To let or not too let

[Sloe]

We have the ideal 2 bedroom holiday home, 5 mins from the beach, local restaurants, communal pool ect. ect. But have fears of the expense, how to advertise, and knowledge of who would be staying in our place, are these normal fears? if so how do you overcome them? and what is the easiest way to start. We live in the 34 dept (vias plage). Any advise will be gratefully received.
sloe

[giles]

>We have the ideal 2 bedroom
>holiday home,

So you cannot stay onsite or nearby and will need a local agent/change-over helper, I presume (first expense!)

5 mins from the beach... At least you'll be spared the necessity of needing a pool with all the maintenance and cost this entails.

But have fears of the expense,

Yes, it can be expensive to set up in order to let, e.g. you need at least three sets of sheets per bed MINIMUM to allow for damage, a slow laundry turnover, or if drying is difficult in a wet summer (they do sometimes happen!) if you're a DIYer. Plus lots of cookware, crockery and glassware, etc etc. Unless you can buy some cheap sets in duplicate or more, the rule seems to be buy what is easily renewable - possibly sticking to white for crockery. It may be work having a set of unbreakable plates and glasses for garden/BBQ use. Sunbeds (the strong sort) are expensive and decent cushions for them are a ridiculous price, even the naff ones aren't that cheap, they just seem so when compared with the better ones!

....how to advertise

The decision is usually between one-off newspaper ads as compared with a website if DIYing, or going through a brochure company. For this you need to get everyting ready the year before so as to have pictures for the forthcoming year's brochure which probably goes to press the previous August. With a brochure you may not have complete freedom to set your prices.

....and knowledge of who would be staying in
>our place, are these normal fears? if so how do
>you overcome them?

This is the big one; you cannot know and if you're not on the spot you need local "eyes and ears". If that's too nerve-racking perhaps you need to keep it "friends and family"

...and what is the easiest way to start.

There was a very good 4-part article in Living France about 15 months ago. If you did not see it, try and get the back-numbers.

Good luck with your decision making.

Giles