Renting Condo from owners?????
 

Hello this is my first time on fodors forum!!
I have been trying to navigate my way through many posts. We are planning our first trip to Hawaii next year and are planning on renting a condo. In using VRBO and renting directly from the owner does anyone have any suggestions on what all I need to ask before we exchange money!!! I would appreciate any help from people that have gone that route!!
Thanks!!!!

I will be interested in hearing the replies that come to you on this. I, so far, think it is best to rent from an agency who will move you to a different unit if you are severely displeased with the first one.

I have heard horror stories about people who arrive in Hawaii........have rented from the owner...... the place is not as it should be, and what a headache!!! You've already paid in full!

I wouldn't have the nerve to do it....... but I guess there must be a ton of satisfied people, else so many people wouldn't go this route. I agree that you will save money this way. Hope you will get lots of glowing reports!

Good luck!

Referrals! If the owners can't give you the names of previous renters who were satisfied with their stay, then there's something wrong.

As an owner of a condo listed on VRBO I completely agree with the above posting. Definitely ask for referrals...also ask how they get most of their bookings...a large majority of my booking are from return guests...if you have guests returning year after year or every time they visit the island it's a very good indication that things will be fine...also a phone call rather than e-mail gives you a a comfort level (or not). You can also check with the management office at the condo complex to make sure that the person renting the unit to you is really an owner. Don't let the doomsayers scare you from renting directly thru and owner...the savings are substantial and also an owner renting directly has more control of the upkeep of their unit than an owner whose unit is managed and maintained by a large company

Tandoori_Girl, I'm even cynical about those referrals because I think, well, they're only going to give me names of people who were happy! Guess I'm just not a VRBO kinda gal! I would first rent from an agency, check condos & talk to guests & owners while I was there the first time if I could, THEN rent units (and from owners) I'd seen firsthand. But that's just me.........

Thank you all so much for your adivice!!

I will most definately check more into the places that I am interested in.

You all are the BEST!!!!:)

As a Hawai`i resident -- and former renter of vacation homes here when we were visitors -- the bottom line is purely a legal one.

Hawai`i law requires that any rental _company_ must be owned and operated by a licensed real estate broker. If anything goes wrong with the rental, and the broker fails to satisfy the renter, the state real estate board will intervene -- and has the power to revoke his/her broker's license. The fear of losing that license, brokers honest here.

No such guarantee when renting from an owner who is not subject to this law.

Renter, beware 8-)

Auntiemaria, I think your advice is right on. My thoughts have been, if I get to my condo and there's a mess, WHO'S gonna make 'em correct the situation? And the truth is that there is nobody, if it's an individual owner. My sister rented from an agency her first year in Hawaii (for six weeks); while there, she looked at condos, talked to renters, and then was comfy enough the next year to rent from an owner, who's property she'd seen firsthand. That's what I'd have to do.......

I have rented from VRBO,(first discovered in this forum) viewed the site on line, asked others on this site if they knew the location etc. and have had great responses- enough information that led me away from one choice and into one we really loved. The owner provided a contract and it worked out perfectly. Like a previous poster, I would be cynical about those referrals provided by the owner, why would they provide the name of someone who was not satisfied?
We are using VRBO again this summer - different state and thus different owner, but my experience was positive enough that I am use the service again.

There are risks no matter how you book accomodations - through an agency, directly with a resort, or directly with a condo owner.

Bonniebroad has repeatedly referred to the horror stories she has heard about people who have rented from owners but she has no personal experience herself. I have rented directly from owners numerous times with absolutely no problems, and I have heard no horror stories from others who have rented directly. However, I have heard horror stories from people who have booked through more conventional "safer" routes. For example, travel agencies have gone bankrupt leaving customers with no money AND no accomodations. And how many people have booked at a resort (either directly or through an agency) to find out that the ocean front resort ia a mile form the ocean, and the beautiful sand beach is a small strip of sand and lava rock?

Based on experience, not hearsay, I maintain that that renting from owners is no more risky than renting by other means.

Let's hear from people who have personally experienced "horror stories", whether renting from owners, through a resort, through an agency or otherwise.

We rented from a RE agency in Jackson, WY. They sent me maps and pictures of exactly what I was getting and the location within the resort-and I could pick from 3 choices.

All was as pictured except a little smaller and needed some cleaning-but was perfectly fine.

If there were any problems-we had someone to call. Without pictures and exact location (we do not like switchback-type roads, etc.), I would not have rented without seeing it personally.

I guess I feel differently because I have a rental (not listed in VRBO.com). I know the other side of the coin, and so do others who own rentals. The people who steal your sheets, towels, even your pictures on the walls, as if renting a home somehow means it's theirs to take home with them. The people who don't want to pay for housekeeping and say they'll clean, but barely do, making me do it myself. The people who want only the nicest furnishings but then trash my place by spilling food, drinks, cosmetics, whatever all over the place. There are some great advantages to having a place somewhere that people want to stay (mine's at the beach), the biggest one being that someone else is helping pay the mortgage. But while real estate prices are rising costing me more, hotel costs are not rising comparably, and I can't ask for more rent than my competition. To translate: I'm having to invest quite a bit of money in a place for you to stay. Real estate ads are exhorbitantly costly (unlike classifieds), costing at least $50/week. Rentals are few or non-existent during off-season.

So, let me ask you renters out there. What can I do to protect myself from bad renters? I can't ask for referrals. A damage deposit will only begin to pay for a new couch or new rug or carpets. And I can't ask for more deposit than the market would bare.

Any advice would be appreciated.

A few years back, we had to jump through some serious hoops to secure a rental in Kauai. At that time, there were few private rentals in Haena, so we obliged. When we arrive we were greeted by a man who had a serious case of island fever and placed us in a different room than we reserved.

This summer, we are trying again with a private owner in Waikiki. We kept the deposit low, $120. and put in a call to the condo to check residency.

Some of the agents we called wanted a 50% deposit and a large cleaning fee. That was scary. We were surprised at how few private rentals were available and that most of the condos were in the same Waikiki buildings. Our research discovered private rentals were much cheaper than the agencies or the resorts/hotels.

Tandoori_Girl,

I'm in the same situation as you are...how many horror stories about renters do we probably have? We've actually had people complain because the ocean was too loud!
I would love it if we, as owners of units could ask referrals of the renters!

I have a firsthand horror story.. Friends of mine rented a north shore beach house on Oahu directly from the owner. I wasn't involved int the renting, but drove them out there to find a FILTHY house. One of the two baths had no water supply, the kitchen counter tops (not shown in the photos on the web, of course) were of rough plywood, and the side yard had a skeleton of a car!

Owner had left keys under the doormat, and did not answer phone or reply to emails. I ended up with houseguests for a week.

Luckily for my friends, I live here, have access to tax office ownership records and eventually was able to harass the owner into refunding their money, after showing owner our pictures and my ready-to-file small claims court papers.

Granted, not all agencies are good, nor are all owners bad, but you do have a little more protection with a licensed agency. Like said above, their license is at risk, and they may be able to find you an alternate unit.

Even if they may be rigged, I'd always ask for refs. If they can't, or if the numbers are "disconnected", you at least get a little insight into the owner.

Another way to protect yourself is to check an owner or agency's record with the BBB.

Tandooriagirl, I sympathize with you. As a renter I have often thought about how the owner of the condo I was renting was at a disadvantage, in terms of people abusing their condos.

Tandoori_girl and lyb, I'm sure that most owners are as honest as the day is long. And I'm sure that you get some real "lulu's" in your properties, but of course, you know that can happen when you decide to rent property. I guess, if a person wants to make money by renting property out, and another person wants to save money by not renting from an agency........... you each have some risk there. Sort of comes with the territory, huh? I still feel safer going with an agency myself........

Would someone please interpret what B-Boad just posted !!

Thank you all for the information!!!

I contacted the owner and he answered all my questions and told me he would meet us when we get there!!! You can't beat that!!

He made me very comfortable with my choice and had alot of suggestions for our stay!!!

Tandoori_girl.....thats why you really need a deposit and if things go wrong with a renter don't give it back!!! I really appreciate your help!!

Thanks Everyone!!!

There's no shortage of ways to research a given property or property owner. If an owner isn't willing to provide objective references there's probably a good reason why.