Rent out your Holiday Home

Have you a Holiday Home and now considering trying to make it generate an income for you?
Is this your first time and worried about what might happen?
Take strength from my experience. We have a great holiday home and we use it as a family get away often. Times have been hard lately and to avoid selling our retreat we decided to rent it out to offset some of the mortgage repayments and outgoings.
Where did I start?
List your property with an agent?

Upside:

• Stream of enquiries,
• High street presence,
• Local presence
• Arrange cleaning, maintenance, inspections
• Key distribution

Downside

• No guarantee of rental income
• No preference for your property
• Expensive
• No control over who inspects
• Need to book own holidays

Why not take control of your own bookings?
How would you go about it?
Let me tell you what I did. I advertsied my own property, and built a website that show cased my property. I developed a list of forms, terms and conditions and brochures. In effect I developed a booking system.
Once I began to get a steady enquiry rate, I was finding I had too many enquiries to satisfy. I began referring business to other self managed properties. These self managed properties used my website, and I charged a small fee for every successful booking I took. I only managed the booking, not the property. The owners continued to manage their own properties.

At http://www.looknbook.com.au/ I have developed an availability calendar. As enquiries are received, I create a booking form on line. Once a deposit is received, I lock that booking in, and the calendar registers the property as booked.

You can list your property on http://www.looknbook.com.au/ for free, but make use of the calendar and I charge you an annual fee. The main reason I do this (other than to defray my costs) is that by paying for something you will put a value on it. If you do not maintain the calendar, it loses its value to the property seeker, and so I don't want it used that way. Pay for it, and you can use it. Don't use it, and I take will take it away. A site is only as good as the information it contains.

Benefits of the availability calendar?

The search function on http://www.looknbook.com.au/ is weighted towards properties that display their prices and display availability. Without a calendar your property appears down the search results. People are looking for holiday houses where they can see if it is available and how much it will cost.

Why use http://www.looknbook.com.au/?

I have developed the site for my own home. I have spent my own money developing the site and over the years it has built up traffic. I pay for additional advertising to generate traffic to my site. If you build your own web site you will have to pay for this and go through the same expensive exercise I have. If you use my site, you effectively have a web page you can refer your clients to. I have a booking system that comes with the listing. Pay for the calendar and you can record your bookings in the system. It is a cost effective way of giving you market presence. What is in it for me? You will generate traffic to my site. You create quality content for my site. Quality generates traffic. We all benefit.

How do you get started?

Go to http://www.looknbook.com.au/ and register on line. Give me a call and we can take it from there. My details are published on the site.

Why not ride your bike from Melbourne to Phillip Island?

There is a great way to ride to Phillip Island and avoid the busy Gippsland Highway - ride your bike in safety along the rail trail that runs from Frankston to Stony Point.

Once at Stony Point, you can catch a ferry across to Phillip Island that calls in to French Island on its way. This opens up plenty of options for the serious bike rider.

Our party of serious bike riders

So here are the Looknbook Bicycle Trip Notes prepared by Looknbook for those who want to make this journey.

Please email us at info@looknbook.com.au with your stories, and we will publish any that give insightful information for our readers.

Useful Maps

We recommend you purchase “Bike Paths Victoria” you can buy a copy at most newsagents, bike shops and book shops. Having this guide handy will help you enjoy your trip much more, and provide you with information on many other bike paths you can explore. You will also find these bike paths in your Melways. 

Always have a Check List

Here is a list of the most obvious:

• Liquids eg: Water, electrolyte drink, boxes of juice
• Food eg: Energy bars, fruit bars, snacks, bananas
• Warm clothing and rain protection gear. If you get wet you will require warm dry clothes for the ferry crossing.
• First aid kit – include band aid, gauze, antiseptic cream, scissors.
• Puncture repair kit, spare inner tube, spanners, tyre levers.
• Money for refreshment breaks and ferry tickets.

Distance 

Melbourne to Stony Point is 75 kms. At an average speed of 20kph you should allow 1 hour for stoppage and 4 hours riding time. The terrain is reasonably flat with a few little hills. I would describe this trip as easy.

However, the Frankston line train can be used to shorten this trip by taking the train to Mordialloc or Frankston. Remember there is a Stony Point service from Frankston, if you feel tired before you get to Stony Point. 

Trip Notes

City to Mordialloc - 20kms
Travel via Beach Road to Mordialloc. This is a favourite route for bike riders with many bikes travelling this way at the weekends and early mornings. There are shared bike and pedestrian bike paths and bike lanes.

Beginning of Mordialloc Bike Path

Mordialloc to Frankston - 15kms
From Mordialloc there is a good bike path to Patterson Lakes along what is known as the “Secondary Drain”. I know this does not sound very nice, but it is in fact the Edithvale Wetlands.

This bike path “flushes out” to the Nepean Hwy near Carrum. A very pleasant bike path follows the Patterson River to Carrum. From here continue along the Nepean Hwy to Frankston.

Patterson River Bike Path

Frankston to Hastings - 20kms

At Frankston you can break for your first refreshment stop. There are many coffee shops in Frankston to choose from. From Frankston there is a good bike path that follows the railway line through Leawarra and Langwarrin. You can pick this up from Playne St Frankston, on the other side of the railway bridge.

From Langwarrin the bike track ends and so you will need to continue along McClelland Drive, Fultons Rd, Hawkins Rd following the rail line, joining the Frankston-Flinders Rd to Somerville railway station. From Somerville there is a bike path all the way to Stony Point. 

If you have a passion for antiques and brick-brack, then you must stop at the Packing House in Tyabb. 

Some of the many treasures available in the Packing House, Tyabb

The bike path continues all the way to Hastings where you can plan to have a second refreshment stop. There is a Galley Coffee Shop and Marina Bar at the Westernport Marina.

Part of the Bike Path from Sommerville

Hastings to Stony Point - 20kms 

Continue your journey from Hastings and follow the excellent series of boardwalks that take the traveler through the mangroves outside Hastings. 

Boardwalks outside Hastings

Make sure you pick this up just before you arrive at Hastings just outside Tyabb. It is the best part of the whole trip. This is relatively new and commences at a playground BBQ area. The boardwalks end at Woolleys Rd, another BBQ area with playground and toilets. Here you join the main road, taking a left turn to Crib Point and Stony Point At Crib Point have a look out for The Otama Submarine that is moored at the end of the jetty.

The Otama Submarine at Crib Point

Stony Point to Cowes 

Check the ferry timetables and prices and allow yourself plenty of time to arrive at Stony Point. The ferries only run a couple of times a day, and you don't want to miss yours. You can buy tickets on the ferry, but best to buy them at the Milk Bar - remember to pay for your bike as well. Once on the ferry take a well earned rest. 

Ferry arriving at Cowes

This is not only an excellent way to discover Phillip Island, but offers opportunities to discover French Island, and for the very adventurous, onwards to Daylston, Wonthaggi and Inverloch. Beyond lies Wilsons Prom and more bike rides in store.  

Plan to extend your stay at Phillip Island.
Self contained holiday houses are available for weekends through: http://www.looknbook.com.au/