Edgartown Rental Pick of the Week 4-8-2009

A wonderful combination of history and modern living.  This property is known as the Emily Post house in the center Edgartown.  The house has been fully restored while maintaining it’s historic integrity.  There is lots of living space for a large group of people.  The front sitting room is reminiscent of the more formal sitting room while the living room offers more casual comfort.  There are three bedrooms in the main building portion of the house and then a fun secret cat walk that connects to two more bedrooms.  The playroom on the second floor of the main house provides another nook that will be hard to draw the children away from!

The spacious courtyard is the place to be in the summer.  Stunning gardens with Dahlias dating back to the 1920s and beautiful roses decorate the picket fences.  Nothing says Edgartown more that the lovely rose covered fences in summer.

The interior design and color scheme draw you in and give you the feeling of easy summer living while appreciating the history of the property and the town.

Baby Equipment Rentals on Martha’s Vineyard

Baby Bear Equipment Rentals is making sure that your vacation on Martha’s Vineyard is stress-free and under-burdened and that your vacation rental is fully stocked. Offering a complete line of top baby equipment for eating, traveling, fun on the beach, sleeping, playing and staying safe, they’ve got you covered. They carry high chairs, baby gates, baby monitors, playpens, cribs, bassinets, swings, tents, rocking chairs, crib sheets, bumpers and more.

All equipment is certified by the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association and guaranteed to be in clean, complete and perfect working condition. Baby Bear takes rental reservations by phone, fax or online and they are open all year. They work to accommodate your travel plans whether you have a late or early arrival by delivering items before you arrive for free.

I recommend Baby Bear to all of my rental clients. Check out their website, www.mvbabyrent.com, to view their product catalog and call them at 877-342-2229 for pricing information and to coordinate your family’s needs perfectly with your Martha’s Vineyard summer rental plans.

Martha’s Vineyard Vacation Rental: Chilmark Escape

Nestled in Chilmark, this gem is a perfect family retreat. Here are my top 3 highlights:

1. Luxury. From top to bottom. From the construction to the woodwork to the appliances to the furniture to the Jacuzzi in the Master Bedroom…The whole house is beautiful and full of understated, yet high-end, charm.

2. Get Outside. With a spacious backyard, rolling meadows, stone walls, walking trails and tennis court access, how can you not? Also, two of the most cherished beaches on the island are close by, Lucy Vincent and Squibnocket.

3. The Kitchen. It begs for island dinners that take all day to make and moments to devour or take minutes to make and hours to linger over. The warmth of the custom cabinetry and the overall coziness of the room almost guarantees that whatever you create will taste incredible – lobster, corn on the cob and strawberry rhubarb pie anyone?

Top 5 Things to Look for in a Martha’s Vineyard Rental

1. Location. What do you like to do? Do you love the bustle of downtown, do you want to shop, do you want total privacy, will you spend every day on the beach? Your answers determine the best place on the island for you to rent your vacation house. You may choose a colorful cottage in the heart of Oak Bluffs or a secluded waterfront beach property on Chilmark’s south shore.

2. Size. Your Martha’s Vineyard rental must accommodate your crew. Whether it’s a big family get-together or an intimate get-away, you’ll need to decide how many bedrooms, which types of beds (single, bunk, king) and how many bathrooms will keep you comfortable. Typically, home owners allow 1-2 people (children included) per bedroom.

3. Price. What are you hoping to spend on your Martha’s Vineyard vacation rental? Price influences the size, style, amenities and location of rental houses on the island.

4. Timing. Is everything. You can book well in advance (over a year to be safe!) to insure your dream rental, or hold off until the last minute and possibly secure a great house for an incredible deal. Many repeat tenants take the same house year after year, and they put their deposit down for the next year at the end of their current stay. So if this is your first time renting, the end of September is most likely when owners will know their availability for the following season.

5. Good Agent. You aren’t on the island, but your vacation rental agent should be – so s/he is critical to your securing the best rental house. Make sure you’re getting the attention you deserve which means that your agent is listening to you and filling your needs, not just trying to make a sale. Or are you working directly with the owner? If so, make sure they are giving you an accurate representation of their property by asking for pictures and references.

The Perfect Day to Start a Martha’s Vineyard Blog

Today is just one of those perfect Vineyard days. The sky is bright blue and doesn’t hold even one cloud. The trees are in full leaf, and the grass is vibrantly green. It’s 73 degrees, and there is no humidity. The breeze is light and the perfect amount of cool. The water is just warm enough to wade in. It’s Friday afternoon and everyone is outside playing and stoking the barbecue.

Summer folk and renters are making their way to the island little by little. The stores and restaurants are stocked for the season, and there is a touch of excitement in the air. Tomorrow we’ll visit the West Tisbury Farmers’ Market for the first time and pick up some flowers, garlic scapes and, of course, a fresh spring roll. And, then we’ll head to the beach…or just see where the day takes us.

June on the Vineyard is similar to having a full tank of gas…and we can’t wait to see where it takes us this year…