What is a VRBO

VRBO, Vacation Rentals by Owner, is supplying the following information to help you determine if renting directly from the owner is an option you wish to pursue. By following a few simple suggestions, we believe that you to can reap the benefits of renting directly, while minimizing your exposure to risk.



VRBO lists tens of thousands of properties all over the world. By far the vast majority of properties you will encounter on the Internet (especially those listed on services such as VRBO) are indeed legitimate.

Nevertheless, we do recommend that you reduce your risk by using judgment and caution. Remember that these suggestions apply when dealing with anyone you don't personally know, whether a business entity or an individual.

It is very unusual that an owner will reserve a property for you without a deposit and typically they will expect full payment BEFORE YOU ARRIVE. Remember that the owner is turning over to you property that is typically worth hundreds of times the weekly rental rate. Since they normally only have one, or maybe a few properties to rent, when they reserve it for your use, they will most likely have to turn away other renters wanting to rent during the same time period. The owner needs to ensure that you intend to occupy the property during the time interval you are reserving. This is the reason they ask for your deposit.

We recommend that you verify a vacation home owner’s legitimacy PRIOR TO SUBMITTING YOUR DEPOSIT. Here are some suggestions on how to verify ownership.