What 22 Years in the Ocean City Vacation Rental Business Has Taught Me
The summer of 2004.
That was the year I started in the vacation rental industry, and somewhere along the way, it became more than a job. It became a passion.
I genuinely loved helping families come to Ocean City, Maryland, enjoy their vacation, make memories, and have the best experience possible.
And in 2004, it was fairly easy to do that.
Don’t get me wrong—things still went wrong.
Air conditioners still broke on the hottest day of the year. Appliances stopped working. Toilets clogged. Things happened then just like they happen today.
But what was different was how people responded when they happened.
If an air conditioner went out, we’d hear something like:
“No problem. We won’t be here when the A/C company comes. We’re heading to the beach to cool down and have some fun. Just let us know when it’s fixed!”
Today?
That same situation can become a catastrophic event.
There are repeated phone calls. Anger directed at the host or property manager. Demands for immediate repairs when every HVAC company in town is already booked solid. And, more often than I would like to admit, demands for refunds because the situation “ruined our vacation.”
Never mind that we had someone there as quickly as humanly possible.
Then there’s one of my personal favorites: the guest who is furious because they found a hair somewhere in the condo…
…and then leaves the property looking like a tornado came through it.
Something Has Changed
In 2004, the world—or at least the vacation rental world—felt a little different.
People seemed more appreciative. There was more patience. Guests generally treated the people helping them with respect, and most treated the property as though it belonged to someone they knew.
Today, that’s not always the case.
I want to be clear: we still have wonderful guests. Families who take care of the homes, communicate respectfully, follow the rules, and return year after year. They are the guests who remind me why I fell in love with this business in the first place.
But there’s also been a noticeable shift.
Some guests seem to have the attitude:
“I’m paying a cleaning fee, so I don’t have to clean anything.”
And there’s a big difference between not cleaning a vacation rental and trashing one.
You shouldn’t have to scrub bathrooms or mop floors before leaving. That’s what professional cleaners are for.
But leaving food everywhere, overflowing trash, dirty dishes throughout the property, spills, excessive sand, furniture moved around, and a general disaster behind isn’t normal use.
And here’s the part vacationers may not realize:
IT RAISES THE PRICE.
Years ago, a cleaner might have been paid $30–$35 to clean a one-bedroom condo.
Today, that same one-bedroom condo can cost $95–$135 to clean.
Why?
Part of it is simply inflation and higher wages.
But there’s another part of the story.
Years ago, some of those units could be turned over in roughly 20–30 minutes. Today, a difficult turnover can easily take one to two hours—or longer.
The condo didn’t suddenly get bigger.
The way some people leave it changed.
And cleaning isn’t the only example.
Yes, We Actually Need Sensors on Windows Now
Imagine owning a vacation property and discovering that you need sensors on your windows and sliding glass doors so the air conditioner automatically shuts off when someone leaves them open.
It sounds ridiculous.
But it’s real.
Guests will sometimes run the A/C while leaving windows or sliding doors open.
Besides wasting an enormous amount of electricity, that can cause HVAC vents to sweat. That moisture can lead to damaged drywall, ceilings, paint, and other expensive problems.
So what happens?
Owners install sensors.
They repair the damage.
They pay higher electric bills.
They replace overworked HVAC equipment.
They deal with insurance claims and increasing insurance premiums.
And ultimately?
Those expenses become part of the cost of operating the rental.
Which means rental rates go up.
Owners Aren’t Immune to Rising Costs Either
Electricity costs more.
Insurance costs more.
Labor costs more.
HVAC repairs cost more.
Plumbing costs more.
Cleaning costs more.
Replacement furniture costs more.
Pretty much everything involved in maintaining a vacation rental costs more than it did 22 years ago.
And when a property is repeatedly abused rather than simply enjoyed, those costs climb even faster.
Owners aren’t necessarily sitting around asking, “How much more money can I charge next year?”
Many are asking:
“How much do I have to charge just to keep doing this?”
There’s a very big difference.
I Still Want Families to Come to Ocean City
That’s probably the most frustrating part for me.
I want families to come to OCMD.
I want parents to bring their kids here.
I want kids to experience the beach, the Boardwalk, mini golf, Thrasher’s fries, rides, crabs, sunsets over the bay, and all the little things that make an Ocean City vacation special.
I want people to leave saying, “That was a great vacation. Let’s come back next year.”
And I don’t enjoy raising prices.
But as I sit here this morning drinking my coffee and thinking about this season, I know something has to give.
If the cost of cleaning continues to rise…
If properties continue to require additional technology just to prevent unnecessary damage…
If repair costs keep increasing…
If insurance keeps climbing…
And if owners continually have to repair things that could have been prevented with a little common sense and respect…
then rental prices have to rise with them.
That’s simply the economics of operating a vacation rental.
Maybe We Could All Go Back to 2004—Just a Little Bit
I’m certainly not suggesting everything was perfect 22 years ago.
It wasn’t.
But maybe there are a few things worth bringing back.
A little patience when something unexpectedly breaks.
A little understanding that the person on the other end of the phone didn’t intentionally make the air conditioner stop working.
A little respect for the cleaners who have only a few hours to prepare that condo for the next family.
A little appreciation for the owner who trusted strangers with a home they’ve invested hundreds of thousands of dollars into.
And maybe the understanding that renting a vacation home doesn’t mean it’s disposable for the week.
Enjoy it.
Make memories in it.
Let the kids have fun.
Go to the beach.
Eat too much.
Laugh too loud.
Stay up late.
Have the vacation you’ve been waiting all year to take.
But when it’s time to leave, treat the property with a little respect.
Because ultimately, when we take better care of vacation rentals, everyone wins.
Owners spend less repairing unnecessary damage.
Cleaners can keep their costs reasonable.
Property managers can spend more time creating great guest experiences instead of putting out preventable fires.
And families have a better chance of continuing to afford the Ocean City vacations they’ve loved for generations.
The condo didn’t change.
The people did.
Maybe it’s time we change a little bit back.
