Imagine this scenario – you’re planning a trip down to Florida, you’re excited to go during the summer months when the kids are out of school and your boss has finally granted you your week’s vacation, everything’s set for the trip, and then your opportunity is taken away from you as you realize that there are no more available beach houses in the area you were looking most forward to staying in. For those of us dreaming of being able to escape to warm, sunny climates during the most popular time of year, the best time to book a beach house is now! Some of the best and brightest locations tend to get booked sometime in the early/middle months of winter as more vacationers begin to take a good look at their cold surroundings and become motivated to move on to a brighter location in time for the summer.

Gorgeous Views!

Location, Location, Location
As we all know, one of the greatest obstacles is finding the right spot and deal once the official location for the vacation (city, state, country) has been decided. The earlier you book, the more options you’ll have when it comes to getting your desired spot and housing accommodations as well! One benefit of booking ahead is having more options when choosing your beach house, and a better chance of scoring a home closer to the water, or one with an extra bedroom that allows friends from back home to visit you if and when they get the chance. If you book your summer trip now in January, you increase your chances of getting a condo with a nicer view of the gulf so that you can wake up every single morning and have breakfast on your balcony as you watch the turquoise waters settle down below. When you hesitate to make your reservations, you lose your opportunity to get the better deal. And when you’re late, even in the off-chance that you can get a spot in the general area you originally sought to stay in, the likelihood of being able to get the places with the better amenities diminish considerably; you’re usually left with something you probably would not have gone out of your way for in the first place.

You Can Almost Smell That Ocean Air!

Planes, Trains, and Automobiles
As important as availability is, another important thing to consider is transportation. True, many of us choose destinations that we end up driving to instead of either flying or taking the train. But imagine you decide to go out of your way for this one trip and venture out of your comfort zone as you head someplace farther and more exotic than the area you live in. A common mistake many first-time travelers often make is forgetting to coordinate their transportation with the rental dates. Whether this may be from one side of the country to the other or out of the country altogether, you need to make sure that your ride will get you there on the day you check in and take you back home the day you check out. Even more time is necessary if you need more than one seat! If you book last minute, you have a greater chance of not being able to get a ride over to your much awaited vacation destination and in extreme cases, you might even have to reschedule the whole thing on account of having mis-coordinating flight/rental schedules. Don’t let it get to the point where what could be the most enjoyable week out of your year is ruined because of poor time management!

Living in Paradise!

You’re in the Money!
As important as the first two categories are, one of the best features of booking ahead is the amount of money you get to save! You always go on vacation knowing that you will spend a certain amount of money which you automatically budget for. But have you ever considered how much more money you get to keep in your wallet when you take advantage of the rates available during the winter months? The lowest annual rates for any rental are always right after the holiday season. That way you have the opportunity to get that nice, big rental house right on the water for around the same price you would have to pay for the smaller, less convenient home farther away from the beach. Flight tickets also go down in price considerably after January 1st. And there you go! Your two biggest expenses cut down to nearly half just by taking care of things now rather than later. Makes the trip that much more enjoyable, doesn’t it?

So do yourself the favor and book now for your beach house sooner rather than later. Shouldn’t you have the best on your vacation? After all, for many of us working stiffs out there, it only comes but once a year!