VRBO or realtor?

[jent]

So we are planning a trip to Bar Harbor/Acadia in Maine and we'd like to rent a cottage for a week as a 'home base' rather than stay in a hotel. I researched places on VRBO/HomeAway and also found a local real estate agency that handles summer rentals. I found good candidates on each and was planning to rent thru the real estate agency, both b/c we really liked one option, and I felt by renting from an agency that is "on island" I would have some guarantee that everything is above-board-- renting from owners takes a bit of trust.

However, when the agent forwarded me the real estate agreement, I was frustrated that there seems to be very little renter protection. They ask for 1/2 of the rent/tax/security deposit up front. If you cancel for any reason, this amount is kept in full. The VRBO properties have varying refund agreements but none are this high 6 months in advance-- one will refund fully if cancelled > 60 days in advance, one will keep only the security deposit, etc.

When I asked the agent about this policy and the VRBO comparisons, she said that this is their policy for all rentals, since the properties are unique and it's a short season. She mentioned that VRBO charges high fees. From my point of view the fee is not too high- the agency property is priced slightly higher (for similar living area) so the fee makes it equal. She advised that I could buy trip insurance if I wanted a guaranteed refund for cancellations.

I do also like that VRBO advertises some renter protections- i.e. refund in the event of listing fraud, provide emergency rebooking if something is wrong with your rental, etc.

Anyway, advice? I know a lot of people have had good VRBO experiences on these boards.

[klwa]

No BTDT exactly, but I've rented through VRBO many times & never had an issue. If you can get a similar property with better protections for you, I'd use them without another thought. My big thing with VRBO is that I prefer to rent a place that has been listed for a while and has multiple reviews. I know every listing has to be new at some point, but I figure if one's been up for a couple of years without problem, it's a safer bet.

[LBW]

We've rented several houses near Acadia through VRBO with no issues. I've always gone w/houses that have a decent review history.

[SnuggleBuggles]

I've done both a fair number of times and have had comparable experiences. I'd probably do VRBO in this example.


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[liz]

No BTDT exactly, but I've rented through VRBO many times & never had an issue. If you can get a similar property with better protections for you, I'd use them without another thought. My big thing with VRBO is that I prefer to rent a place that has been listed for a while and has multiple reviews. I know every listing has to be new at some point, but I figure if one's been up for a couple of years without problem, it's a safer bet.

:yeahthat: FWIW, I have also bought trip insurance through VRBO. We were renting in Florida during peak hurricane season, plus one person in our family has a pre-existing medical condition. It was reasonably priced for the plan.