Rental by Owner vs. Rental Agency

Can anyone list their personal insight into renting from owner versus renting through and agency? We are looking to book a week long stay in HH but I%26#39;m not sure whether to rent directly from an owner or go through an agency. Many thanks!

Rental by Owner vs. Rental Agency

I think you can get nice rentals on both. You can probably get one cheaper from the owner direct, but if something goes wrong or the unit is not up to your standards when you get there, you will be out of luck. We rented through a rental company %26amp; when we got there the unit was terrible. They put us in another unit in the same building. There are a lot of good rentals on HHI, just do your homework first.

Rental by Owner vs. Rental Agency

I know a little about this since since my wife and I own and rent a unit in a complex on HHI. Many of the people in our complex rent their units on their own and as Skicat says it is cheaper to rent directly from an owner than through a rental agency. We list our unit with an onsite rental agency. Our unit is evaluated each year by the agency and we are given a grade. If our grade is too low we are dropped from the program. This system insures that the owners who list with the agency keep their units in good shape. Another important reason to consider a rental agency is who do you contact if something goes wrong. Let%26#39;ssay the air conditioning goes down and the owner you rented from lives in Chicago. It%26#39;s a lot easier to get a situation like this resolved if you can go to somebody onsite.I think the security a good onsite rental agency provides is worth the extra money spent on a vacation rental.

Wow you are from Columbus...we are from the same area. We just returned from HHI. We go 2-3 times per year. We began renting from owners about 6 years ago. ( we have gone for about 20 years) You save so much money...

The people we rent from have a house and condo in PD. Morrings condo and house in PD on the lake with pool. Both are awsome...

There listings are on www.vrbo.com listed as ';Ticket to Paradise';

I own a condo on the oceanfront in PD which we rent out. Our condo is listed with the vacation company, but is also advertised on Homeaway and their other websites.

The price if you rent through the agency is more expensive than renting direct, but skicat is correct in the observation that by renting direct, its caveat emptor. When I look at listings, sometimes I see a lot of hyperbole. For someone who is not familiar with the properties, you can easily be led astray if you rent privately.

I would recommend someone who has not been here to work with a rental agency the first time you visit. As you become familiar with the island and its various resorts, then you can rent direct.

Stan (hhiguy)

Hi! We%26#39;ve done both in our years coming to Hilton Head. We found Sunset Rentals to be top notch as well as The Vacation Company. I spend hours scouring www.vrbo.com for something I like and don%26#39;t ever commit to renting without seeing pictures and then talking to the owner via email or phone to ask specifically what would be done in the event a problem should occur. I would have to say it has been my experience that the folks who own in Hilton Head are first class people... that said, there are places to stay away from. Your best bet if deciding to rent from owners is to watch these forums for people who%26#39;ve really found a gem they return to again and again and then see if that place matches your tastes. Incidentally, Stan (HHIGUY) has a really nice condo that I%26#39;ve always wanted to rent, I just take too much family with me when I go!! If you want some suggestions, just ask! Have a great time. We%26#39;re in Kentucky, but my brother is a physician at Doctor%26#39;s Hospital West, by the way!