The pandemic certainly created a new normal for everyone across the country. For property management companies, specifically those in the vacation rental industry, the health and well-being of rental guests, property owners, and their employees became an even higher priority than what it has been in the past.
A Face & A Name
Margaret Rudd & Associates has long valued and enjoyed welcoming our guests in person at check-in. It has allowed us to develop long standing relationships with our loyal, returning guests and to solidify the new relationships with those visiting the Southport and Oak Island area for the very first time.
With every obstacle comes an opportunity, an opportunity to do more, provide more and be even more of a resource for our property owners and guests. Given the pandemic and the knowledge that smart homes and automated security systems are the way of the vacation rental industry future, Margaret Rudd & Associates made the very important decision to partner with PointCentral to provide keyless entry locks on our vacation rental properties in 2021.
Key(less) Benefits for Property Owners
- Additional Security Measures: In our area specifically, we experience increased break-ins and theft during the off season due to vacation rental homes being unoccupied. In the past the vacation rental management agencies on the island have discovered that a number of break-ins were committed by previous employees or past employees of third-party vendors. With traditional keys, it is difficult to reliably ensure that keys issued to guests, staff and/or vendors are returned. Not only does keyless entry allow for specific access codes, it also allows the addition or deletion of codes in addition to the limiting of access time frames for specific codes - ensuring that only approved individuals are permitted in your home during appropriate time frames.
- Lower Liability Exposure: In addition to limiting property access to unauthorized individuals, owners may consult with property managers to determine who has been in the home and when. With PointCentral, property access is trackable with a 60-day history to determine who was in a home if/when a damage occurred. Additionally, when access is no longer needed, codes can be deleted to prevent unauthorized access.
- Cost-Efficiency: With Margaret Rudd & Associates, the keyless entry system is not a cost for our property owners. The locks and hubs are the property of the agency with installation handled by our maintenance department. Labor and material charges involved with the installation are absorbed by the agency.
Key(less) Benefits for Vacation Rental Guests
- Supplemental Layers of Safety: Guests are able to access the home quickly and more safely with keypads that illuminate day or night. In addition, in times of unrest due to pandemics or health concerns a keyless entry means limited in-person interaction as well as limited exposure.
- Fumble No More: Guests, especially those vacationing in a coastal location where they tend to wear a little less clothing, hate having to fumble to find their keys. With keyless entry, gone are the days of dropping the beach chairs and the cooler to find those darned house keys. Additionally, guests on a multi-family vacation no longer have to rely on one set of keys to get them all through an entire week. Uncle Lou can still enjoy his few hours of fishing without having to leave early to let the teens into the rental property when they are officially "over" the beach.
- Living Up to Expectations: With the prevelance of home automation within the vacation rental industry, travelers are experiencing and accustomed to amenities like keyless and/or remote entry access. When a guest stays in a home with keyless entry, the last thing he/she will want to do is return to renting a home that requires traditional keys and the process of keeping up with them.
The transition from a physical key system to keyless entry can be uncomfortable for property owners who are a bit more traditional or who are uneasy when it comes to change; however, a new, automated system and the comforts provided by it will most likely (and hopefully) smooth any concerns with time.
Property Management to Serve You
If you're looking for a reputable agency that never ceases to improve upon the way in which it serves its property owners, guests, long term tenants and community, Margaret Rudd & Associates, Inc., REALTORS would appreciate the opportunity to present you with the "hands down" best property management team in the area. Simply complete our Property Management Inquiry form online, email us at information@rudd.com or give us a call at (800) 486-5441.
