The Monterey Cookhouse, on North Fremont Boulevard in Monterey, is a hit with the crew at Monterey Bay Property Management. “Great food at reasonable prices, said Managing Broker, Jan Leasure, about the Monterey Cookhouse experience. The casual dining-type restaurant offers a varied menu and service customized to the diner’s dietary preferences. While the chef routinely prepares the grilled salmon on the rare side, he had no problem accommodating a diner who requested that it be well-done; the well-done salmon arrived moist and delicious. A vegan diner in the party who wanted a pizza was not only accommodated, but delighted with a wonderful vegan pizza creation that clearly demonstrated the chef’s creativity. The Monterey Cookhouse is a restaurant that should not be missed by those visiting the Monterey Peninsula!
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With a TV commercial highlighting vacation rentals having aired in Sunday’s Super Bowl, football fans are discovering why renting vacation homes, condos, villas and cabins is a favorite choice for many versus hotels. Beyond the experiences families and friends build by staying in a home away from home on the Monterey Peninsula, there are numerous benefits to choosing vacation rentals – sometimes in ways they’d least expect.
Whether trying vacation rentals for the first time or if you’re one of the nearly nine in 10 travelers who plan to rent again*, here are some
Casa de la Estrella on the Pebble Beach Golf Course
planning tips and insights as a post-game update for visiting the Monterey Bay area:
• KNOW YOUR DESTINATION: Whether you are a first-time traveler to the Monterey Bay or not, it’s recommended that you become familiar with the area’s special events, seasons and offerings.
• LOOK FOR SPECIALS: During certain seasons, vacation rental packages can provide even more value, some with two-bedrooms starting at just $125 per night, with all of the typical amenities and more. Visit www.MontereyRentals.com to become familiar with various vacation rental types, reservation rates as well as travel specials available.
• AVOID AIRLINE BAGGAGE FEES: Most Monterey Bay vacation rentals come equipped with washers and dryers. Travelers may choose to use these perks to pack less clothing, avoiding commercial airlines’ baggage fees and restrictions.
• USE SPACE TO YOUR ADVANTAGE: Monterey Bay vacation homes and condos can be from 500 to more than 5000 square feet, often costing less than a single hotel room by sleeping up to 12 or more guests, versus just a few.
• SAVE ON DINING OUT: With full kitchens and outdoor grills, Monterey Bay vacation rental travelers often make and store meals and snacks for less, including football favorites like homemade nachos during postseason trips. Use local ingredients and recipes for more memorable mealtimes, like fruits and vegetables from the local farmers’ markets and fresh fish from Fisherman’s Wharf. This also provides healthy travel options, cutting the amount of calories typically consumed while on vacation.
• ASK ABOUT AFTER-HOURS SERVICE: When looking into any vacation rental accommodations, check to see if there is an accessible customer service number for emergency needs 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and for after-hour requests. There is always help available at Monterey Bay Property Management.
• ENTERTAIN FOR FREE: Most of Monterey Bay Property Management’s vacation homes, villa rentals and condos include amenities not found in hotels, some with private swimming pools, whirlpool spas, game rooms, fireplaces, DVD players, Internet access, and game consoles. Many are also in neighborhoods with access to golf courses, tennis courts, fitness centers, hiking trails, parks, and beaches.
• ASK ABOUT PARTNERSHIPS: Beyond the ability to live like a local in the Monterey Bay, vacation rental guests can also take advantage of our relationships with activity providers, shops, restaurants, tour companies and more. Guests can also opt for concierge-type services, including grocery delivery, personal chefs, in-home massages and spa treatments, to name a few.
• REMEMBER BIG EVENTS: Whether it’s for football championships or national Bowl games, concerts, baseball series’, basketball or the US Open at Pebble Beach in June, vacation rentals can save fans from the hassle of finding multiple hotel rooms during big events, and on the cost of multiple reservations.
• TRANSPORTATION: Other relationships to remember are those made between vacation rental managers and transportation providers, whether it’s rental cars, shuttle services, golf carts, bicycles and more. Monterey Bay Property Management can provide assistance with all your transportation needs.
To learn more about available vacation rental options in the spectacular Monterey Bay, visit www.MontereyRentals.com as a comprehensive resource. Also visit www.mpcc.com which lists more ongoing events in the area.
For general answers to frequently asked questions about vacation rentals or for more information, visit http://www.DiscoverVacationHomes.com as an official category resource. Also connect with travelers and experts in the Facebook vacation rental community at http://bit.ly/b4idHA and http://www.facebook.com/DiscoverVacationHomes, and join the conversation on Twitter @GoVacationHomes.
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It is now legal to rent a house or condo for your weekend or weekly vacation in Pacific Grove, the quaint town on the tip of the Monterey Peninsula.On Wednesday, January 6, the Pacific Grove City Council unanimously approved an ordinance that will permit rentals for less than 30 days, which had previously been illegal. The City plans to regulate short-term rentals by registering them, issuing a license, and inspecting them for fire safety, including smoke detectors and fire extinguishers.
Property managers and owners who are renting their homes for less than 30-day periods will be required to collect the same ten percent transient occupancy tax as hotels and motels do. Visitors should not be surprised to see this surcharge added to the cost of renting a home.
You may have rented a home in Pacific Grove for less than a month in the recent past. City officials acknowledged that they have been aware that it was going on, despite the ban on such rentals. The City realized, however, that licensing and taxing those rentals could generate some much-needed income to the city.
Property owners may register their homes by contacting the City of Pacific Grove, or Monterey Bay Property Management has a registration service whereby the management company will register a home for a nominal fee. Property owners who fail to register their rentals face significant financial penalties. An additional requirement for property owners who live more than 30 minutes from the property is to have a responsible party who can respond to complaints within 30 minutes. Monterey Bay Property Management will provide an “on-call” agent for any owner who is managing his or her own property, again for a very nominal fee.
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The Pacific Grove City Council voted unanimously this week to modify a 12-year old restriction on rentals for less than 30 days. The modification would permit rentals of residential property with registration, licenses, and payment of transient occupancy tax. This move will not only legitimize activity that has been going on in the City, but will bring in some much-needed cash flow to this great town.
The modification to the City’s rental ordinance could not have come at a better time, since approximately 45,000 people will descend on the Monterey Peninsula in June, 2010, for the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach.
Monterey Bay Property Management will be registering its entire portfolio of Pacific Grove properties in January, once the ordinance is adopted, in an effort to make PG properties available to its customers who desire to rent a home for less than 30 days.
This is also a great opportunity for private property owners who manage their own properties to come out of the closet and be up front and above board about their rental business and contribute to the welfare of the city we all love so much. For property owners who would like assistance with this process, Monterey Bay Property Management will offer a registration service, as well as a monthly “on-call” service for out-of-town owners who would like a 24/7 contact within arms’ reach of their properties.
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After twelve years of short-term rentals occurring throughout the city, despite an ordinance against such rentals, the City of Pacific Grove has decided to take a different approach. The City’s current ordinance, enacted by the City Council in 1997, disallows rentals of single-family residences for less than 30 days. The City has now taken the position that these rentals should be licensed, inspected and taxed. The City has missed out on over a million dollars in revenue that could have been generated since the original ordinance was passed. Licensed real estate agents complied with the ordinance passed in 1997, offering their vacation rental homes for 30-day stays. But owner-operators continued to offer their properties for rent by the night and by the week, aware that it would be difficult for the City to successfully prosecute them.
The City’s Planning Commission has reviewed a proposed ordinance that would require properties rented out for less than 30 days at a time to be licensed, registered and inspected by the city. The Commission is recommending that advertisements for short-term rentals, whether in the newspaper, on television or on the Internet, must display the license number of the rental that has been issued by the City. The City Manager will be in charge of enforcing the ordinance, and has indicated that the City will aggressively monitor advertisements to see if short-term rentals are being offered. Penalties for property owners or their agents who fail to register rentals or respond to complaints will be levied.
The advent of legalization of rentals less than 30 days is joyous news to visitors, property managers, owners of second homes in PG, and PG business persons, all of whom will benefit from having visitors to the area. If you are one who loves to visit Pacific Grove – stay tuned! You are about to have a lot more housing options!
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Traveling doesn’t have to mean ruining dedicated diets or budgets.
Budgeting for food expenditures during travel to any destination can be almost as difficult as forecasting the week’s weather. When staying at a traditional hotel, the challenge is multiplied as travelers face the added expense of dining out for breakfast, lunch and dinner. While the majority of quality hotels do not offer full kitchens, professionally managed vacation rentals allow guests to enjoy their favorite (and often healthier) meals and snacks, as each property provides a full kitchen stocked with clean utensils, pots, pans, plates and ample cabinet/refrigerator space for food storage.
“For my family, including grandkids, the best part of staying in a vacation rental was having breakfast in our jammies,” explains Kathy Ogden, a traveler from Clovis, Calif., who stayed with Monterey Bay Property Management. “We loved the freedom to have meals at our leisure and have home-cooked meals instead of dining out.”
Often costing less than a single hotel room, vacation rentals afford travelers an accommodations lifestyle unlike any other, providing considerably more space (both for living and dining), amenities, guest services and privacy than other, more traditional lodging options.
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We are proud of the length of our relationships with the property owners for whom we manage. We still manage property today for owners who joined us in 1986, when our company was established. These long-term relationships are successful because of your trust in our ability to handle issues that come up at your property.
One of those areas is maintenance. As you know, a property owner must be willing to maintain his property in a manner suitable for rental. The rental of property is a business. Maintenance of the property is a business expense. If a one neglects one’s business, the income it produces will decline. We have seen that happen over the years to properties that are “milked” for income with no revenue reinvested to maintain and improve the property.
We interview and contract with licensed, bonded maintenance providers, dispatching the appropriate maintenance person to your property, overseeing the work to ensure quality, and processing the maintenance charge to your account. We contract with only licensed, bonded maintenance people to work at your home. This is important for liability reasons, as well as to insure quality workmanship. We can negotiate better prices from most vendors due to the volume of work that we give them. We contract for the most competitive commercial rates available, so it is very likely that the rate you will pay for maintenance we provide will be less than you could contract for individually. We survey local maintenance providers each year as to their cost, hours available, and qualifications to insure that we have contracted with the best personnel at the best prices. You may be able to contract for a lower rate from an unlicensed person; however, keep in mind that you will need to provide workman’s compensation insurance for that person, which, of course, increases your cost.
Finally, because we pay our vendors within agreed-upon time frames, they are extremely responsive to us. This insures that your tenants and your property get the service required as quickly as possible. When it is raining and lots of people are discovering that they have a leaky roof, the leaky roofs we manage get attention first. This fast service not only protects your property from further damage, it reduces your liability to your tenant.
If you have any questions at all regarding how the maintenance at your home is provided, please contact us.
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