round of introductions

[linda que linda]

Hello everyone,
I recently found and joined this great forum. I placed a couple of tentative posts, but after navigating the site for a while, I think this is the proper place to introduce oneself.
I live in the U.S. and, with a partner, own a 2 unit building on the Pacific Coast of Mexico near Zihuatanejo/Ixtapa. I began renting out the property last year, so I am very new at this business. Our place is quite off-the-beaten track, so I do have some unique challenges in marketing.
Although I am on “the other side of the pond” and am not familiar with some of the systems, acronyms or rental listing sites often discussed on this board, the concerns and problems are common to all of us owners. I have already gleaned lots of good information and hope I can provide some useful tips as well. Thanks to Paolo for providing a most interesting forum!

[enid]

Welcome I look forward to sharing experiences with you.I have found this forum invaluable for ideas and support and I am sure you will too.

[LaTour Gites]

I agree, I like LMH because the group doesn't mess around, they say it like it is, which helps all of us!

[LaTour Gites]

oh, btw...~welcome to the forum!!

[Fraise]

Hi, welcome !This is a great place to be, so much good advice

[Harborfields]

Tim and Wendy new here, about to take over the family housekeeping cottage business started by Wendy's grandparents back in 1948, but managed by others in recent years. Have been lurking here and picking up some great tips. Thanks all!

Anyone else here with properties in New England or the Maritimes?

[T.S.]

Hello, my name is Tammy. I live in the U.S. in California. I own a rental property with several houses that are rented year-round to long-term residents. One house, however, is my own vacation home and it often sits empty. Sometimes I think I should turn it into a vacation rental. But most of the time I think I don't have a strong enough personality for the job (although I HAVE been a landlord for twenty years, so that ought to count for something). It is with great interest that I read about the various situations you all encounter, whether good or bad, and how you think about them, and how everything turns out in the end. I expect that most of my contributions to this forum will be offering the perspective as a customer of vacation properties, rather than manager or owner. But we shall see! I look forward to chatting with you.

[Ju]

Welcome to the forum Tammy , and Tim and Wendy.

All contributions are valuable, even if it is just to say you agree.

[Big Sis..]

Yes,welcome to you all from me as well...... sorry that you werent welcomed earlier Tim and Wendy,
and thanks to Ju for the heads up

Hopefully youll find the forum useful ,and join in ,we love new contributors!!

Take care Rosxx

[kg1]

Hi.Have only just discovered this thread - I am a bit slow sometimes! I have been posting for about a year now I think & have found the members unfailingly helpful. No where else will someone willingly give away the little wrinkles that make them successful just to help a fellow letter who's srtuggling.

My name in Tina & we live in Woking. Our house in Hampshire was inherited from my husband's parents. We also have a small house in Woking which we let on a long term basis & a flat in Northern Cyprus which is used for holidays, hence 'Kyrenia girl' although my OH says 'girl' is stretching it somewhat!! MY OH used to work for BA so the travelling is not too expensive.

I work part-time for a local landscaping company & spend Saturdays in Lymington doing the turnarounds.

My OH & son are cricket mad so inevitably it tends to dominate my life - and then there's always the football for them to argue about.

I would like to retire soon but financially it's not possible yet, also this year the trecking to Hampshire every Saturday has started to pall, I do wonder how long we can keep it up. But for the meantime we'll continue. That's all folks!!

[Peggymac]

I joined just over a year ago and I think have only posted once but not to do any introductions.

This forum has proved very useful to us - myself and OH Lionel. He spends most of his time honing our website or doing building/maintenance etc. leaving me to my iPad , ironing, veg plot, cooking etc. We came to France in November 2009 to buy our little chateau and did so by the skin of our teeth, having not quite sold our house in a village near Cambridge, but had to make the purchase by Christmas 2009.
We took our first guests in July 2010 and continued the building work in the early months of 2011. We had a very successful year in 2011 with both our gites well booked out during the High Season times. There is still much to be done but more time to do it and we have good bookings for our 2 Gites for this coming year!

Would just like to say a big Hello and Thankyou for all your gentle caring responses to each other. There's another expat forum which is fun to read if you like insults and sparring! Not for the timid. I stay in the shadows when there!

Anyway, I hope at least to make some contributions in the future.

Best Wishes to you all!

[Fraise]

Helloooooo.... you are extremely welcome, lovely to hear other people's stories

[kendalcottages]

Hello and welcome, Peggy and Lionel.

[e-richard]

Welcome Peggy and someone who can juggle iPad , ironing, veg plot, cooking as well as reading this Forum sounds like you have a lot to offer

[Giddy Goat]

Yes, welcome from me too Peggy. (We live in a village near Cambridge too - where were you?)