Nantucket Real Estate Agent Blog

NANTUCKET VACATION RENTAL

Considering renting a Nantucket home for vacation this summer? There many factors to consider and with the help of a professional this experience can be a pleasant one.

I realize that people use the internet and rent directly from homeowners believing that they will get a better deal on a Nantucket vacation rental. However, I highly discourage this process because I know all too well of the disappointed tenants from securing a vacation rental on line.

There are so many questions that can't be answered through an online rental. Don't you want an honest opinion from someone who knows the house in and out besides the owner? Questions like:

1. How are the linens?
2. Is the house dated? What's the décor?
3. How is the location of the property? Is there a lot of traffic? Is it noisy? Safe for kids? Are there wetlands nearby?
4. Is there a grill? Are there beach chairs and towel?
5. Can you walk to the beach and how long will it take?

Renting a vacation home on Nantucket is not cheap; therefore you should be completely satisfied by your selection. I provide the personal and professional assistance needed to get you a home for rent on Nantucket.

Basic questions to consider when renting your Nantucket Vacation Home:

1. Choosing Your Date
• In season is considered the last week in June through the first week in Aug. but Nantucket is beautiful all spring and fall, Sept. and October are my favorite months on Nantucket.
• 99% of Nantucket's vacation rentals book from Saturday to Saturday. Check in time is approximately 3 pm and check out time is usually at 9 am. 9 am may seem early but when you consider the hundreds of personal homes that turn over on Saturdays and the cleaning necessary at each property to prepare for the next tenant this is really important to adhere to, just as you want a clean home when you arrive so does the person arriving after you.

2. Budget & Pricing
• Rental homes on Nantucket start at about $2,500 a week for a small two bedroom and run all the way up to $50,000 for a large estate rental.
• I'm not a big fan of averages, because no situation or rental home is the same. However I can give you a rough gauge to work by. It is usually $1,000 per bedroom per week in the height of season.
• An average Nantucket rental home is clean, with up to date furniture (last 5 years), good linens provided, sometimes AC (most likely window units, there are homes with central AC but expect your cost to go up), a handful of TV's, internet access, a well equipped kitchen and outdoor space.
• The closer to the beach or Main Street, the greater the level of amenity of the property, or with a water view, the more expensive the rental.
• There are good homeowners and not so good homeowners. The good ones reinvest their rental income into their property every year, with new pillows, towels, sheets, paint, furniture, updated beach chairs, etc. Not so good homeowners wait every 5 years or more and then start updating.
3. Location & Type of Rental
There are many areas and neighborhoods on Nantucket and each one has a different feel and attitude. Choosing the right one for you is very important.
• How do you like to spend your time? The beach or shopping?
• Do you want to barbeque every night while watching sunset or prefer to dine at all of Nantucket's exquisite restaurants?
• Do you prefer an outdoor shower over a glass enclosed walk-in tile shower? Do you need pool or the beach? Is it difficult and expensive to find both? Are you a runner, biker, or outdoor enthusiast?
• Answers to all of these questions aid in finding just the right kind of home for your perfect Nantucket vacation is my job.

4. Transportation
• How will you be coming to the island? Flight, Car Ferry, Passenger Ferry?
• Car Ferry is about $380 round trip, plus passenger tickets. Book this in Jan., Feb., March or at the latest, April. Although having your own car allows you the flexibility to explore all that Nantucket has to offer, there are other options.
• Round trip passenger tickets are $65 for adults and $33 for children on the fast ferry and $33 for adults and $17 for children on the regular ferry.
• Nantucket offers car rentals, public bus transportation, taxis and bike rentals. (We have fabulous bike paths.) Car rentals can exceed the cost of bringing your own car.

5. Supply and Demand
• When should you book? Right now!
• Jump start your search on our database for your next Nantucket vacation rental, just follow this link.
• The best of Nantucket vacation home inventory goes first just like any supply and demand.
• Bookings start as soon as people leave from the previous season and in September owners are writing leases for the following year most often longer term leases one month or more, but things slow down in November and December around the holidays.
• On January 2nd my phone rings off the hook with clients looking to book their Nantucket vacation rental for the upcoming season. I'm not sure if it's the cold of winter or the fact they just spent time with their family over the holidays to make plans or their vacation time, but it's a trend I can count on.
• Rental bookings stay busy until mid February and then slow down a little due to school vacations and tax season and once again pick up in May with clients making last minute plans.
• In September you have 98% of inventory to choose from since owners like to rebook to past tenants if they had a good experience. January 75% of inventory is available, March 60%, April 40%, May-June 20%.
• Again, book early for the best inventory of Nantucket rental homes.

6. Leases
• Depending on the time of year that you write a lease, payments will be broken into two or three payments.
• The 1st payment is due 10 days after the lease is signed and the final payment is due 45 days from before you check in. However if it is a three payment lease, the middle payment will fall in the middle of the above two.
• There is a 10% security deposit take which will be held by the rental agent for 60 days from your departure to insure there is no damage to the property and house.
• There is a $50 service charge.
• Homes will be clean on your arrival and a standard cleaning will be completed upon your departure and this cost is included in your lease.

7. What to do and see on Nantucket
Nantucket has wonderful shopping, restaurants, activities, and events for you to enjoy during your visit to Nantucket. Please feel free to email me anytime or call so that I can provide you with the information to get started on exploring all that Nantucket has to offer.

Contact me, Brian Sullivan to book your next Nantucket vacation rental.