Privately Owned Vacation Rental Properties

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Why Should I Rent A Home With EmeraldCoastbyOwner.com?

EmeraldCoastbyOwner.com is the exclusive listing site for Gulf Coast vacation rental properties. The regional-based listing site features a community guide to help you select a vacation rental. Information about a vacation rental is just as important as information about the community that you will be vacationing in.

Do I Need An Account To Book A Vacation Rental?

No. Simply click on the property you would like to stay. Next click on Booking Calendar, you will be directed to the booking page. Depending on the owner’s preferences, you will either book through the EmeraldCoastbyOwner.com website or be re-directed to the owner’s website. Either way, you will book directly with the owner.

How Do I Search For A Vacation Rental?

Search Using The Map Feature:
Click on “Browse Properties” on the top left of the navigation bar. You will see a map of the Gulf Coast regions where the vacation rentals are located. Simply click on one of the regions. You will then see a list of communities within that region.

Search by Community:
Type in the community name or region that you are interested in. Fill out the dates of travel. Properties listed in those areas will appear in the search results.

How Do I Know If The Rental Is Available For My Dates Of Travel?

Properties shown in the search results will be available for your travel dates. As long as the owner has updated their calendar, the available dates displayed will be accurate. If you have concerns, contact the owner directly to double check.

What Types Of Accommodations Are On EmeraldCoastbyOwner.com?

We list the following types of properties:

  • Apartment
  • BnB
  • Bungalow
  • Cabin
  • Chalet
  • Condo
  • Castle
  • Estate
  • Farmhouse
  • Hotel
  • House
  • Lodge
  • Resort
  • Studio
  • Timeshare
  • Townhome
  • Villa

Please note that we do not accept any listings that are private bedrooms. We only list entire properties. An entire property is defined as guests having full access to the property and having the property entirely to themselves without having to share with anyone who is not part of their reservation.

How Do I Contact The Owner?

You will contact the owner directly by telephone or by sending a message submitted by a form from the website.

Emailing An Owner:

  1. Find the listing for which you have a question
  2. On the right side of the listing, there is a button to send a message
  3. Fill out the form and click send a message
  4. Your contact information is displayed in the message

Calling An Owner:

  1. Find the listing for which you have a question
  2. On the right side of the listing, the owner’s phone number will be displayed
  3. Your contact information is displayed in the message

The Owner Hasn’t Responded To My Inquiry? What Should I Do?

Owners are encouraged to reply to all inquiries within 24 – 48 hours. If you do not hear back, move on to another listing. Each owner has their own terms and conditions for how to handle inquiries.

How Can I Securely Communicate With The Owner?

You will contact an owner directly by telephone or by sending a message submitted by a form from the website. Your contact information is displayed in the message, but your personal email address is hidden.

How Do I Know A Vacation Rental Owner Is Legitimate?

We suggest you do the following:

Call The Owner:
Call the owner and speak with them directly. All of our listings require that the owner provide a phone number as an added security measure.

Read Guest Reviews:
A feature of our listing site is to allow guests to leave reviews once they have departed the property.

Call Previous Guests:
Ask the owner to provide you with phone numbers of past guests who have agreed to be references. Ask the guests about their experience.

Why Have I Not Received My Inquiry Confirmation Email?

Our system can take up to 30 minutes to generate an automated inquiry confirmation email. The confirmation email is then sent to the email address you entered on the inquiry form.

Check your spam/junk folders in your email account for an inquiry confirmation email.

How Do I Book My Vacation?

Owners have the option of booking online through the EmeraldCoastbyOwner.com website or booking via the owner.

Online Booking:

  1. Go to EmeraldCoastbyOwner.com
  2. Search for a vacation rental by keyword or map
  3. The listing will show you the current availability
  4. Book the property online by submitting payment to the owner
  5. You will receive a booking confirmation

Booking Via The Owner:

  1. Go to EmeraldCoastbyOwner.com
  2. Search for a vacation rental by keyword or map
  3. Contact the owner directly to inquire and confirm availability
  4. Book the property by submitting payment to the owner using whatever method the owner chooses
  5. You will receive a booking confirmation

EmeraldCoastbyOwner.com is a self-service listing website that allows you to find and book Gulf Coast vacation rentals directly with the owners of the properties.

How Far In Advance Of My Stay Will I Receive Check-In Details?

The owner will send you details upon confirmation of your reservation.

Why Have I Not Received My Booking Confirmation Email?

The confirmation email is then sent to the email address you entered for your payment information.

Check your spam/junk folders in your email account for a booking confirmation email.

How Do I Know The Property Looks Like The Photos?

EmeraldCoastbyOwner.com is a self-service listing website that advertises Gulf Coast vacation rentals, allowing you to book directly with the owners of the properties. Unfortunately, we do not inspect properties to ensure the accuracy of the listing.

We are not a management company. We do not manage any of the properties that are listed on our site. Therefore, we do not guarantee the accuracy of any of the listings on our site.

Think of our listing site like an online advertisement for real estate. When the seller of a home advertises their property, they fill out property information and show photos. When the buyer of a home is interested in that property, they rely on the property information and photos provided to make a decision. If the seller advertises false information, you will have an issue with that individual, not the agency advertising the home.

Therefore, any concerns about the accuracy of the property should be directed to the owner, not us!

PAYING FOR YOUR STAY

How Do I Cancel My Reservation?

Contact the owner directly to find out how to cancel your reservation.

Can I Receive A Refund For My Cancelled Reservation?

It depends. Contact the owner directly. Each owner has their own cancellation policy which is stated in the rental agreement.

Who Issues My Refund?

The owner will issue you a refund directly.

The Property Was Not As Advertised? Can I Get A Refund?

Contact the owner directly to discuss your concern.

Is There Trip Cancellation Protection?

Yes. In fact, we strongly recommend that you purchase trip cancellation protection. Click here for the link to Travel Guard Travel Insurance that we sell.

Booking Online:
If you book online, at the end of your order, it will ask whether you would like to add travel insurance. Click yes, and follow the instructions.

Booking Via The Owner:
Click here for the link to Travel Guard Travel Insurance that we sell.

How Do I Know What Amenities The Property Has?

Scroll down to the “Amenities” tab on the property listing. The owner has checked off which amenities apply to his/her vacation rental. If you have a specific question, contact the owner directly.

Amenities are filtered using the following categories:

  • Barbecue
  • Bathroom
  • Bedding
  • Bedroom Extras
  • Boating
  • Cooling Comfort
  • Dining Room
  • Disability Access Features
  • Entertainment
  • Games
  • General
  • Home Office
  • Kitchen
  • Outside Living
  • Parking

Can I Bring My Pet?

We leave this up to the owner. To find a property that allows pets, filter your search results by “No Pets,” “Pets Welcomed,” and “Pets on Request.” Before you book the property, look at the rental agreement detailing the owner’s pet policy. Contact the owner directly for further information.

Can I Smoke On The Property?

We leave this up to the owner. To find a property that is non-smoking, filter your search results by “No Smoking.” To find a property that allows smoking, filter your search results by “Smoking Only Allowed On The Patio, Garden, Not Inside The House.”

Is The Property Wheelchair Accessible?

We leave this up to the owner. To find a property that is wheelchair accessible, filter your search results by:

  • Grab Bars In Bathroom
  • Ground Floor Unit
  • Safety Bars In Shower
  • Single Level - No Stairs
  • Television Amplifier
  • Walk-in Shower
  • Wheelchair Accessible

Is The Property Suitable For Children?

We leave this up to the owner. To find a property that is suitable for children, filter your search results by “Suitable For Children.”

Can I Host An Event At The Property?

We leave this up to the owner. To find a property that is suitable for events, filter your search results by “Suitable For Events.”

Is The Property Suitable For Large Groups?

We leave this up to the owner. To find a property that is suitable for large groups, filter your search results by “Suitable For Large Groups.”

The Property Is Not As Advertised? What Do I Do?

On the rare occasion that the rental doesn’t meet your expectations, contact the owner directly. In many cases, issues can be resolved immediately.

How Do I Get The Keys?

We leave this up to the owner. Here are the options that owners have in providing keys to the property:

Personally Hand Over The Keys Upon Arrival:
Owners will meet you upon arrival and hand the keys to you.

Send A Representative To Meet You:
The owner will send a representative upon your arrival and hand the keys to you.

Lock Box:
Keys are located in a lock box somewhere on the property. The owner will provide you with the combination to open the box and retrieve the keys.

Sent By Mail Prior To Arrival:
The owner will mail you a set of keys through the mail prior to your arrival.

Keyless Entry:
The owner will provide you with the code prior to your arrival.

Who Do I Call If Something Goes Wrong Or If I Have A Question During My Stay?

Call the owner directly. If the rental is owned by a management company, there will often be an emergency contact that guests can call 24 hours a day for questions, maintenance issues, etc.

Prior to arrival, make sure you get emergency contact information from the owner.

Who Can Submit A Review?

Only renters who have actually stayed at the property may submit a review. If you had a reservation and then cancelled, you may not write a review.

When Can I Submit A Review?

A few hours after you have checked out, you will receive an email confirmation thanking you for your stay. You are now ready to submit a review.

If you elect to write a review, you must submit it within 1 year of your stay at the property.

How Can I Submit A Review?

You can post your review directly on the owner’s page.

What Is The Review Process?

Once you submit your review, EmeraldCoastbyOwner.com will review the content to ensure it meets our review content guidelines.

Please allow up to 1 week for your review to be posted. Clicking “Submit Review” does not mean your review goes live immediately. It must undergo the review process first. Once approved, it will be posted live.

What Are The Review Content Guidelines?

EmeraldCoastbyOwner.com (“We) reserves the right to remove any review posted by a renter that does not meet the review content guidelines. If We remove a review, it will be in its entirety. We do not edit or change a renter’s review. If a review doesn’t meet the guidelines, We simply ask the renter to fix the issue. If the issue is resolved, the review will then be approved and posted live. If the renter doesn’t fix the issue, the review will not be posted live. In order for your review to be approved and posted, the following guidelines apply:

  1. The review must be written within 1 year of your stay
  2. The review must be written in English
  3. The review must be about the property you stayed in, on this particular occasion
  4. The review must be accurate
  5. You may not disclose the actual physical address of the property - you are allowed to mention the neighborhood the property is located
  6. You may not use any swear words or special characters to insinuate a swear word - F*CK, SH!#
  7. You can not discuss the actual rental rate that you paid - you can use generalities - the rate was high, the we ended up paying $400 more than what we thought, we were charged $20 extra for internet, etc.
  8. The content must comply with EmeraldCoastbyOwner.com Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy
  9. You cannot make any illegal threats, unlawful actions, or engage in conduct that violates the law
  10. The review cannot promote a business or link external sites
  11. Reviews are meant to help future travelers, not harm the business for the owner. Language you write can subject you to legal liability for tortious interference with business relationships and defamation.

I Already Submitted A Review, But I Want To Modify It? Can I Do That?

No. Once you submit a review, you can’t modify or edit it.

I Already Submitted A Review, But I Want To Delete It? Can I Do That?

No. Once you submit a review, you can’t delete it.

Can EmeraldCoastbyOwner.com Edit My Review?

No. EmeraldCoastbyOwner.com can’t modify or edit a review.

Can The Owner Edit My Review?

No. The owner can’t make any changes to your review.

Can The Owner Respond To My Review?

Yes. We encourage each owner to respond to reviews. The owner is entitled to one response per review.

How Many Reviews Can I Write For A Property?

You can write 1 review at a time for a property. If you stay at a property January 2015, you can write 1 review, and the owner is entitled to 1 response. If you stay at the property again January 2016, you may write 1 review, and the owner is entitled 1 response. You can’t write 5 reviews for the same property for the same occasion.