Redweek questions

[jazzeah]

We are using Redweek for the 1st time and I don;t think I understand how it works. It mentions a 7% SC usage tax? What is that and who pays that the renter or the person renting the unit? It is a last-minute rental so do folks normally ask for the whole fee upfront or still 1/2 and then 1/2 when we put it in their name? So much easier when we rented through tug members but no takers for our unit this time around.

Any other advice or tips on how Redweeks works will be helpful since i guess we will be using them now

 

[HudsHut]

If you live in an area with a NextDoor forum, place an ad there. It's free. People like to rent from people who live nearby.
I would also try go-koala.com. It's free to set up the ad. You'll be done in 5 minuntes, and it tends to have an east coast audience. They take 8% of the proceeds, so build that into your asking price.

Show the buyer the reservation in your name to prove you have it. Then, speak to them on the phone, and see whether they're anxious or ready to close to the deal. If skittish, ask for at least $100 , or up to 1/2 the rent amount to put it in their name, and the balance after they have the reservation in their name.

 

[rickandcindy23]

Usage tax? Makes sense, Airbnb has taxes built into all rentals, wherever they are. Except you need to know how it's charged and who pays it to figure out what your net cost is.

go-koala.com is another site you can list a timeshare. No upfront fee to list, but they do make money from the rentals. You know immediately after entering your asking price what your net will be, and you can adjust the price to make sure you get the amount you want or need to get. If it rents through Redweek, great, but you could give Koala a try for $0 and see how it works for you.

I have rented a lot of my weeks through go-koala.com but Redweek sometimes comes through before Koala. I just like having twice the chance of renting. Too bad TUG didn't work for you as it usually does.

 

[TravelTime]

How successful is renting on go-koala? I have never heard of it so I wonder if they have many customers yet.

 

[tschwa2]

The SC tax is something that SC is forcing redweek to collect. The person paying to rent pays the fee. Technically it is required that everyone who rents out a unit in SC remit this payment, but the gov't doesn't have the means or where with all to go after people who rent and collect the money outside of various internet platforms. If you don't use redweeks payment platform, it won't be collected. If I am collecting the money for a last minute rental, I typically ask for $100 initially and the rest once the guest is added to the reservation and the confirmation is forwarded to the person renting the unit.

 

[rickandcindy23]

How successful is renting on go-koala? I have never heard of it so I wonder if they have many customers yet.

You can look at the website and see the listings. I find it disorganized compared to Redweek. Maybe I am just so used to Redweek, I maneuver it better.

I think Koala needs to make it easier to search. I have rented things on koala that I have not been able to rent on Redweek over the last fews, specifically my Sheraton Broadway Plantation weeks are doing well on Koala, and I am renting Peacock Suites in Anaheim. I only get my cost back on that one, but at least I can rent through Koala.

I think my success with go-koala.com is that less people list ordinary resorts like Peacock Suites, and so people search for Anaheim and find it and think my price is reasonable.

I like that I don't have to pay for ads on Koala but still have listings on Redweek. I like both.