Thinking about the Jersey Shore? These tips will help you save big on your summer rental
We might only be halfway through winter, but it's never too soon to start thinking about booking that summer rental down the shore.
CBS News Philadelphia asked a local listing agent what you should consider to save some money.
Duane Watlington, who runs VacationRentalsJerseyShore.com, a listing website for owners, says when and how you book will make a big difference in the price you ultimately pay. We met up with Watlington at a recently renovated, two-bedroom, oceanfront listing in Wildwood.
"This one ranges between just under $5,000 a week to just under $6,000," Watlington said.
Those prices are for peak season, which is July to mid-August. But Watlington said locking in your visit even just a few weeks before or after that timeframe can potentially save you thousands of dollars.
Watlington showed us pricing for that same property in late August.
"The last week of August, it drops down to just under $4,000," he said. "Then this is probably the best value week of the summer to come. Labor Day week, it's only $2,800."
The price dropped to $2,000 during the last week of September, when Watlington said the weather is generally still great.
"The water's warm, there's less crowds, and mostly everything is still open, especially on the weekends," he said.
Right now, interested renters have the best selection of inventory, according to Watlington, but things start filling up fast toward the end of February and into March.
While location is usually a top priority when picking a property, Watlington also says to make sure you know exactly what amenities you're getting and how many the unit sleeps.
To save even more, he recommends looking for booking sites that let you contact the owner directly.
"Avoid the service fees, taxes and additional charges that a Vrbo or AirBnb would add," he said. "That's going to save you, on average, about 27%, so if you think of weekly rental here in Wildwood at an average of $3,000 a week, that's almost $800."
But what about negotiating your way to a better price?
Watlington says you probably won't have much luck doing that, especially during prime summer weeks. Even outside of those, owners tend to bring down their pricing in the shoulder and offseason anyway.
Your best shot to negotiate might be for a longer stay of two or more weeks.
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