What is going on with the bookings??

[cortijolasolivas]

i thought it was just me! it has been so quiet over Easter!

[booboo]

Well I was hoping enquires would have picked up again but no, only one enquiry this month which has come to nothing!

[Nemo]

I thought it was quiet until I checked the same month last year and find I have had more enquiries and more bookings this year! Shows how wrong a gut feel can be! Typically two came in this morning for the same date and I only have one available. Trying to sell the week before or after but it's not often that works!

[DaveN]

Funny old year here too. Not much at the start of Jan, then several at the end of January and February (I'm guessing just after pay day each month).
Then only one booking in April up until yesterday, followed by four in one day yesterday, one for 2014.

[Speyside Steve]

I just don't think there was the 'rush' this year, with the usual flood of enquiries and bookings at the start of the year. Instead, a steady trickle - our level of bookings is similar (and surprisingly slightly higher) than the same stage last year.

I would like to see some more off peak weeks especially in April/May getting booked. I think the weather and an early Easter have not helped but perhaps things will pick up when the weather improves. Although visitors to Speyside are hardy folk who love the outdoors, nice weather does help!!

[steverockers]

Same problem with us. We have three properties - a villa in Lombok, Indonesia and a large farmhouse and a chalet in France. The bookings for the large farmhouse (sleeping 17) are dire, only 3 weeks booked against about 8 this time last year; the chalet (sleeping 6) is better and the villa is virtually full, apart from July, until September. However, even where the bookings are reasonable, the number of enquiries has fallen off dramatically and, for Indonesia, the Asian and Australian enquies have almost dried up. Most of the enquiries (but they don't often book!) we are getting for the French properties are French people for week-end breaks.

It has got to be, at least partially, due to the world economy. I agree with the suggestion that the problem is particularly bad for larger properties where the booking involves a number of groups in a family and where they are frightened that one one of them could loose their job. This could involve some late bookings but the problem is that it takes a lot of organising when a lot of people are involved so it is not so easy for them to book late.

[Mouse]

Just checked OD's stats for April so far...and the hits to our advert is 20% up on last year.
Amazingly March was 35% up.
However enquiry rate is very poor...not had one now for over 3 weeks which is almost unheard of at this time of the year.
I actually sent a test email to make sure all was ok!!

We only have 4 weeks left to sell but one is peak and another is early July so it is surprising.

Mousie
x

[booboo]

April last year was our busiest time for enquires, this April we have only had three so far. One yesterday said they wanted to book and the other two said they would get back to us nearer the end of the month.

[Beachcondo]

and sorry forgot also - doing special offers or featured listings on homeaway - does that bring much more in? worth it?

I've done it and never seen any big difference.

Now I change the header on HA instead. Had "Discount on remaining weeks in May and June" as my header. It's free and, in my experience, just as effective in grabbing the attention as a payed spotlight.

That brought in a lot of bargain hunters, but I only discounted it 10%...would have increased the discount closer to the date, or if I really felt good about the renters.

This way I finally had a booking (after 50+ enquiries) that probably was really interested in my place and the discount sealed it. Not the other way around.

[newtimber]

Richard I agree you have to spend more - but maybe not the same percentage. When selling a valuable property, the estate agents charge a lower percentage and are more open to negotiation.
I'm also not sure why you should have to spend more to advertise a "normal" London based rental than the same type of property in say York as I presume you'd be advertising on the same websites/type of publication. Yet the rent is a lot higher in London.