general

A totally engrossing book! A definite 'must -have' for any would-be renter.

Hunter Melville
http://CyberRentals.com

If you haven't ever owned and rented out a vacation or second home, you probably have the same concerns that I have: How will I find renters? Will people destroy the property? Will people sue me? How will I get the toilet unclogged at 4 a.m. from a distance? How will I avoid having a terrible negative cash flow? How much time will this really take? Am I turning myself into a minimum wage slave?

Relax! Ms. Christine Hrib Karpinski answers all those and many other questions you didn't know enough to ask. She also provides details of how she does everything efficiently and relatively painlessly.

Further, she gives you good advice on how to decide what property to buy, how much to charge, who to rent to, where to advertise, how to write the copy and even how to create great photographs for a Web site. In fact, both the marketing and the administrative details she provides are outstanding. My only suggestion is that you have an attorney in the state where your property is check out the forms she suggests (or obtain the standard forms used by landlords in that state).

The only area where the book doesn't cover a related subject in detail is in the tax advantages. If she does another edition of this book, I suggest that she have a c.p.a. write up a section on that point. As a result, the book makes it seem like you will make less than you actually will.

Her focus is on long-term ownership and rental, but she also points out how you can make substantial short-term gains. The section on the current mortgage options is excellent.

Even if you decide not to buy a vacation home and rent it, I suggest that you read the book for advice that will be valuable to you as a potential tenant of such properties. You can more than save the price of the book in that context.

I recommend that you do the work she describes for setting rental prices and marketing a property BEFORE you purchase a home.

Good luck!

If you currently own or are thinking of investing in a Vacation rental this book is a must have. My husband & I are in the middle of building our dream home. Christine's book answered all the questions I had & then some about renting our vacation home. This book is very easy reading. In fact I found it very difficult to put down. It is a book I think I'll refer to over & over again. Get clicking & buy this book! You won't be sorry!!!!