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The original was posted on /r/lifeprotips by /u/MrMojoFomo on 2025-03-24 15:00:06+00:00.
Original Title: LPT: If you’re looking for a summer beach rental (or anything else) through VRBO/Air BnB, always try to find if the property is also listed on a private real estate/rental agency website. You can often save 10% or more as the agency will tack on a fee for any VRBO/Air BnB listing
I’ve booked our family’s summer beach rental for years and have consistently used this method to save a significant amount. Rental agencies know that Air BnB and VRBO are the biggest consumer outlet, so they want to list their properties there. But they also know those apps charge a fee, so when the agency lists a property they typically add a 10% or more premium on anyone who rents through the apps
But, you can use the apps to look for the rental you want as well as find if it’s listed by the agency on its own website
Here’s how I do it.
- Let’s say you want a beach house in Destin, FL for 2 weeks for 8 people. You search through the listings and find several you like
- Select one of the photos from the listing. (These are all provided by whoever lists it on VRBO.) Download (or screenshot) and reverse image search and see if any rental agencies come up. (This one also had the name of the property on the photo, which you can also use to find the agency.)
- Fill out the desired dates and get the rental quote from the agency. Chances are it will be at least 10% less than what you’d get on VRBO/Air BnB