have seen one or two listings that looked suspicious to me, so I am just avoiding those. There are enough places out there available with reviews, etc. that I feel pretty confident about the whole thing. Still not sure if I will find my best deal through VRBO or elsewhere, though.

 

[djm99]

What other sites are like vrbo? - besides homeaway. I don't want to use sites like villadirect. They charge $49 for accidental insurance and $35 for an administration fee. That's $85 additional cost on top of payment.

 

[sadossey]

I have used vrbo.com many times. I have not booked for Disney or Orlando area but have booked numerous trips through vrbo to the beach, Colorado, West Va, Gatlinburg, etc. Never had a problem and it is much cheaper than using a rental agency. It is the only site I use if looking for a vacation condo. I just wish I could have booked my Disney hotel through vrbo.

 

[LuvMyEAR]

We have have rented 2 townhouses, a condo, and a 5-bedroom house (same place twice) in Windsor Hills, and a townhouse in Windsor Palms. Six rentals so far, and nothing but positive experiences every time! We are looking forward to our 7th rental through vrbo in Nov 2012!

Why do we like it so much? It is very personal, and the owners we have dealt with have been super-helpful, answering questions about the rental units, resorts and area in general. We have only used vrbo for WDW vacations to date, but every time I dream of going elsewhere, vrbo is the FIRST place I check for potential accommodations.

BTW - we LOVE Windsor Hills! At this point, it would take something like an almost-free suite at a luxury WDW resort to coax me away from the joys of staying in a vacation home in Windsor Hills. I hope your MIL will take a leap of faith and that your rental experience will be as wonderful as ours to date!

 

[My2Qtz0205]

Thank you guys! You're the best! . I'll forward on these reviews to my mil so hopefully she'll feel secure enough that I can book it before someone else grabs it.

 

[christineann]

We use VRBO to list a beach condo, and considering the rules and regulations for listing with them, I would trust them. We have also rented places through VRBO for ourselves, and I would trust them over a non-VRBO listing by an owner. There are places for feedback on the site, so check out the reviews.

 

[kmacht]

VRBO is usually safe as long as you take a few precautions. When looking at listings if it seems too good to be true or it seems much cheaper than comparable houses in the same area stay away. It is usually a good idea to do a property records search to make sure the person you are dealing with actually owns the house and that it isn't in foreclosure or something similar. Do a search on this forum and you will find a number of threads on how to do so. Finally, one popular scam on the VRBO site that is happening more frequently is when a hacker takes over the owners e-mail address. You think you are communicating with the owner but are really talking with a scammer. They ask you to send payment by wire transfer or money order and then you never hear from them again or get to the house and find out you don't really have it rented. The easiest way to avoid this is to only use the e-mail on the website for communicating via e-mail and to also talk in person on the phone with the owner before sending money. These problems are rare but they are just something to keep in the back of your mind when renting.

Keith

 

[sjanus]

We always use VRBO and Home Away when looking for properties by owner. They are very reputable sites and are costly for owners to advertise, so usually attract owners in good standing. They also would remove anybody instantly if fraud was reported. Still, look for good reviews and someone with lots of rentals in place--a good indication of a great business model with repeat guests.

Sandy

 

[JANNYANS]

When dealing direct with an owner there are checks you can do to help put your mind at ease .Sites that let you contact the owner are good -most of the problems seem to come from sites that want to do the whole process without any owner input at all.
You can also try sites like
www.orlandovillas.com
www.disneypremiervillas.com
both rent by owner sites
Have fun choosing.