Updated: July 31, 2024
As a host, you would want your property to get the maximum visibility, so it makes sense to post your listing on multiple OTAs. Vrbo is one of the largest OTAs, with nearly three mn monthly visits. You should understand Vrbo listing requirements and rules if you’re a new host.
We will go over everything from creation to optimization of your listing on Vrbo.
What is Vrbo and How Does it Work?
Vrbo, short for Vacation Rentals by Owner, is an online marketplace for vacation rental properties. It operates like Airbnb, connecting property owners with travelers seeking accommodations like home rentals. The platform caters to families and groups looking for spacious, private properties. You can list your vacation homes, condos, or apartments on the platform, providing details, photos, and pricing. Vrbo handles the payment process and fee collection.
Why List on Vrbo?
- It increases your property’s visibility to potential guests, helping to fill your calendar more effectively.
- Vrbo offers various subscription fee options, including pay-per-booking and annual subscriptions, enabling hosts to choose the model that best fits their financial strategy.
- Hosts can manage multiple related properties under a single listing, simplifying the booking process for guests and potentially increasing revenue.
- Vrbo primarily caters to families and groups looking for entire homes, making it an ideal platform for hosts with larger properties.
- Vrbo’s review system helps build trust with potential guests, as they can read about previous guests’ experiences before booking.
How to Create a Vrbo Listing?
1. Go to vrbo.com and click “List your Property” in the top right-hand corner of the page.
2. Enter the number of bedrooms and bathrooms at your property and click next.
3. Verify the location of your property.
4. Now, create a Vrbo account or log in to your existing one.
5. After successfully verifying your account and proving that you’re human, you will now be shown a rental estimate for your property.
6. When you click ‘Next’, you will have to confirm your identity again. Post which, you will get a list of things to do next.
7. Mention all the amenities available for your guests on your property.
Pro-Tip: Create a Market Dashboard in PriceLabs to understand the popular amenities in your market.
8. Add as many details as possible to help guests make a quick choice.
- Select your property type from the 30+ options provided.
- Provide a name for each room, including bathrooms, if any.
- Provide bedding and toiletry information as well.
- Include information on any common spaces.
Note: Only whole homes are allowed. Guests shouldn’t share the living spaces with you or others.
Now that you’ve added the basic information required for your listing let’s move on to the next step!
What are the Vrbo Listing Requirements for Photos?
- Include photos of every room.
- Add at least 25 sharp, well-lit, high-resolution photos in landscape view.
- The photos should be of:
- Minimum resolution of 1024 x 683 pixels
- Maximum file size of 20 MB
- It should be in JPG/JPEG, GIF, or PNG format
- Photos should not be:
- Watermarked
- Inappropriate
- Black and White
- Low resolution, too dark or blurry
- Copied from another listing
Note: Vrbo flags photos that don’t meet the Vrbo listing requirements of photos.
| Pro-Tip: Add a virtual tour to help guests visualize the property and the experience they would receive to guide them into making better decisions |
What are the Vrbo Listing Requirements for Headings?
Write a compelling, self-explanatory title for your listing and update it with special offers and deals, if any.
Note: Headline of 20 characters (minimum)
What are the Vrbo Listing Requirements for Descriptions?
While framing descriptions, list all amenities, such as Wi-Fi, video game consoles, TV, etc. Describe your location and services honestly, using adjectives like ‘warm’, ‘friendly’, and ‘cozy’.
- Property Description of 400 characters (minimum)
- The property description field must not be used to describe additional units
- Information not permitted in the text areas of your listing:
- HTML
- Phone numbers
- Email addresses
- Property addresses
- URLs such as www. {rentalcompanyname} .com
Note: A listing is placed on hold if it lacks the minimum character count.
What are the Vrbo Listing Requirements for House Rules?
- Mention if guests can host events on your property.
- If you allow smoking and pets, keep in mind the extra cleaning costs.
- If you allow children, ensure that your property is kid-friendly.
Now you’re all set up! The next step is understanding how to price your Vrbo listing according to Vrbo listing requirements.
How to Price Your Vrbo Listing?
To begin listing your property on Vrbo, research the market rates in your area, adjust pricing based on peak and off-peak seasons, and use strategies like Dynamic Pricing Tool from PriceLabs and leverage algorithms to automate pricing strategies.
Pro-Tip: Increase prices during holidays, festivals, or local events and offer discounts for longer stays or last-minute bookings.
Note: Dynamic pricing for Vrbo is important in maximizing revenue by adjusting rates based on seasonality, market trends, and demand. It maintains competitive pricing and optimal occupancy rates.
Conclusion
As a host, meeting your Vrbo listing requirements is just the beginning. To succeed, make sure your property details are complete and accurate, comply with the house rules, verify your address, craft compelling descriptions, upload top-notch pictures, and highlight key amenities.
About PriceLabs
PriceLabs is a revenue management solution for the short-term rental and hospitality industry, founded in 2014 and headquartered in Chicago, IL. Our platform helps individual hosts and hospitality professionals optimize pricing and revenue management, adapting to changing market trends and occupancy levels.
With dynamic pricing, automation rules, and customizations, we manage pricing and minimum-stay restrictions for any portfolio size, with prices automatically uploaded to preferred channels such as Airbnb, Vrbo, and 100+ property management and channel integrations.
Every day, we price over 400,000+ listings globally across 135+ countries, offering world-class tools like the Base Price Help and Minimum Stay Recommendation Engine. Choose PriceLabs to increase revenue and streamline pricing and revenue management. Sign up for a free trial at pricelabs.co today.
