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Vacation Rentals

Grant Thomas

travelwithgrant.com / @travelwithgrant

Chicago Seminars – October 13-15, 2023

Download presentation here: travelwithgrant.com/vacasa

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About Grant

  • Travel with Grant was born on May 1, 2013.
  • Live in the San Francisco Bay Area with my beautiful wife, Laura.
  • Fun fact: I signed up for Match.com in 2017 when British Airways was running a promo to earn 82,286 British Airways Avios after spending $548 (0.67 CPM). I never got the Avios, but I ended up with my wife, so I think I still came out ahead.
  • Full story: travelwithgrant.com/match

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What is a Vacasa Vacation Rental?

  • Vacasa is a property management company that manages homeowners’ vacation homes.
  • Vacasa Vacation Rentals are similar to Airbnb and VRBO where you can rent an entire house, boathouse, cabin, condo, etc.
  • 35,000 properties in 35 states + Canada, Mexico, Belize, and Costa Rica.
  • You can pay for your stay entirely with Wyndham Rewards Points.

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Vacasa Cons

  • Most rentals require 2-3 day minimum stay and have a 30 day cancellation period.
  • Some appliances (like an in-unit washer and dryer) are only for the owner - guests need to use the shared washer and dryer.
  • Look at all the photos and do a virtual walk-through of any property you consider. One property had a loft bed up 10 stairs with a 4-foot-high ceiling above the bed.
  • Remember, there will be no “bad” photos posted online, so you need to do some digging to make sure everything looks good.

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Vacasa Pros

  • Amazing views from the property.
  • Live and stay like a local, not a tourist.
  • Full size kitchen with refrigerator, oven, stove, dishwasher, toaster, coffeemaker, etc.
  • If you are by the beach, there are usually beach chairs, beach towels, beach toys, boogie boards, and coolers for you to use.
  • No cleaning fees, resort fees, destination fees, parking fees, etc.

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How Many Wyndham Rewards Points Do I Need?

  • Standard Price: 15,000 points / night / bedroom.
  • 10% discount if you have a Barclays Wyndham Rewards Earner+ Credit Card or a Barclays Wyndham Rewards Earner Business Credit Card: 13,500 points / night / bedroom.
  • Multiply the number of points per night X the number of nights X the number of bedrooms = total number of points for your stay.

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1 Bedroom

2 Bedrooms

3 Bedrooms

4 Bedrooms

Standard Price

15,000 Points

30,000 Points

45,000 Points

60,000 Points

Barclays Wyndham Rewards Earner+ and Business Credit Card Price

13,500 Points

27,000 Points

40,500 Points

54,000 Points

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How Do I Get Wyndham Rewards Points?

  • Credit Card Sign Up Bonuses:
    • Barclays Wyndham Rewards Earner+ Credit Card: 45K
    • Barclays Wyndham Rewards Earner Business Credit Card: 45K
    • 7,500 Anniversary Points with Earner+ and 15,000 with Earner Business
  • Spend at Credit Card Bonus Categories:
    • Earner+: 6x at Wyndham Hotels and gas stations; 4x at dining and grocery stores.
    • Earner Business: 8x at Wyndham Hotels and gas stations; 5x at marketing, advertising, and utilities.
  • Transfer Points to Wyndham Rewards:
    • Citi ThankYou Points (1,000 : 1,000) – instant
    • Capital One Miles (1,000 : 1,000) – instant
    • Caesar’s Rewards Points (5,000 : 5,000) – 3-4 days (but may take up to 6-8 weeks)

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Research & Booking Process

  1. Start here: https://www.vacasa.com/search?maxbeds=1&maxrate=350&place=/usa/
    • This link will filter your results to show only properties that have 1 bedroom and cost less than $350 / night.
  2. Enter the city, state, or country you are interested in visiting.
  3. Enter your check-in and checkout dates to filter out properties that are not available.

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Research & Booking Process (Continued)

  1. Focus on the area you want to stay and look at all the properties that have 4.5 – 5 star ratings.
  2. Look through all the photos, do the virtual walk-throughs, read the description, and skim the recent comments.
  3. Select your top 3 properties and write down the 5 digit property number (found in the Vacasa URL and shown below the photos of the property).

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Research & Booking Process (Continued)

  1. Call Vacasa Vacation Rental reservations department at 1-800-441-1034.
    • Confirm availability and total number of points for your stay.
    • If you have an Earner+ or Earner Business credit card, make sure you are getting the 10% discount.
  2. Short on points?
    • Transfer points instantly from Citi ThankYou Points or Capital One Miles while on the call.

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Research & Booking Process (Continued)

  1. Complete your booking over the phone.
  2. Receive Wyndham Rewards confirmation email and Vacasa Vacation Rental confirmation email.
  3. Create a Vacasa account, sign in, and complete the rental agreement.

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Check-in Process

  • 2 days before arrival, you will get an email with the property address, parking info, and WiFi password.
  • On the day of arrival, you will get the lockbox code to enter the property.
  • Check-in is usually at 3-4pm, but if you get the email with the security lockbox code earlier in the day, I assume that the property is cleaned and ready for you.
  • Once you enter the property, there may be front door keys to the property, keys to the pool / gym, and a parking permit.

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Checkout Process

  • Checkout is usually at 10-11am, but you may get an email from Vacasa if you want a late checkout to 2-3pm for $50-$100.
  • It’s not required, but if you can take out the trash, start the laundry, and start the dishwasher, Vacasa really appreciates that.
  • Leave the keys and parking permit where you found them and then close the door.

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If Things Go Wrong…

  • Report any issues during your stay to reduce issues when you leave.
  • There is always a local phone number and email address for the Vacasa team that manages the property you are visiting.
  • Call, text, or email them if you need assistance with WiFi, appliances, or maintenance issues.

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Any Questions?