It's all over in the first 5 minutes

Your guests are arriving at your vacation rental home after a long drive They have rented your home for a week's stay and paid a pretty penny. They don't know you, you are not part of any established lodging company, the only validation that their experience will be positive is a list of reviews about your property on the website. They have paid in full and your terms preclude any kind of refund. You, the owner, are not onsite, so addressing problems is already going to be more challenging than checking into a hotel room. As a result, their first impression antennas are fully extended and they are sucking in every sight, sound, and smell possible to begin forming an opinion of your home.

Consider this scenario; your guests ( 2 couples and children) arrive and park their vehicles in your driveway. They immediately notice that the home looks much smaller than the website photos depicted. There are some spots where the exterior paint is peeling, but not a big deal. The parking area is covered with leaves, but then again it's autumn. The owner's boat is parked off on the side of the parking area, but since the guests only have 2 cars, they can live with the reduced parking area space. They can't find the lockbox to open the door, but finally they locate it (whew !) around the corner of the front deck ....... Deep inside, your guests are a little troubled due to some less than stellar first impressions

Guess what ? .... it's all over. All of these small disappointments have resulted in your guests now entering your home tense, actively looking for every defect, shortcoming, and disappointment they can find. They will compete and try to outdo each other in pointing out problems in your home. They will not be thinking about their relaxing vacation to come; they will instead be focused on critiquing your home. It is not uncommon in this scenario for guests to work themselves into such a frenzy that the owner receives the dreaded "we hate your home" phone call. Let's face it, if critics are focused on finding problems with a vacation home , they will find them. It doesn't matter how beautiful and pristine your home is.

And all of this is caused by the impression they received in those first 5 minutes before they ever entered your home.

We have personally experienced this with our own properties. We have had guests call us within the first hour after their arrival notifying us that they are leaving and would like a full refund. We had a recent example of a couple who had a tough time getting traction navaigating the sloped driveway because it had been windy that day and lots of leaves had fallen. They were so flustered that when they entered the house, they noted every issue they could find with the home. This included not liking the color of the countertop. They never unpacked, and demanded a full refund. All because their experience in their first 5 minutes was not optimal.

Now what about this scenario; your guests approach your home and everything outside is crisp and neat: a clean and spacious driveway and parking area, well manicured lawn and shrubbery, no yard clutter and a clean, well maintained home exterior. The electronic deadbolt is easy to operate and there are even instructions mounted next to the door to operate the lock. The door opens with no problems and your guests are in ! As they enter the home, they are already feeling good about your home and you as a host. They are now relaxed and excited to start their vacation.

As a host, do not ever underestimate the importance of the first 5 minutes upon arrival by your guests. It's a good idea to walk the approach yourself and simulate a first time arriving guest. If you get this part of their visit right, chances are everything to follow will go well !

Happy hosting !