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Effortless Rental Group News Rules & Regulations STR Industry News Travel

Senate & House Pass CARES Act

The CARES Act passed the Senate and House last week providing relief to businesses across the U.S. This bill has provisions specifically targeting affected businesses in the tourism industry. These provisions will be available through grants at the state and local level. Advocating on behalf of the Short-Term Rental Industry is extremely important during this economic crisis.

This legislation provides direct cash payments of as much as $1,200 for individual taxpayers, and $500 per child, phased out when incomes exceed $75,000 for individuals and $150,000 for couples filing jointly. This also dramatically expands unemployment insurance benefits and provides an additional $600 per week for those receiving unemployment benefits. The bill provides $349 billion dollars in much-needed, low-interest, small business loans that could be partially forgiven to help businesses maintain payroll and avoid laying off workers. It also directs billions of dollars toward hospitals and other health care providers on the frontlines of this pandemic, in part to help them purchase additional life-saving protective equipment.

VRMA has provided a high-level overview and breakdown of this bill, which you can read here.

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Effortless Rental Group News Travel

Denver Ranked Top Destination in United States

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Denver RiNo Art District Dining & Drinks Entertainment Events Guests Travel

Neighborhood Spotlight: RiNo in downtown Denver

Photo: denver.org
Just north of downtown, you will find Denver’s most distinctive neighborhood—RiNo. Also known as the River North Arts District, this community is packed with galleries, shops, studios, and boundless murals. Immerse yourself in a dense pocket of Denver culture filled with delectable food and beverage spots!

Here’s our top 5 list:

1. Improper City 
– Food trucks, local music, craft drinks, and a MASSIVE patio.  They also open at 7am on weekdays for you folks that ‘work remote.’
2. First Draft – A craft beer lover’s dream. 40 taps of beer, wine, and cider with no lines! Pour your own and leave the crowded bar scene in the past.
3. Death & Company – Perfect spot to get unique, handcrafted cocktails and small bites before or after hitting the town.
4. Finn’s Manor – Open back patio with rotating food trucks outside, cozy bar with 400 whiskeys inside. Need we say more?
5. Fish N Beer – Do you have hesitations about seafood in this coastally-challenged city? If so, Fish N Beer will squash them.  Always delicious, always fresh.
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Guests Hosting Tips Travel

Is Airbnb or VRBO better for vacation properties?

Airbnb, VRBO, and Homeaway, oh my! What’s the difference, and why be on all of them?

The last decade has really seen a boom in the “share” community with companies that really facilitate the way that homeowners can rent out their spare bedroom or home to potential guests. Companies like Airbnb and VRBO/HomeAway have made it easier than ever to take your getaway to the next level of comfort. You can literally stay in a Home Away From Home! It’s also made keeping your investment properties and spare bedrooms booked easier than ever because there are over a hundred million users worldwide.  But what’s the difference? Is Airbnb or VRBO better for vacation properties? What about for guests? Well, when you list your short-term rental property with Effortless Rental Group your properties automatically gets listed to to both Airbnb and VRBO/HomeAway as well as on every single one of our partners which include some of the largest booking sites in the world like Expedia and Booking.com, but let’s break them down.

Airbnb

Since their inception in 2008, Airbnb has become a household name for both travelers and hosts seeking to make a profit by providing that “home away from home” experience. Airbnb generally charges a Host fee of 3% of the subtotal. This depends on how strict your cancelation policy is or if you live in Italy. Airbnb charges guests anywhere between 0% and 20% depending on the subtotal, cleaning fees, and length of the stay.

Airbnb has an extensive network of users all around the world and has really sought to create the entire end-to-end travel experience in a single, easy to use app. Airbnb acquired HotelTonight in April which signals that they are interested in growing and have the means to do so. In addition to booking everything from shared rooms to entire mansions and everything in between, Airbnb provides guests with option to book experiences such as classes, workshops, and dinners all from the app. Through partnerships they even put on some once-in-a-lifetime experiences like letting guests stay the night in the Louvre.

VRBO/HomeAway

VRBO has been around longer than Airbnb, created in 1995, and was acquired by HomeAway in 2006. The HomeAway network is also extensive and this is good for Hosts because their properties are shown to millions of potential guests. One of the main differences between VRBO and Airbnb is that VRBO doesn’t rent out the smaller listings (shared bedrooms, spare bedrooms, home’s where the host resides, etc.). Instead, VRBO focuses on larger properties entire homes, condos, and apartments. It makes for a more conventional stay. While there can be a certain charm to trips where you can crash with strangers like a Hostel, it is really nice to have privacy when you vacation.

The fees on VRBO are a little different than Airbnb in that there are two packages for hosts to choose from: a $499 fee paid annually (recommended for hosts who rent year-round) or a 5% booking fee. Guests can expect to pay between 5% and 15%.

So which should you choose to list your property on? Trick question, the answer is both and then some! With Effortless Rental Group, we show your rental property on Airbnb, VRBO, and a slew of other booking sites. We’ve even harnessed the power of Booking.com, Expedia, Kayak, Obitz, TripAdvisor, and many more to ensure that you you’re getting the most out of your short-term rental property.

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Entertainment Events Travel

Maximize Your Rental Property In May 2019

Maximize Your Vacation Rental Property In May 2019

Wake up and smell the flowers AND Maximize Your Rental Property In May 2019! As the weather warms up and the school year comes to a close, May signals the unofficial start of Summer and the official start of Summer Vacation. Families everywhere will start to look outward, away from the busy bustle of the cities and look to get away to the serene and ever-so-scenic vacation destinations that Colorado has to offer. These upcoming May events are sure to attract a large number of visitors from all over! Effortless Rental Group can make keeping your rental property booked out all May long feel… effortless! Make sure you’re not caught sleeping when the snow starts to melt!

81st Annual Cañon City Music and Blossom Festival

When: May 1st – May 5th

Where: Cañon City

About: This all-around festival features music, parades, and more including: high-school bands, orchestras, and choirs from all over the country. This festival also includes Colorado’s longest running Rodeo: the Royal Gorge Rodeo.

147th Annual Royal gorge Rodeo

When: May 3rd and 4th

Where: Cañon City

About: As part of the Music and Blossom Festival, this rodeo is the longest continuous rodeo in Colorado. This rodeo features: wild horse racing, bull riding, barrel racing, bronc riding and more.

Denver Bacon and Beer Classic

When: May 11th

Where: Denver

About: Held in Broncos stadium at Mile High, this will feature a ton of craft beers and over 100 different bacon dishes!

Upslope Get Down

When: May 11th

Where: Boulder

About: This 3-stage music festival is hosted by Upslope Brewing Company and features activities for the whole family.

Spread The Word Music Fest

When: May 17th – May 19th

Where: Downtown Denver

About: With over 60 bands and 10 stages, this is awesome music festival showcases local Colorado talent over three days.

Chicken Fight Fest

When: May 23rd

About: This Everything Fried Chicken & Craft Cocktail festival features 40+ restaurants competing to see who really have the best dish!

CKS PaddleFest

When: May 24th – May 27

Where: Buena Vista

About: Kick off the paddling season with PaddleFest and help raise money for The River Fund at Chaffee County Community Foundation. This features a ton of educational activities for paddlers of all ages.

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Entertainment Events Travel

Maximize Your Rental Property During These March Events.

Effortless Rental Group: Maximize Your Rental Property During These March Events.

As February comes to a close, Colorado prepares to host these March events that are sure to bring in large crowds of tourists, athletes, and lovers of the arts, winter sports, and more. Make sure that your are maximizing your short-term and long-term rental properties throughout this exciting month by trusting your properties to our rental management team.

 

Effortless Rental Group will not only save you the time and hassle of listing your properties, we work to ensure that your rental properties stay booked and visible across all major platforms. Check out our  services as well as these upcoming events for the month of March:

 

37TH ANNUAL BURTON US OPEN SNOWBOARDING CHAMPIONSHIPS

  • February 25-March 2, 2019
  • Golden Peak, Vail, CO
  • The 37th installment of the Men’s and Women’s Snowboarding Championship

 

2019 Rocky Mountain Horse Expo

  • March 1-3, 2019
  • Denver, CO
  • More than 300 vendors will fill the trade show floor with the most innovative and exciting equine-related products and services

 

Power of Four Ski Mountaineering Race

  • March 2, 2019
  • Aspen, CO
  • Ski mountaineering race over all four of Aspen’s famed mountains. You’ll climb (or watch others climb) 11,500 feet of vertical over 25 miles, including the epic Highlands Bowl.

 

Colorado Special Olympics Winter Games

  • March 2 – 3, 2019
  • Copper Mountain, CO
  • Copper is the official winter training site for all Colorado-based winter Special Olympics athletes, as well as the official host resort for the Winter Games.

 

Mardi Gras

  • March 5, 2019
  • Breckenridge, CO
  • Each year Mardi Gras lovers take over Breckenridge with masks, beads, music and entertainment to commemorate the carnival season.

 

7TH Annual ReFrame Film Festival

  • March 8, 2019
  • Fort Collins, CO
  • A film festival that features short-films with the intention of ReFraming disability in order to promote disability awareness.

 

Monte Vista Crane Festival

  • Fri-Sun, March 8-10, 2019
  • Monte Vista, CO
  • 36th annual Crane Fest, celebrates the annual migration of cranes that has been going on for years

 

Frozen Dead Guy Days

  • Fri-Sun, March 8-10, 2019
  • Nederland, CO
  • In its 18th year with contests, competitions, live music, great food, parades and parties.

 

Fiesta For All: Hispanic and Latin Music and Dance

  • March 15th and 16th, 2019.
  • Denver, CO
  • A Concert series that showcases and celebrates Hispanic and Latin dance music. This concert series aims to Build Community Through Music.

 

USASA National Championships

  • March 29-April 3, 2019
  • Copper Mountain, CO
  • Snowboard athletes compete in halfpipe, slopestyle, boardercross and alpine disciplines across 33 divisions.

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Entertainment Events Travel

Maximize Your Vacation Rental In April 2019

Maximize Your Vacation Rental In April 2019

As the snow begins to melt and we say our goodbyes to all of Denver’s exciting winter festivities and attractions, we can now look forward to spring and warmer weather that will surely bring in the summer crowds. As always, this is a great opportunity to maximize your vacation rental in April 2019 and keep your rental property booked out. An easy way to ensure that you are getting the most out of your short-term or vacation rental property is to have a company that does short-term rental management look after the property for you.

Effortless Rental Group will not only save you the time and hassle of listing your properties, we work to ensure that your rental properties stay booked and visible across all major platforms. Make sure that your are maximizing your short-term and long-term rental properties throughout this exciting month by trusting your properties to our rental management team.

Check out our services as well as these exciting events that are coming to Denver in April 2019:

 

Taste Of Vail

Bud Light Rocks the Boat

  • On April 6th and 13th, 2019
  • Steamboat Springs, CO
  • A free concert series now in its 20th season, featuring a variety of music genres including performances by The Commonheart and Magic Giant.  

Aspen Film Shortsfest

  • April 2-7, 2019
  • Aspen, CO
  • In its 28th year celebrating one of the best short film festivals and Oscar-qualifying showcase.

The Cardboard Classic

  • April 13, 2019
  • Steamboat Springs, CO
  • This hilarious race down Headwall consists of nothing except for homemade sleds made of only cardboard. The Cardboard classic is in its 39th year.

Pondskim Closing Day Celebration

  • April 14, 2019
  • ​Steamboat Springs, CO
  • This event features hilariously costumed skiers and riders that attempt to cross a pond at the base of the mountain. Followed by the Bud Light Rocks the Boat concert series.  

Durango Bluegrass Meltdown

  • April 12-14, 2019
  • Durango, CO
  • A three-day long bluegrass music festival showcasing bands from around the country.

5Point Film Festival

  • April 25-28, 2019​
  • Carbondale, CO
  • A film festival geared towards outdoor action and adventure. The 5Point Film kicks off its Flagship Festival in Carbondale every spring.
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Entertainment Events Travel

Maximize Your Vacation Rental During These Upcoming Colorado Events

Maximize Your Vacation Rental During These Upcoming Colorado Events:

Colorado is one of the premier winter destinations in the world and February is an exciting month that you surely won’t want to miss out on! These Colorado Winter Festivals are sure to attract large crowds and this is a great opportunity to keep your rental property booked out. An easy way to ensure that you are getting the most out of your short-term or vacation rental property is to have a company that does short-term rental management look after the property for you. The services provided through a rental-management company will save you time and money, while ensuring that you are getting the most out of your rental property. This February Colorado will host:

Aspen Winter X-Games

 

  • Date: Sat-Mon, January 25th-January 28, 2019
  • City: Aspen (Snowmass), Colorado
  • Winter extreme sports competition, music, food, nightlife activities

SIA Outdoor Retailer

 

  • Date: Wed-Fri, January 30th-February 1st, 2019
  • City: Denver
  • Outdoor industry product showcase

41st Annual Snowdown

 

  • Date: Wed-Sun, January 30-February 3, 2019
  • City: Durango
  • Parade, follies, and more

 

17th Annual CSCCI Chinese New Year Festival

 

  • Date: Sat, February 9, 2019
  • City: Colorado Springs
  • Cultural demonstrations, authentic food and music

 

Lake City Ice Climbing Festival

 

  • Date: Sat, February 10, 2019
  • City: Lake City Ice Park
  • Featuring men’s and women’s top-roped and lead speed competitions

 

Winter Warrior 10K Snow Traction Race

 

  • Date: February 10, 2019
  • Address: Silverton, Co (change of location from Durango, CO)
  • Snowshoe race includes a kids dash, 5K and 10K through the San Juan forest

 

106th Steamboat Winter Carnival

 

  • Date: Wed-Sun, February 6-10, 2019
  • City: Downtown Steamboat Springs
  • Ski races, ski jumping, ice sculptures, fireworks, a shovel race, street events, and more

 

12th Annual Cripple Creek Ice Fest

 

  • Date: Fri-Sun, February 8-17, 2019
  • City: Downtown Cripple Creek
  • Features ice sculptures in casino-friendly Wild West Cripple Creek

 

Colorado Pond Hockey Tournament

 

  • Date: Fri-Sun, February 15-17, 2019
  • City: Lake Dillon, Silverthorne
  • An ice hockey tournament sponsored by Pabst Blue Ribbon, with over $10,000 in cash prizes. It’s followed by the Apres Ice Party.

 

WinterWonderGrass

 

  • Date: Fri-Sun, February 22-24, 2019
  • Address: Steamboat
  • About: 12th annual festival showcasing national, regional and local bluegrass and acoustic roots music.

 

Denver Family Fest

 

  • Date: February 23, 2019
  • City: Denver
  • An indoor festival with a family friendly focus featuring kid-friendly activities, stages, and more.

 

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Dining & Drinks Entertainment Guests Travel

Local Business Spotlight: Black Eye Coffee

Photo Credit: Black Eye Coffee (https://www.drinkblackeye.com/)

 

Black Eye Coffee

3408 Navajo St, Denver, CO 80211
6:30am-6pm
District 2 (Highlands)
drinkblackeye.com
Owner: Michelle Ackerman
Year opened: 2012
Number of employees: 9

About Black Eye Coffee

Like the iconic North Denver neighborhood that we call home, this place has a rich and robust history filled with plenty of heart, grit and good old-fashioned character. Long before it was a coffee house, this building was known for a different kind of brew—Coors beer, to be exact.

Mile High Hosts surveyed over 300 Denver guests in the fall of 2019 and what was discovered was a not-so-surprising trend; guests of short-term rentals spend a lot of time and money at local neighborhood businesses. One type of business was repeatedly called out and that was coffee shops.

We asked Michelle Ackerman, the owner of Black Eye Coffee, a few short questions to find out more about this observed trend.

 

How important is the business that the guests of short-term rentals bring to your business?

It’s significant. I know this because I get reports from the Google Analytics Tool for how many people are searching for us and from where they are searching. For example, I can see people are searching from Kansas City and they are searching for directions to the coffee shop. The number of people I can see conducting searches like this is significant. Locals obviously know where we are.

There are so many changes happening for local businesses. The city of Denver recently raised the minimum wage, and in addition, my rent goes up significantly each year. With these two challenges being my reality, losing short-term rental clientele business would make it extremely challenging for me to stay in business.

 

What do you believe short-tern rentals bring to small businesses?

What makes Denver a destination for all tourism is the number of great things we have to offer travelers. Short-term rentals play directly into that equation, delivering a repeatable source of new money to small businesses and neighborhoods. People enjoy visiting the local spots, the things people don’t have back home and without us, I think Denver becomes less of an attractive destination. Restricting guests from staying in short-term rentals impacts our Denver eco-system, small and large businesses alike.

 

There may be people that live in the neighborhood that may feel differently about STRs. What would you say to those that aren’t completely on board with home-sharing in their neighborhood?

There could be solutions that are a win-win. I don’t know what policies are being considered for the future but I think there should be more collaboration to find a solution that works for all. Maybe we all don’t get all that we want, but we can get a portion of it. I read a lot about the good neighbor policies that help eliminate the challenges that neighbors have are a great solution to help everyone see the benefit of short-term rentals.

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Entertainment Events Travel

Denver Concert Calendar—June ’18

From cozy local venues like the Bluebird and the Fillmore to the larger crowds at the Pepsi Center and 1stBank Center, live music is everywhere you look in Denver. Check out the best concerts happening in June.

 

June 1: Michael Franti & Spearhead – Red Rocks

June 1-3: Bassnectar – 1stBank Center

June 3: Marshmello – Red Rocks

June 8: New Found Glory – Ogden Theatre

June 9: Big Head Todd and The Monsters – Red Rocks

June 10: Dropkick Murphys & Flogging Molly – Fox Street Compound

June 10: John Butler Trio – Red Rocks

June 12: Bryan Adams – Red Rocks

June 12: Little Dragon – Ogden Theatre

June 12: Steely Dan & The Doobie Brothers – Pepsi Center

June 13-14: Dr. Dog – Ogden Theatre

June 14: Ryan Adams – Red Rocks

June 15: YBN Nahmir – Ogden Theatre

June 15-16: ODESZA – Red Rocks

June 16: Nipsey Hussle – Ogden Theatre

June 17: Dispatch – Red Rocks

June 17: Kesha & Macklemore – Pepsi Center

June 19: Barenaked Ladies – Red Rocks

June 19: Belle and Sebastian – Ogden Theatre

June 20: Kaleo – Red Rocks

June 21: Sugarland – Fiddler’s Green

June 22: Morgan Evans – The Bluebird Theater

June 26: Dirty Heads – Red Rocks

June 26: Dua Lipa – Fillmore Auditorium

June 28: Chromeo & The Glitch Mob – Red Rocks

June 28: Eagles with Jimmy Buffet & The Coral Reefer Band – Coors Field

June 29-July 1: The Avett Brothers – Red Rocks

June 30: Kenny Chesney – Sports Authority Field at Mile High