KOALA VIP

[WaikikiFirst]

really want Koala to be my go-to for the ease and convenience of listing

That makes sense as the owner. It works for you. From my side of the transaction, it is a mess. At a minimum, unless they absolutely force resort fees, etc to be 100% disclosed or 100% "We guarantee this doesn't exist", it is questionable. then add in the lousy user-interface and lack of contact, and it becomes a time-killer / deal-killer. but as I said, if I worked 40hrs/wk and were stuck in Fri-Fri rentals, it'd prob be a better fit

 

[WaikikiFirst]

What is not available?

I did not find a way to contact owner on either Koala nor VC prior to making a reservation. maybe I was so shocked by the lousy search that I missed it, but ...

(as I think about it, vrbo had weak searching / filtering also, but vrbo has SO MUCH more inventory and readily apparent way to contact the owner, so I found it worth investin gthe time to figure it out (hey, use windows text search?))

 

[FunnyFarm]

rickandcindy23,
2 questions:
1) Can you share the contract you use? The samples on TUG are not down-loadable.
I am renting on Redweek V&P but not full service, so no $100 charge there, I believe.

2) What does Paypal charge when the renter pays cash? You mentioned $100 for CC payment through them is that a flat fee or %?
Paypal site is not clear on their charges that I can see.

 

[rickandcindy23]

I use Timeshare Von's contract that is on TUG. I was able to save it in my document folder, and I edit it each time for renting purposes. A lot of people just use an email contract, so you basically put general information about the unit size, date, location, and that they agree to the rental price, which you also state, and the renter just says, "I agree to the terms of the contract." Easy-breezy.

Paypal does a friends and family option, which is free, but it's for friends and family. I use it for my friends that rent weeks, but most people pay with a credit card. I think it's 3.25% now.

 

[DrGavin]

Has anybody used GO-KOALA gold/platinum VIP service? What was your experience. Did your unit rent any easier and if not did you get the guaranteed payout.

My elderly mother is the primary owner, and she is physically unable to travel at the moment, so I signed up with Gold VIP to help offset her maintenance fees.

I have had a mixed but generally good experience. I have yet to get a hit with either a speculative or "suggested" listing, but the HUB is working as advertised. I just got my first payment for a studio in St. Thomas. I've signed up to fulfill several more HUB reservations this year and next.

When I first signed up, I was able to book time with the owner because I had some specific questions, and the customer service has been uniformly good.

 

[DrGavin]

My elderly mother is the primary owner, and she is physically unable to travel at the moment, so I signed up with Gold VIP to help offset her maintenance fees.

I have had a mixed but generally good experience. I have yet to get a hit with either a speculative or "suggested" listing, but the HUB is working as advertised. I just got my first payment for a studio in St. Thomas. I've signed up to fulfill several more HUB reservations this year and next.

When I first signed up, I was able to book time with the owner because I had some specific questions, and the customer service has been uniformly good.

I also like the fact that HUB reservations must be confirmed by the renter 16 days before check-in, which ensures that I don't have to use a guest confirmation or risk wasting the points. Once guest confirms by day 16, I will get paid, so at that point, I change the reservation to a guest confirmation.

I have rented out a studio in St. Thomas one on VRBO. That process worked fine, but required more interaction with the guest. With Koala, all of that interaction is taken care of by Koala (which in part justifies their 8% commission).

On the HUB, Koala sets the price, and you know in advance what the payout is. You then book the reservation on Wyndham and then wait until 16 days before check-in.

I did have one bad experience with a speculative listing, but it was my fault. I got busy and didn't cancel my un-rented reservation in time ... my fault, not Koala's. In fact, Koala even emailed me a reminder about the cancellation deadline. Discounting the listing extensively didn't generate any interest, so in the end, I just lost those points. Lesson learned ... pay attention to the calendar.

I'm also unable to verify whether a listing has been "supercharged" for distribution on other platforms, which I have mentioned to customer service.

So overall, a positive experience with Koala, particularly with their HUB product and their customer service.