Just like with booking flights, there seems to be a right and a wrong time to book vacation rentals. This is especially true when dealing with peak weeks and popular vacation times, like the holidays or during the summer. If you want to book a vacation rental at a popular location during the summer, chances are that you’ll have a lot of competitive and not many rentals to choose from. However, if you are traveling for a few days during a non-peak season, you’ll most likely be able to find a vacation rental easily that suits your needs. Knowing when to book a vacation rental is dependent on when, and where, you are traveling.

A good rule of thumb is to book a vacation rental a minimum of 6-8 weeks before your trip. This gives you time to browse a wide selection of vacation rentals, and also gives the property owner time to get you all the information you will need and arrange payment, key exchange and rental agreements. While there is really no harm to booking earlier than that time frame, you most likely wouldn’t want to book any later than 6-8 weeks before your trip. Prime vacation rentals will most likely already be booked, and you’ll end up either paying more, or staying in a location other than your first choice.

Your best bet for getting a great deal on a quality vacation rental is to be flexible with your rental days. Sometimes, if you can hold off on your vacation for a few days, or even a week, you’ll end up getting a better deal, or a better vacation home. Those that have strict travel dates will need to find a vacation rental that is both available when they need it and meets their criteria, whereas someone who can be more flexible with travel dates will most likely have more options to choose from.