MINNEAPOLIS — The weather is warming up and with summer almost here, I-35 will soon be packed as many people head to cabin country. Short-term rentals are always a popular vacation option up north, however things are a little different coming out of the pandemic, so here are a few things to know about renting a cabin this summer.
The vacation rental market is hot. Mark Brunner is a property manager with Northern Rental Company, and is seeing a lot of growth in the market.
That means if you haven’t booked, be prepared to be flexible on your dates and type of accommodation. There is a bit of good news in all this as rental prices are stable. “Prices haven’t really changed that much because the inventory we have is still supporting the demand," Mark said.
Prior to the pandemic, it was easy to predict when bookings would pick up and slow down, but seasonality is gone, and cabin-country bookings are increasing outside the traditional summer months. People are reserving after Labor Day, throughout September and into October as many are looking to avoid the peak season and height of summer crowds.
Bigger, single-family units are outperforming other properties. Whether it’s because families are planning larger get-togethers or want more space for an extended working-vacation. Mark has fielded many requests for people looking for a place they can combine work and play. Mark said “They want to work from a lake home so they can enjoy the lake at night, sit out and have a campfire and have it all there for the weekend.”
Inquiries about enhanced cleaning procedures have been the most common questions from prospective renters. Most people want to know if surfaces are being cleaned with disinfectant, are the linens and towels being washed at a certain temperature and if guests are able to check in to the property without person-to-person contact.
And people want a convenient get-away. An Airbnb report shows 20% of travelers are planning to stay within driving distance of their home. That falls in line with what Mark is seeing with the properties Northern Rental manages across Minnesota and Wisconsin. “Polk County Wisconsin is always a big place," he said. "It’s really a good proximity to the Twin Cities as well, I think it’s about an hour drive. It’s beautiful, it’s fun fishing, good fishing.”
Overall, there are a lot of ways to rent a cabin – or if you want to make a little extra money, list your own property. For more information, contact one of these sites: