For many Australians, retirement is an opportunity to travel without the annual four-week leave restriction. But how can you pay for a month in the Maldives without a full-time salary? For Patricia and husband Alan, the income they get from leasing their investment property on our platform allows them to travel for months of the year, with no financial burden. ‘[It] gives us a kind of financial freedom we wouldn’t have otherwise, and we can travel more. It’s our fun money’, says Patricia.
The travel bug isn’t new for Pat and Alan, who have been married for 43 years. ‘Even when the kids were young, we’d pack up on school holidays and head off somewhere’, says Pat, who advocates that the time the couple spend away from home helps to keep them fit, happy, educated and vibrant. ‘We travel independently, rather than with big groups, so as well as being fun, it really keeps our brains firing on all cylinders’.
In addition to the financial bonus from the lease agreement, joining forces with our platform gives Patricia a feeling of added security she says she wouldn’t have if she rented her property privately.
‘Although we don’t meet our guests before they arrive, we are able to email them and set up that communication. We want them to have as good a time as we do when we travel, so we make sure that all the photos of the property, and the description, are up to date. We are also able to add some house rules so that everyone is on the same page about the kind of property we have and who it suits — ours is really best for couples’.
Our house rules function allows property owners to tailor specific restrictions — such as maximum occupancy, parties, pets, etc. — that the potential renter must agree to prior to booking. As well as protecting both property owners and renters, it prevents any awkward conversations or miscommunication, and secures a happier stay for guests.
Add to that the liability insurance the platform includes for all property owners, and Patricia and Alan can relax in the knowledge that their property is in good hands while they’re away. ‘It’s a group effort between us, [the platform] and our guests. Our favourite thing is making that sure our guests have a fabulous holiday. We take pride in our apartment, and I always say it totally makes my day when our guests are having a great time and love the accommodation’.
While Patricia admits that the location and view of the water are the primary drawcards of her one-bedroom property, Sails by the Bay, in Vincentia, New South Wales, a few little surprises are nice too.
‘We have added an alfresco dining area that has pod chairs and fairy lights. Guests seem to love it — I think they feel like they’re really getting away from it all’.
Having visited more than 15 countries during their 18-year relationship with our platform, Patricia and Alan are now looking forward to their next trip — snorkelling with whale sharks in Raja Ampat, Indonesia. ‘As well as family — which is very important to us — and all our other interests, travelling gives us something to plan for and look forward to. It keeps us young — and happy’.