Being a holiday home owner herself, Petra has created a number of holiday properties for several of her clients. Here is a brief checklist that you can follow, if you are thinking of creating a holiday home for yourself or to let.
If you are considering using your home or second home as an asset for income, while you are away for extended periods or if you live in several countries, here are some important tips Petra would like you to take into consideration.
A holiday home needs to fulfil lifestyle needs, that are different to every day home living and there are several stake holders involved. Your home needs to be safe for, and be furnished and equipped to fulfil the needs of all of them, see the following list:
There are essentially four types of stake holders that may be involved on a regular basis:
- GUESTS – paying or non paying holiday makers
- PETS – you may or may not have or allow those on your premises
- HIRED HELP – agents, cleaners, gardener, maintenance men
- OWNER – yourself, your friends and family
Here are some of the key elements to invest in and plan, for each of the above.
GUESTS
You will need to be very clear about what type of guests are suitable and desirable for your home. They will have specific behaviours and needs, that you will need to consider; insure; make safe for; furnish and equip for. Different types of guests may also intend to use your home differently, either just to sleep and have breakfast there, but be out most of the day, or to spend most of the day there, in-or outdoors.
Another consideration are age ranges (babies, pensioners, teenagers, professional adults); type of parties (singles, couples, families, groups of professionals, sports people, hens or stags), and length of average stay (short stay; weekend breaks; extended holidays); as well as the type of season (spring, summer, autumn, winter); and safety (detectors and alarms), which will impact your safety, insurance and utility costs.
PETS
If you have pets yourself, and or will allow guests with pets, you need to think of their respective needs and impact on your home too.
OWNERS
You may want to protect and restrict access to your personal belongings (such as bedding; stored food; alcohol, cleaning equipment; private decorative items; bathroom paraphernalia; sports equipment; clothes, paperwork, keys etc), that you may not wish to share with your guests, but have ready waiting for you, when you are again using your home yourself.
HIRED HELP
If you have cleaners and maintenance staff coming to your premises, they will also need access to specific equipment and facilities, on or off your premises. Make sure you are equipped and insured for all those.
For each of these stake holders you need to equip your home with the relevant furniture, furnishings and facilities (TV; games; Wifi; bedding; kitchen equipment; deck chairs, garden chairs, blankets, outdoor shoe storage, boot room, laundry, hair dryer, iron, washing machine, line or dryer, garbage collection and removal, keys, cleaning equipment, tools, etc.)
It is important to plan for and have access to storage facilities for all those items, ideally lockable so they remain safe during your absence. An easily accessible attic, spare room or lockable cupboard are ideal for that. Only once you have planned for all of the above, does it make sense to think about the aesthetics, furniture, furnishings, styling and dressing. Make sure the latter are all easy to keep clean and maintain, as this will also ensure the longevity of your home.
Here are some examples of holiday homes Petra has created for her clients, some of which you can book to experience yourself, see links below.
