On Martha’s Vineyard, Should You Rent or Own?

Over the years, as a real estate and vacation rentals agent on Martha’s Vineyard – I’ve had many conversations surrounding the Own vs Rent debate. Of course, as with every good debate, there’s a positive argument to be made for both sides.

The benefits of Renting a house on Martha’s Vineyard:

• Variety. Renting gives the ability to explore different parts of the island. You can rent in Chilmark on the beach one year and downtown Oak Bluffs the next!
• Walk in walk out. Talk about no hassles – the house is waiting for you when you arrive and when you leave, you just say, ‘see ya later!’
• No ongoing expenses. When you rent, you have no maintenance fees, no new roofs to put on, no property taxes, etc.
• Source of income? Purchasing a house that will pay for itself through rentals hasn’t happened in on Martha’s Vineyard for 15 years or so.

The benefits of Owning a house on Martha’s Vineyard

• No time schedule. You can come whenever you want, stay as long as you like and use it however you like.
• Renting out your house. As I mentioned above, rental income won’t pay for the house, but it certainly can’t hurt to earn some income on the house when you aren’t using it.
• Rental income can certainly offset property taxes, bills and maintenance. In fact, many people that buy Vineyard houses rent them out to start – working towards retiring on-island down the road.
• It’s a dream come true. How many people do you know that dream of owning a house on the island?
• Check the market. Right now we’re living in a buyer’s market – so this would be a great time to buy.

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?