Vacation and Timeshares

Ocean City police issue warning about vacation rental scams

2011-09-01 01:15:00

With one more weekend to go to seal the deal on summer 2011, Ocean City is warning visitors not to get scammed on vacation rentals. Ocean City Police said they recently received two complaints involving promised vacation rentals that were paid for in...

Vacation rentals vs. hotels: Consumer Website of the Week

2011-09-07 05:52:00

It's official: summer is over, although there are plenty of chances for a weekend getaway through the fall. Whether you are planning for leaf-peeping trips or just fantasizing about the return of beach season, TripAdvisor's vacation rental calculator,...

Reeling in the fun

2009-08-14 00:00:00

Take away the boardwalk fries, the crowded streets, the saltwater taffy, the "I'm With Stupid" T-shirts, and what do you have? Pocomoke River State Park. Granted, there are some other trade-offs involved in swapping Ocean City for the greater Pocomoke...

For summer relief, Canaan Valley rises to the occasion

2004-07-01 00:00:00

Canaan Valley, W.Va., at 3,200 feet the largest high-elevation valley east of the Rocky Mountains, is known for great skiing and snowboarding. But when the 100-plus inches of snow the valley typically receives each winter have melted, there's still a lot...

Excluding gain on sale of a home

2006-02-19 00:00:00

Baltimoresun.com's tax-advice column features three experts from the Hunt Valley accounting firm SC&H Group answering questions about preparing your return every Monday until April 17. To be included in the following weeks, please use the form at the...

Returning to the 'rents

2005-08-18 00:00:00

Somewhere between dispensing advice on everything from roommate relations to campus safety to shower shoe selection, the college guidebooks leave something out: Students inevitably have to return home, and it isn't always easy. In reality, vacation is not...

Judge rejects Fort Lauderdale's ban on short-term vacation-home rentals

2012-05-18 16:45:13

The city tells homeowners their single-family homes can't be turned into short-term vacation rentals. But the city is wrong because it has no ordinance regulating the rentals, according to a recent Broward County Circuit Court ruling. And that decision...

Landlord gets reality check on postmarked rent

2012-05-04 14:53:44

Q: I've always told my tenants that their rent check must be postmarked by the first of the month (rent is due the first). I've just hired a property manager, who says I should instead require receipt of the rent on the first. What do you think? A: I'm...

Cook leaders want property tax exemption crackdown law

2012-05-01 11:31:00

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle and Assessor Joe Berrios on Tuesday urged state lawmakers to give them more power to go after property owners who improperly claim tax breaks, saying they could recover more than $150 million in three years...

More for Your Money: Managed rental models grow in popularity

2012-04-28 17:06:00

No doubt about it: Peer-to-peer vacation rentals — that is, short-term rentals done through such sites as Airbnb or Wimdu — usually are a bargain. They enable you to save money by letting you dine in for a meal or two because most come with...

New confidentiality clauses can influence vacation rental reviews

2012-04-17 00:00:00

Tom and Terri Dorow didn't like their recent vacation rental in Scottsdale, Ariz. Their online review is clear about that. It's a laundry list of complaints about equipment, appliances and even the appearance of a house they felt didn't meet the...

The Frugal Traveler: Making the most of vacation rentals

2012-04-16 11:36:00

While peer-to-peer vacation rentals may provide a rock-bottom price point and the ability to whip up a bargain breakfast, their distance from main attractions and lack of amenities can sometimes result in additional costs such as mid-day restaurant tabs...

Start searching online well in advance. There are hundreds of listing sites, many of them focusing on specific cities or countries. So hunt around for options specific to your destination. We used the Amsterdam-only listing service http://www.apartments-unlimited.

2011-06-20 10:55:20

near Gualala, has been a utopian experiment: top-drawer architects building low-key homes -- and a 20-room lodge -- in harmony with a stretch of rugged Northern California coast.

2009-02-12 14:06:53

The Idyllwild geodesic dome comes with plenty of orange paint in the interior and interesting acoustics. Renters of vacation homes often find that properties, although rarely perfect, are unique and may offer experiences you can't duplicate with a motel stay.

2008-06-15 16:45:00