TL;DR – Picking the Right Real Estate Agent for a Vacation Rental Investment:
- Research the market thoroughly and confirm short-term rentals are legally allowed in the area
- Work with an agent experienced in vacation rental investments, not just traditional real estate
- Avoid agents unfamiliar with local rental laws to prevent legal and financial issues
- Choose agents who are incentivized to ensure strong cash flow, not just close the sale
- Explore multiple financing options (private, conventional, commercial, ARM, no-doc loans)
- Maintain a good credit score and low debt-to-income ratio to secure better financing
- Clearly define your goals—personal use vs pure investment returns
- Be ready to make quick decisions, especially if buying out of state
- Host And Keep supports investors from buying to managing to selling vacation rentals
Here are a few tips that can help the process of purchasing your next investment property.
Research the market: Explore different locations and options to determine if this is the right field for you. Have your agent make sure that vacation rentals are allowed in the area you’re looking to buy. We hear horror stories about clients that worked with an agent and were sold a home only later to find out the city doesn’t allow vacation rentals! This usually ends in a lawsuit.
We see things a little differently. We not only place our clients in a good investment, but we manage the investment after that – so we are fully incentivized to make sure our clients are buying a healthy cash flowing investment. Agents well versed in this are few and far between.
Financing options: There are so many great programs to explore based on your current situation. Our preferred lender does a great job of finding the right match for you based on the options: Private loans, Conventional loans, Commercial loans, 7 or 10 year ARMS, No doc leans, etc. We support in researching and understanding the loan process, what you’ll need to get pre-approved, and what the terms of the loan are will make the process much smoother for you. Just as you would for any type of financing, you’ll also want to keep control of your credit score, and maintain a low debt to income ratio. Doing these things will help you secure funding.
Know your needs: Are you planning to use this property for vacations? Is this just an investment and only you care about the monthly distributions? All of these factors will help mold our search for you. Be available for showings and if you’re out of state be ready to make a decision based on a video or facetime walkthrough.
With Host and Keep you’re fully supported from buying to managing and then selling in the future to another Vacation Rental Investor. Please choose wisely when working with an agent, they are not all equally as knowledgeable.
“There are certain things they don’t teach at Gold Coast Real Estate School” – Caroline Ramos
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is choosing the right real estate agent important for vacation rental investments?
An experienced agent ensures short-term rentals are legally allowed, helps avoid costly mistakes, and guides you toward properties with strong cash-flow potential.
What should I check before buying a vacation rental property?
You should confirm local rental regulations, financing options, projected returns, and whether the property fits your personal or investment goals.
How does Host and Keep support investors beyond the purchase?
Host and Keep assists with buying, financing guidance, property management, and future resale, offering full lifecycle support for vacation rental investors.
TL;DR – Picking the Right Real Estate Agent for a Vacation Rental Investment:
- Research the market thoroughly and confirm short-term rentals are legally allowed in the area
- Work with an agent experienced in vacation rental investments, not just traditional real estate
- Avoid agents unfamiliar with local rental laws to prevent legal and financial issues
- Choose agents who are incentivized to ensure strong cash flow, not just close the sale
- Explore multiple financing options (private, conventional, commercial, ARM, no-doc loans)
- Maintain a good credit score and low debt-to-income ratio to secure better financing
- Clearly define your goals—personal use vs pure investment returns
- Be ready to make quick decisions, especially if buying out of state
- Host And Keep supports investors from buying to managing to selling vacation rentals
Here are a few tips that can help the process of purchasing your next investment property.
Research the market: Explore different locations and options to determine if this is the right field for you. Have your agent make sure that vacation rentals are allowed in the area you’re looking to buy. We hear horror stories about clients that worked with an agent and were sold a home only later to find out the city doesn’t allow vacation rentals! This usually ends in a lawsuit.
We see things a little differently. We not only place our clients in a good investment, but we manage the investment after that – so we are fully incentivized to make sure our clients are buying a healthy cash flowing investment. Agents well versed in this are few and far between.
Financing options: There are so many great programs to explore based on your current situation. Our preferred lender does a great job of finding the right match for you based on the options: Private loans, Conventional loans, Commercial loans, 7 or 10 year ARMS, No doc leans, etc. We support in researching and understanding the loan process, what you’ll need to get pre-approved, and what the terms of the loan are will make the process much smoother for you. Just as you would for any type of financing, you’ll also want to keep control of your credit score, and maintain a low debt to income ratio. Doing these things will help you secure funding.
Know your needs: Are you planning to use this property for vacations? Is this just an investment and only you care about the monthly distributions? All of these factors will help mold our search for you. Be available for showings and if you’re out of state be ready to make a decision based on a video or facetime walkthrough.
With Host and Keep you’re fully supported from buying to managing and then selling in the future to another Vacation Rental Investor. Please choose wisely when working with an agent, they are not all equally as knowledgeable.
“There are certain things they don’t teach at Gold Coast Real Estate School” – Caroline Ramos
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is choosing the right real estate agent important for vacation rental investments?
An experienced agent ensures short-term rentals are legally allowed, helps avoid costly mistakes, and guides you toward properties with strong cash-flow potential.
What should I check before buying a vacation rental property?
You should confirm local rental regulations, financing options, projected returns, and whether the property fits your personal or investment goals.
How does Host and Keep support investors beyond the purchase?
Host and Keep assists with buying, financing guidance, property management, and future resale, offering full lifecycle support for vacation rental investors.