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VRBO question - owner messaged me from an outside email asking if I want to book direct...
Posted on 10/22/19 at 4:08 pm
Posted on 10/22/19 at 4:08 pm
So i am asking some questions about a house i am interested in through VRBO. After the third email, I received an email from him outside of VRBO offering me a chance to book direct with him instead of through VRBO and I would end up saving 11 percent which he said was the service fee.
is that weird? anyone else do it like this?
is that weird? anyone else do it like this?
14
Posted on 10/22/19 at 4:09 pm to LSUvegasbombed
Scam
Posted on 10/22/19 at 4:09 pm to LSUvegasbombed
11% will cost you more in the long run. Think of the 11% as an insurance policy
Posted on 10/22/19 at 4:10 pm to LSUvegasbombed
That 11% will come in handy if the owner is a dick. I'd go through the site.
Posted on 10/22/19 at 4:10 pm to LSUvegasbombed
Report that
Posted on 10/22/19 at 4:11 pm to LSUvegasbombed
quote:
So i am asking some questions about a house i am interested in through VRBO. After the third email, I received an email from him outside of VRBO offering me a chance to book direct with him instead of through VRBO and I would end up saving 11 percent which he said was the service fee.
is that weird? anyone else do it like this?
Used to do this all of the time in the early days of VRBO and generally saved a lot of money.
VRBO has since really shut that down. I'm surprised they were even able to contact you.
Posted on 10/22/19 at 4:16 pm to Fun Bunch
He said it’s all the same and just eliminating middle man. And followed up with a link to another website u could book his house on
Posted on 10/22/19 at 4:16 pm to LSUvegasbombed
Well he just proved he's an untrustworthy dickhead so...
Posted on 10/22/19 at 4:18 pm to Walking the Earth
quote:
Well he just proved he's an untrustworthy dickhead so...
Yall don't rent a lot of places huh?
This is extremely common. They make more money when you book through them instead of through VRBO but you basically need to use VRBO or AirBnB to survive.
If he's legit then I say go for it.
Posted on 10/22/19 at 4:18 pm to LSUvegasbombed
I have done that before. Does the website seem legit and secure? I was looking at houses on the coast this past week and found one on a local site and the same house was much more expensive for the same dates if I went through VRBO. I personally have gone the route of booking outside of VRBO after talking to the owner once, and it was totally fine.
Posted on 10/22/19 at 4:26 pm to JumpingTheShark
It’s seems legit
It’s a lake house in GA so I doubt they are sketchy ppl seeing how the area is more expensive
It’s a lake house in GA so I doubt they are sketchy ppl seeing how the area is more expensive
Posted on 10/22/19 at 4:26 pm to LSUvegasbombed
Does he have a lot of good reviews on both sites. If so, you'll be good to book direct.
Posted on 10/22/19 at 4:27 pm to LSUvegasbombed
If it’s on Airbnb you can see a pic of the owner. You can profile in private, no one will judge you 
Posted on 10/22/19 at 4:34 pm to LSUvegasbombed
I don't mind paying the fee when I use a service.
And this is not necessarily a scam.
If you can verify the identity of who you are talking to on the 3rd email, that's a way to save a little on the cost of your lodging. You should have a Plan B, anyway, in case they double-book whether you go through VRBO or not.
Since VRBO restricts pre-booking information in conversations on their platform, some owners are using the booking fee savings plus the credit card charges as incentives to book directly with them and circumvent the platform.
Some VRBO property owners allegedly like to contact their potential renters in advance to screen the other party and confirm they are likely suitable guest prospects. :wink:
Like Stout said above, the book through VRBO fee is really insurance that if something goes wrong with your reservation prior to check-in, you will at least get your money back in a week or two.
And this is not necessarily a scam.
If you can verify the identity of who you are talking to on the 3rd email, that's a way to save a little on the cost of your lodging. You should have a Plan B, anyway, in case they double-book whether you go through VRBO or not.
Since VRBO restricts pre-booking information in conversations on their platform, some owners are using the booking fee savings plus the credit card charges as incentives to book directly with them and circumvent the platform.
Some VRBO property owners allegedly like to contact their potential renters in advance to screen the other party and confirm they are likely suitable guest prospects. :wink:
Like Stout said above, the book through VRBO fee is really insurance that if something goes wrong with your reservation prior to check-in, you will at least get your money back in a week or two.
Posted on 10/22/19 at 4:34 pm to LSUvegasbombed
I've done it with a big discount from the guy I use every year.
Posted on 10/22/19 at 4:35 pm to DevilDogTiger
Not necessarily a scam, the owner just wants to bypass paying VRBO their cut of the rental fee. It's kind of sorry of him to use VRBO for free advertising. But VRBO does a lot of sorry things too.
Posted on 10/22/19 at 5:26 pm to LSUvegasbombed
quote:
owner messaged me from an outside email asking if I want to book direct...
I did a VRBO once in Pigeon Forge, and the next year I emailed the owner about booking again, and she told me to book on her website and not VRBO or I would have to pay the fee for VRBO.
Haven't used VRBO since. Saves maybe $150 for a week.
Posted on 10/22/19 at 5:34 pm to LSUvegasbombed
My wife and I do this all the time and have never had a problem. Just make sure the listing is legit. If it's been a around a few years with good reviews and you made first contact with the owner through VRBO, you should be fine.
Posted on 10/22/19 at 5:40 pm to LSUvegasbombed
quote:These folks seem sketchy....
It’s seems legit
It’s a lake house in GA so I doubt they are sketchy ppl seeing how the area is more expensive
Posted on 10/22/19 at 5:59 pm to Lou
VRBO charges a fee for the listing. What they do is not “free” advertising.
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