Below are a list of the most frequently asked questions that we receive from our potential and new owners. To see the answer to the question, simply click on the question, and the page will scroll to the answer. Of course, if your specific question can't be found below, we'll be happy to answer it individually. To ask a different question by email, simply open and complete the owner enquiry form from the owner menu above, and we'll respond with an answer within one working day.
- What assurances do you give that my property will be cared for?
- What do VillaDirect charge for owner bookings?
- How does VillaDirect help me transfer my management?
- How does VillaDirect grade my property?
- What return will VillaDirect get for my property?
- Do VillaDirect give owners Guarangees?
- How many weeks will VillaDirect book in my property?
- How do I join VillaDirect?
- How much does your management cost?
- How much do I get for this?
VillaDirect prides itself on providing the very best care for our owners properties. Unlike most management companies, we inspect every home that we take on and provide a regular service to ensure that your investment is protected. We also monitor all properties for problems and fix them as they occur. Part of our agreement requires that you, as an owner, give us permission to perform emergency and maintenance repairs to your property to keep it always in peak condition for guests.
We're so confident of our service that we even provide our new owners with contact details from existing owners to take references.
2. What do VillaDirect charge for owner bookings?VillaDirect encourage our owners to market their property to the maximum. We actively help our owners with marketing advice to improve their ability to gain valuable, profitable bookings for their properties. All owner guests are treated to the same courteous, professional care as VillaDirect guests, and have access to our key collection, direction services, plus 24 hour emergency call out. For this service, we charge a per booking fee of €35.
In this current market, every owner should take care to protect their investment and gain the maximum return - by ensuring that the "mix" of owner and management company bookings is healthy.
3. How does VillaDirect help me transfer my management?As property owners in the past, the principals of VillaDirect have experienced and recognized the difficulty in transferring management from an existing company. Changing your utilities and other management issues is something that VillaDirect has lots of experience in providing.
We provide new owners to VillaDirect with a simple to follow, step-by-step guide, and easy to complete forms to help to smooth the transition, causing the least amount of fuss and problems to our owners.
4. How does VillaDirect grade my property?As you will have seen from our web site, we market properties using a particular grading system based on Stars and Diamonds. This is initially scored and assessed following an inspection of the property by one of our staff during the take-over process. We score the property based on location, privacy, proximity to the coast or golf, quality of furnishings, maintenance records, overall look of the property and many other factors. In most cases, the VillaDirect assessment is accurate, and owners accept that it is purely a marketing device for the guests benefit.
On rare occasions, we cannot agree with our owners assessment of the quality of their property, in which case, we provide reasons why the property doesn't 'make the grade' and the steps necessary to enhance the property to move it up a grade or more. It's important to remember that, as a VillaDirect owner, you'll receive a better return for rentals than with any other management company in the area (see related question).
5. What return will VillaDirect get for my property?Unlike almost every other management company on the Costa del Sol, we don't rent your home to tour operators with block bookings. That way, we can maintain the quality of your home (ever wondered how maintenance can be performed on a house that's booked for 3 months at a time?), and increase the return. Because we only deal with the public direct at retail pricing, we provide maximum return. That's why we don't provide guarantees (see related question).
Most management companies do a block booking 'deal' with a tour operator who books the whole of the peak season weeks from the management company at low rates. These tour operators then take the majority of the booking rental value as profit. After the management company has taken their 'slice' from the remainder - the owner receives less than 40% of the rental value!
VillaDirect believes that the rental return on investment should be higher for our owners, so we only sell retail, and only sell to guests or accredited/bonded travel agents (where there is a fixed maximum discount off retail rate). This means that you get the maximum return (typically between 70% - 80% of the retail rate).
Our guests like this also. They understand that the owner is getting a fair return, and is therefore more likely to maintain their property in peak condition.
6. Do VillaDirect give owners Guarantees?No. We have had experience of guarantees as property owners ourselves. If you want VillaDirect to guarantee 30 - 40 weeks of bookings, we won't do it. These so called 'guarantees' aren't worth the paper they're written on in most cases - if they are written! If an owner gets 30 - 40 weeks of guaranteed bookings, then we will guarantee that the return on those weeks will be minimal, and probably worth less than the income that 20 weeks bookings through VillaDirect would return.
Why? Well the guarantees that we've experienced and researched are based on block-booking the peak weeks of the year through a tour operator. Owners normally have to 'sign-away' their rights to visit their own property during those weeks, and will (more than likely) find that they have block booked the property to a tour operator for up to 3 months at a time.
If you are still seriously considering going to a management company that offer guarantees, please research exactly what their offer includes, the rates that they are returning, and the terms and conditions of their guarantee. VillaDirect has welcomed many owners that have come from such guaranteed relationships - and they have ALL felt like they have been unfairly treated and ill-advised by their previous management company.
7. How many weeks will VillaDirect book in my property?VillaDirect targets to book 26 weeks in a property that is on its web site and in rent-able condition within its program. We provide our owners with help in marketing their own property, as well as our own promotion on the Internet and in periodicals and new publications in the US, Europe and Asia.
Please remember that 26 weeks of bookings at the rates that VillaDirect return to owners is worth more than the returns for 30 - 40 weeks at most other management companies, because we allow owners to retain a higher percentage proportion of the retail rate.
8. How do I join VillaDirect?Just fill in the Owner Enquiry Form by clicking on the Owner menu, selecting New Owners, then Enquiry Form. We'll call you within one working day - we promise! Or give us a call on (+34) 952 587626 and have a chat with us about what we can do to increase the return you make on your investment.
9. How much does your management cost?Depending on the type of property you have, your property can be managed by VillaDirect from only €80 for an apartment and €120 per month for a Villa, plus the cost of the optional services you require.
10. What do I get for this?VillaDirect owners get the assurance that their property investment is being looked after by the most professional and caring company in Spain. But we're sure you want to know what else we do - so please see the list of optional services below:
- Professional management care
- On-line availability, quoting and booking
- Arrival packs
- Utility payment
- Professional signage
- Professional HomeGuide
- Guest services
- Monthly statements
- Annual statements
- Property checks
Optional Services
- Lawn care
- Pool maintenance
- Irrigation maintenance
- Power washing
- Air conditioning maintenance
- Cleaning
- Upgrades
- Asset management
- Optional marketing package
