If you’re thinking of renting your vacation log home to add a new source of income to your life, there’s a few things you need to do before opening your doors. Luckily these are pretty simple and straightforward steps so if you’ve got a log home or cabin you don’t use much or are planning on investing in a rental property, you can be up and running in no time.
Log home rental property insurance
Let’s get the legal stuff out of the way first. Insurance requirements vary, so be sure to have a discussion with your insurance agent to learn what you need and how to best set it up before accepting renters.
Secure owner storage
If you are using the log home yourself in between renter occupancy, you’ll want to designate a secure space that can be locked to store personal belongings. A large closet inside the home, or storage areas in the garage, basement or attic that can be locked and easily accessed by the owners or management team as needed are the best answer.
Cleaning crew
In between each rental the cabin will need a thorough cleaning. The fee for cleaning is usually worked into the rental agreement, but you will need to arrange for a cleaning crew to be ready and able to swoop in and out in between each occupancy. If you contract with a log home rental management company they will often include this service.
Plenty of safe parking
Depending on the size of your rental and how many people in each rental party you allow, you’ll need to make sure to provide plenty of safe and convenient parking. If you rent during winter months in an area that gets snow and ice, you’ll need to take measures to reduce dangerous conditions (something your insurance agent will be happy about). Here are a few articles you can read for tips on reducing ice dangers:
- How to prevent and remove ice dams on log homes
- How to winterize outdoor water faucets and fixtures
- How to remove driveway ice without damaging concrete
Remote access / control
Today’s technology allows people who own log homes to monitor everything from the HVAC systems inside the home to who is at the front door to the wildlife that visits every night. Companies like RING can install front door cameras and entry systems, so you’ll know if a delivery is sitting on the porch or if you need to allow someone access from far away. Cameras can be installed on the outside of the home to monitor wildlife, and interior monitoring systems can report and adjust heat and air if needed, or even send an alert if a water leak or other issue is noted.
Hire a log home property management company
Many rental log cabin owners use services like VRBO, HomeAway, and Air B&B to book guests and handle rental transactions on their own. But if that gets overwhelming, you might want to look into hiring a log home property management company. Working with an experienced log home property management company provides on-site monitoring, maintenance, cleaning services, booking guests, handling financial transactions, customer service, and more – all usually for a percentage of the rental fees. To find trustworthy help, it’s a good idea to talk to other cabin owners in the area for recommendations and ask local business owners or the local chamber of commerce for recommendations.
Professional log home maintenance and repair
Renting can accelerate normal wear-and-tear on a home, which means you’ll want to have a professional log home maintenance and repair company like ProLog Restorations on your list. If your rental log home is in California or Idaho, we’ve got you covered.
We provide unsurpassed experience, superior craftsmanship and extensive knowledge for maintaining, repairing, and preserving log homes and structures. We are a state licensed contractor with 30 years of experience providing service to log home owners throughout California and Idaho. We are professionally certified, bonded, and insured and our work is 100% satisfaction guaranteed! Please feel free to give our name and contact information to your log home management company, or reach out to our log home expert, Jonathan Cassaday, at jon@prologrestorations.com to discuss your rental property and see how we can help.
