Vacation Home Maintenance Tips
How you will maintain your beautiful vacation home might not be at the top of your priority list as you shop for that mountain retreat, but it probably should be. It is exciting to have a vacation home in the mountains for family visits and social gatherings. It is an investment that will pay off years down the line if you maintain the vacation home, even if you are not there to do so. Your second home should be viewed the same as your primary residence in terms of its investment value and need for maintenance. At some point, you’ll have to devote time and money for home maintenance and emergencies at your vacation home.
The type and amount of maintenance your second home needs depends on the age, location, type and frequency of use and the materials used in the construction process. If you rent the property as a weekly or weekend rental, it will need certain kind of maintenance versus a home or that you use infrequently for your own holidays.
Hiring a local property manager can ease the maintenance burden, but is very expensive. An arrangement with a local caretaker could be cheaper, but they may not have the expertise you need for all jobs. Doing the work yourself can be cheapest of all, but the logistics get difficult if your vacation home is located far enough away from your primary residence.
Professional Property Manager
Hiring a professional property manager is by far the most convenient way to have your vacation home maintained. Services can include almost anything from opening and closing your vacation home, regular inspections and responding to emergencies. If you intend on renting out your vacation home the management company can advertise the rental, check in guests, handle payment, clean and provide maintenance. The best property managers are expensive, but don’t assume a management company is dependable just because they charge a large fee. Check with the Better Business Bureau, their references, other owners and your real estate broker before sign a contract.
Property managers are not inexpensive. Property managers usually retain 20% to 60% of the rental income. So if your mountain chalet rents for $2,000 per week, expect to give up between $400 to $1,200 of the rental income to the property manager.
Local Help
A cheaper alternative to a property manager, especially if you don’t plan to rent out the house or will handle rentals yourself is hiring some local help. Hiring a local caretaker/housekeeper is a compromise between doing the work yourself and compensating a management company. A groundskeeper or housekeeper can keep the property clean and ready for arrivals and perform regular inspections of the home. Local licensed handyman can also be used for maintenance of your vacation home. A full-time handyman/housekeeper is another possibility to consider if the property is large enough to accommodate another person.
Since you will be trusting cleaners and handymen in your home unsupervised make sure to ask for evidence that they are insured and bonded and check references.
A fee-free option is to share responsibilities with another part-time neighbor. Develop a schedule to check on each other’s home when in town, rather than hiring someone.
Preparing For Home Emergencies
Preventive home maintenance decreases the probability of emergencies, but something is bound to go wrong eventually. As the owner of a vacation home that is miles away, it is important that you be prepared for the emergency. If you don’t have a professional property manager, handyman, caretaker, or neighbor…….at least have a list of qualified local repair companies. Spend a few hours assembling a list of qualified plumbers, electricians, roofers and etc. Check with other homeowners in the neighborhood or turn to a contractor rating service like Angie’s List for recommendations.
Home security systems and motion detecting lights will assist in safeguarding your vacation home while you are away. A keyless entry system is critical in the event of an emergency. You can give the code to any repairman over the phone. The basic models start at less than $100. A more advanced keyless entry system would allow you to use a cell phone or computer to change the entry code as needed.
It’s an unavoidable part of home ownership that repairs and emergencies will happen. If you take the time to be prepared, these problems won’t spoil the wonderful times you will enjoy in your vacation home.
Vacation Home Maintenance Tips