A Glossary of Vacation Rental Terms
Use our glossary to support your understanding of short term rentals (STR) and the vacation rental industry.
Don't let the jargon overwhelm you! Use our glossary to support your understanding of short term rentals (STR).
Questions or clarification are welcome 24/7 at Arizona Vacation Home Rentals, a full service property management company that serves the greater Phoenix area and mountains to the north.
Amenities – property specific features or services available to guests such as walking trails, swimming pool, hot tub or club membership
Amenity Fee – added charge for a service or optional amenity such as pool heating
Arrival Date – date guests with a reservation are arriving at property
Availability – dates a property is available for renting and not blocked by owner
Availability Calendar – website or channel calendar that shows the dates a property is available to rent
Back to Back Bookings – guests checking out and new guests arriving on the same day
Black Out Dates/Owner Holds – dates chosen by the owner to not rent their property; may be for personal use or property repairs and upgrades
Book – to make a reservation
Booking – a reservation
Booking Confirmation – guest's reservation has been confirmed by property management
Booking Fee – fees guests are charged for booking through a channel or website such as Vrbo or Airbnb
Booking Policy – procedures guests follow to book a property and receive confirmation
Booking Request – guests have requested to rent a property with available dates
Booking Window – the time between the date a guest reserves a property and their actual arrival date
Cancellation Fee – the fee guests must pay if they cancel their reservation after a certain date
Cancellation Policy – procedures followed when a guest cancels a reservation; may include a cancellation fee or no refund after a specific date
Channel Fee – the commission charged by channels such as Airbnb and Vrbo for listing your vacation rental property on their website
Channel Manager – member of the property management team who syncs a property's availability calendar on different channels and websites to avoid double bookings
Check-In – time and date guest has access to vacation rental property as specified in rental contract
Check-Out – time and date guests have agreed to depart the rental property as specified in rental contract
Cleaning Fee – a one time fee paid by guests to cover the cost of cleaning after they have departed their rental property
Contactless/Self Check-In – guests receive information that allows them to check into a rental property without in-person contact with property management team or owner
Conversion Rate – this is the percentage of people who booked a property compared to the number of people who viewed it online (example: a 3% conversion rate means 100 people viewed the property online and 3 of them booked it)
Damage Waiver – a nonrefundable fee guests pay to cover damages that may occur during their stay
Daytime Visitors – number of visitors permitted to visit but not stay overnight at a property
Departure Date – date guests check out of a vacation rental property
Digital Marketing – using digital channels such as emails, social marketing, search engines and websites to advertise and promote bookings at a rental property
Direct Booking – guests reserve a property at Arizona Vacation Home Rentals (AVHR) instead of Vrbo, Airbnb or other third-party channels; rates are better and homeowner avoids a booking fee
Double Booking – 2 or more reservations for the same night(s) at the same property; this is avoided with an experienced property management team such as AVHR
Full Service Property Management – a comprehensive service covering all aspects of vacation rental property ownership including guest screening, bookings, advertising, collections, communication, 24/7 guest issues or emergencies, cleaning services, home security, local compliance and more
Guest Screening – digital guest screening process with extensive evaluations of potential guests before a reservation is confirmed; the process is designed to mitigate risks associated with illegal activities, non-payment, property damage and more
High/Peak Season – the time of year demand for vacation rentals is highest in a specific location
House Rules – applies to policies and rules guests are required to follow at a rental property such as no pets, no smoking, no parties, quiet hours, etc.
Instant Booking – a booking that is accepted immediately without requiring approval from property management team or owner
Keyless Entry – a key is not required to access a vacation home; usually a smart lock with remote control permits guest entry
Listing – advertises a vacation rental property on a website or channel and includes house name, detailed description of the property, professional photos, pricing and availability calendar
Lockbox – box at home's entrance that contains key(s) to access; requires a code to open
Low Season/Off Season – the time of year when demand for vacation rentals in a specific area is usually lower
Minimum Stay – minimum number of days/nights required of a reservation
Noise Alert System – measures and alerts management team to excessive noise levels inside and out at a property without recording conversations or any sounds
Owner Holds/Black Out Dates – dates chosen by the owner to not rent their property; may be for personal use or property repairs and upgrades
Peak/High Season – the time of year demand for vacation rentals is highest in a specific location
Property Description – explains in details what a property offers and highlights features and amenities that are especially appealing to guests
Quiet Hours – the specific hours, governed by local law, guests must reduce and minimize noise at a rental property; time is usually 10 pm – 8 am
Rental Agreement – a legally binding contract guests sign agreeing to uphold all house rules, reservation policies and other expectations outlined in the contract
Reviews – feedback from guests about their experience at a property which may be posted on a channel or website; 5 STARS is always the goal
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) – a property listing is created around key and high interest words which give it higher rankings in search engines like Google and increase visibility
Security Deposit – this is a refundable fee guests pay to help cover any damages that occur during their stay; no damages, fee is refunded
Self Check-In/Contactless – guests receive information that allows them to check into a rental property without in-person contact with property management team or owner
Short-Term/Vacation Rentals – accommodations that travelers book as an alternative to hotels for a business trip, vacation or local event; advantages include more privacy, more space, fully stocked kitchen and exciting and private amenities such as pools and hot tubs
Smart Lock – device that allows guest to access home without a key; code is controlled remotely to allow contactless check-in
Standard Occupancy – the number of guests permitted to stay overnight at a home; exceptions must be in writing in advance of the reservation
Travel Insurance – Trip protection for cancellations, medical emergencies and other hardships that may interfere with a guest's reservation; guests arrange through an insurance company of their choice
Vacation/Short-Term Rentals – accommodations that travelers book as an alternative to hotels for a business trip, vacation or local event; advantages include more privacy, more space, fully stocked kitchen and exciting and private amenities such as pools and hot tubs
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