Redweek rental question?

[Lisa8192]

I have to rent my summer HH week. It’s KILLING me!! I haven’t missed a summer in 22 years. 2 out of 3 kids can’t go so I’m going to rent and go somewhere later in the year. I’ve never used redweek and was curious about the different levels. Is the full service worth it or just the basic/verified? Seems awfully cheap for fees unless I’m missing something? Thanks!!


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[TheTimeTraveler]

No need to use the "Full Service" option on Redweek when you have a super desirable week like Hilton Head in the summer.

It should rent quickly and easily without paying their extra listing fees.



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[theo]

I have to rent my summer HH week. It’s KILLING me!! I haven’t missed a summer in 22 years. 2 out of 3 kids can’t go so I’m going to rent and go somewhere later in the year. I’ve never used redweek and was curious about the different levels. Is the full service worth it or just the basic/verified? Seems awfully cheap for fees unless I’m missing something? Thanks!!

Fwiw, my personal experience is that RedWeek is a great site on which to be on either side of a timeshare rental transaction.

That said, I would not encourage the use of RedWeek's so-called "Full Service" option, thereby subjecting (and limiting) yourself to their contract terms, their refund & cancellation policies and their owner payment schedule. In addition, the assigned "full service" agent may know little or nothing about the resort and be entirely unable to answer specific questions about it. Unless you truly want nothing at all to do with conducting and handling the rental yourself, I would pass on using the (so-called) "full service" option --- not because of the minor cost involved but simply because the RedWeek "full service" is (IMO) a whole lot less than "full". YMMV.

Personally, I much prefer to use a detailed and precise contract with terms and conditions of my own identification and also determine my own payment terms and cancellation / refund timelines. Those aspects aside, the "RedWeek Verified" option is (IMO) always worthwhile (for a mere $15 extra) to save you the time and aggravation of repeatedly having to "prove" the legitimacy of your ownership to nervous prospective tenants by instead "proving" your ownership and legitimacy just once --- to RedWeek.

Hope this helps. Good luck.

 

[vol_90]

I have to rent my summer HH week. It’s KILLING me!! I haven’t missed a summer in 22 years. 2 out of 3 kids can’t go so I’m going to rent and go somewhere later in the year. I’ve never used redweek and was curious about the different levels. Is the full service worth it or just the basic/verified? Seems awfully cheap for fees unless I’m missing something? Thanks!!


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Use Redweek Full Service if you don't want to deal directly with renters and contracts. I've had great success and only use the Redweek full service for all rentals although I am now also posting the same weeks on Koala with not one bite.

Here is a positive experience with Redweek Full Service. Rented 3 Bedroom Aruba Surf Club May 28th - June 4th. Posting had a moderate cancellation clause which is 50% refund if cancelled prior to 60 days of check in and 100% within 60 days. The renter cancelled prior to 60 days. Week was reposted and rented in 4 days. Now I'm getting the full value plus an additional 50% on this one rental. All I had to do is change the reservation name on the Marriott website and send to Redweek for verification. I get paid 2 - 4 days after check in May and that works for me.

Redweek Full Service and Verified rentals are also more desirable when priced competitively.

 

[NTP66]

Fwiw, my personal experience is that RedWeek is a great site on which to be on either side of a timeshare rental transaction.

That said, I would think long and hard about using RedWeek's so-called "Full Service" option, thereby subjecting (and limiting) yourself to their contract terms, their refund & cancellation policies and their owner payment schedule. In addition, the assigned "full service" agent may know little or nothing about the resort and be entirely unable to answer specific questions about it. Unless you want literally nothing at all to do with conducting and handling the rental yourself, I would pass on using the (so-called) "full service" option.

Personally, I much prefer to use a contract with terms and conditions of my own choosing and also be able to have some say in the payment terms and cancellation / refund timelines. That aside, the "RedWeek verified" option is worthwhile (for a mere $15 extra) to save you the time and aggravation of repeatedly having to "prove" the legitimacy of your ownership to nervous prospective tenants by instead "proving" your ownership just once to RedWeek.

Hope this helps. Good luck.

This is good advice, IMO. I have rented our Maui units for years on Redweek, and have never used their full service feature. This year, I actually looked into it, because I wasn't sure how things would be with Covid. I decided against it, and had a renter pay in full a few weeks later. Had my usual rental agreement processed online for free via PandaDoc, and moved on with my day. Couldn't have been any smoother. I also 'verify' my unit with Redweek, as well. As an act of good faith, I put the reservation in my renter's name before they sent the check. Figure that's an easy win for both of us in the trust department, and if they backed out, I could just as easily call Marriott to have their name removed.

 

[rcv82]

I use Redweek to rent out a few extra weeks if I’m not going to use them. I always use Full Service because I don’t want to have to deal with renters. And quite honestly if I was renting that is what I would want, so I think the likelihood of renting is a little higher. And the cost is quite low compared to broker commissions

That said, I personally did get burned a with a couple rentals in the late March and early April last year as Covid hit. In the end, I don’t think it was too unfair to either side. But the reasons others have for not using Full Service make sense.


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[The Colorado Kid]

I am a rookie in renting weeks out so have enjoyed using RedWeek and Koala and relying on their expertise - have rented several weeks through both flawlessly. Perhaps in the future as I gain experience and confidence I will join the ranks of the expert TUGers here who self-manage their rentals to a much higher degree for more control and profit.

I do think that looking at a rental from the renter's perspective spending thousands of dollars online that RedWeek's Verified and Protected listings provide a level of confidence. Also I see that my Full Service RedWeek listings offer financing which could also gain a reservation.

 

[Lisa8192]

Thanks everyone! I definitely agree with the verified aspect. I’ll do a bit more homework before I list.. and join Redweek.


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[SteelerGal]

I use RedWeek Full Service as well as Koala. Personally, I like being able to outsource. Working Mom of several littles.

 

[LisaRex]

I've been both on both sides of Redweek transactions, and never used the full service. My advice is to make it clear in the contract what the terms are. For instance, if you will not refund money for ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, then put that in the contract. If you will refund money ONLY if the resort is closed, then put that in the contract. If the resort is closed due to a hurricane, and in lieu of a refund, your remedy will be to work with the owner to secure another week, then put that in.

Language is important in a contract.

 

[beachgirls67]

I have rented many weeks on Redweek on my own. The last couple of times I had difficult transactions with the renters cancelling within 60 days and insisting on getting their deposit back even though the contract clearly stated it was non-refundable. I just rented my May Ocean Pointe week using Redweek full service. It rented in 3 days and I did nothing but have to update the Renters name on my reservation. I liked the ease of the transaction and not having to deal with the renters on my own. I would definitely consider using full service again for the fee they charged.

 

[suzannesimon]

Fwiw, my personal experience is that RedWeek is a great site on which to be on either side of a timeshare rental transaction.

That said, I would not encourage the use of RedWeek's so-called "Full Service" option, thereby subjecting (and limiting) yourself to their contract terms, their refund & cancellation policies and their owner payment schedule. In addition, the assigned "full service" agent may know little or nothing about the resort and be entirely unable to answer specific questions about it. Unless you truly want nothing at all to do with conducting and handling the rental yourself, I would pass on using the (so-called) "full service" option.

Personally, I much prefer to use a detailed and precise contract with terms and conditions of my own identification and also determine my own payment terms and cancellation / refund timelines. Those aspects aside, the "RedWeek Verified" option is (IMO) always worthwhile (for a mere $15 extra) to save you the time and aggravation of repeatedly having to "prove" the legitimacy of your ownership to nervous prospective tenants by instead "proving" your ownership and legitimacy just once --- to RedWeek.

Hope this helps. Good luck.

I do the same. I pay a little extra for the Verified service but do my own rental agreement and handle the money. The Full Service Listing really gives very little info about the resort. It is just a canned Redweek explanation.

 

[Lisa8192]

Thanks everyone! I ended using their middle option. Verified and protected. I think it was $40. Totally worth it to me. That may have been the easiest thing I’ve ever done. All I had to do was change the name on the Marriott website. It rented in 10 minutes. I don’t get paid until they check in.. but I’m ok with that. Bittersweet.. I love my summer week at Barony. Sigh.. ok. Moving on!!


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[rickandcindy23]

It doesn't hurt to put your listing on Koala as well. Redweek is a great resource, don't get me wrong, but there are advantages to Koala that Redweek doesn't offer quite yet. No upfront costs gives Koala an advantage over Redweek. I have had listings that do not rent on Redweek. I had one listing that didn't even get a single inquiry.

I want to see Koala succeed in a world where VRBO and AirBnB have negatively affected our timeshare rentals.

 

[rickandcindy23]

Thanks everyone! I ended using their middle option. Verified and protected. I think it was $40. Totally worth it to me. That may have been the easiest thing I’ve ever done. All I had to do was change the name on the Marriott website. It rented in 10 minutes. I don’t get paid until they check in.. but I’m ok with that. Bittersweet.. I love my summer week at Barony. Sigh.. ok. Moving on!!


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Great success! Wow, ten minutes!

 

[zentraveler]

I want to see Koala succeed in a world where VRBO and AirBnB have negatively affected our timeshare rentals.

Curious about what this means. I don't rent our time, so not that familiar it, but I see a lot of timeshares on both of those sites and assumed it helped with renting them.

 

[suzannesimon]

I think Koala is a great source but I would use Redweek as well. Koala charges 6% if they are successful. You need to add that to your price if you don’t want to pay it. On a $4000 rental that’s $240. If a renter is shopping around, it will be a deterrent.

 

[rickandcindy23]

Redweek's got a charge on the back-end for the renter, too. I do not remember what it is.

The listing is 8% for Koala, so they can make their money for advertising. But renting on my own, I pay 3% in credit card fees, so it's only 5% net cost to me. 5% X $4,000 is $200. 3% credit card fees is $120 for me with Paypal or Square.

 

[suzannesimon]

If you don’t go full service on Redweek, there is no charge to the renter. Most of my renters pay with Zelle or personal check which have no fees attached to it. I always give them the choice and they never pick PayPal anymore.

 

[echino]

If you don’t go full service on Redweek, there is no charge to the renter. Most of my renters pay with Zelle or personal check which have no fees attached to it. I always give them the choice and they never pick PayPal anymore.

A reminder for the owners, if you use Redweek full service or verified and protected, then Redweek charges extra 5% to the renter and holds the funds until after check in. You also take a risk of your renter canceling and Redweek refunding the money to the renter in full, even if you have a strict non-refundable policy.

 

[rickandcindy23]

A reminder for the owners, if you use Redweek full service or verified and protected, then Redweek charges extra 5% to the renter and holds the funds until after check in. You also take a risk of your renter canceling and Redweek refunding the money to the renter in full, even if you have a strict non-refundable policy.

Yes, that happened with Covid. I respect somewhat the position they had to take with Covid. I hope that is not how they still do things, is it?

I didn't know it was 5%. So really, how is Koala more? If you add the 5% to the front of the listing with Koala, the renter absorbs that, plus the 3% in Paypal or Square fees that I pay, I think it comes out pretty even.

Almost every one of my renters wants to pay Paypal or Square with a credit card. I have a few repeat renters who pay with personal check, but most like the credit card. I did have one person who challenged the charges on his credit card, and it was his second rental at Disney. I promptly noted his account on my spreadsheet as "do not rent again." When I emailed him after he disputed the charge, he didn't answer my email. I usually give a pretty good deal to repeat renters, too. He can find another sucker.

I did list my DVC weeks on Koala. So hoping to get those rented. They are just studios for weekdays.

 

[tschwa2]

Yes, that happened with Covid. I respect somewhat the position they had to take with Covid. I hope that is not how they still do things, is it?

I didn't know it was 5%. So really, how is Koala more? If you add the 5% to the front of the listing with Koala, the renter absorbs that, plus the 3% in Paypal or Square fees that I pay, I think it comes out pretty even.

Koala is more if you are comparing it to traditional Redweek listings; not the verified and not the full service.

 

[rickandcindy23]

Koala is more if you are comparing it to traditional Redweek listings; not the verified and not the full service.

True. But maybe you can get more on Koala than Redweek? Have you rented your SBP this year? Our daughter is using Koala and receiving more money than you can get on RW. Just saying. Maybe when there is more competition, this will be different, but for now, it's been very profitable.

 

[dioxide45]

Koala is more if you are comparing it to traditional Redweek listings; not the verified and not the full service.

True, but from a service and product standpoint, isn't KOALA more comparable to Redweek Full Service? Many renters these days want to pay by credit card. They don't want to deal with a contract. What is a check? Even Zelle or Venmo offers zero protection. It seems that KOALA is targeting a different demographic than someone willing to rent from a DIY owner on Redweek.

 

[VacationForever]

The issue with Verified and Protected is that if the renter disputes, Redweek may side with the renter and you don't get paid. It happened with COVID when renters said that the resort was not available when resort was opened but with limited amenities and Redweek returned the money to the renter. The owner lost the week.