How to rent a beach house for the summer, in 9 steps

Hotel rooms are nice, but there's nothing quite like renting a whole house with your friends.Whether you're looking for a vacation rentalthat gives you more privacy than a hotel, enough space to house your entire family, or simply want to feel like you're home away from home, sites like Airbnb and VRBO are the answer.While the many, many options online might seem daunting,there are several tips and tricks that will make the process much smoother.Here are nine easy steps that will help you land an amazing beach rental.SEE ALSO:The 12 key differences between buying and renting a home, in one chartDo your research.There are hundreds of websites devoted to helping people rent beach houses, but some are more reputablethan others. Many are area specific, while others have no search filters. To be safe, it's wise to stick to the more well-known sites likeAirbnb, VRBO, andTripAdvisor's FlipKey.To be even safer, make sure you're on the realwebsite with the right urlnot a scammy copycat site.Whilesmaller sites willbe more tailored and personal, know that a few hiccups could arise if they don't have established rules, regulations, and guidelines.Pick a time.Deciding when you wantto take your beach vacation is the first step. Picking a window of timewill help you narrow down the many options immensely.Also, beaware that certain times of the year are peak season, so prices will be much higher. In popular places like Florida the winter and summer months are prime time for tourists, so if you can swing a springtime trip you'll score some awesome deals.When it comes to deciding how long you'll stay, keep an eye out for places that don't allow half-weeks or long weekends. Several rentals only want guests that book a whole week and stay the whole week. For more flexibility, consider booking a trip during an off-season when owners are itching to fill their rentals.Choose a destination.There's a reason that certain areas have peak season. When choosing a destination make sure you know the area's weather patterns, climate, andsurf conditions. Places in the Caribbean have pretty goodweather year-round, buthave anotorious hurricane seasonat the end of summer and early fall.If you're traveling with children, it's also important to think of surf conditions. Rip tides and strong currents are common in places like Hawaii.See the rest of the story at Business Insider
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