Why a Big Bear cabin owner trusts Vacasa to care for a beloved family getaway

A true Southern Californian, Rick J. knows his neck of the woods is a paradise for outdoor enthusiasts. From his home in San Diego, Rick and his wife can take their grandchildren to the beach one day, and sledding down a snowy slope the next.

So it was a dream come true to own and share a home in Big Bear, CA with their expanding family—but keeping ahead of its expenses became challenging.

“The cost of things like fire insurance and taxes just kept going up, up, up,” Rick tells us. “I was thinking maybe we ought to answer one of these letters that Vacasa keeps sending us.”

Rick had heard good things about Vacasa from his sister-in-law, who manages her home with a local Vacasa team in Utah.

“I wanted a stable, reliable company to rent with. And because Vacasa is all over, I thought you probably had the best all around feel of the Big Bear area,” he tells us.

Rick decided to go with his gut and partner with Vacasa—and so far, he has found a lot to love.

A clean run

Because it’s a home he likes to use for family get-togethers and personal trips, Rick’s primary concern was upkeep.

“Not only do I like to keep an eye on the place, I like to keep it maintained,” he says. “I've been happy with the way Vacasa has kept my home. My local manager, Flo, has been doing a really good job.”

“I like that I can depend on my team to make the cabin comfortable,” he continues. “I've gotten good feedback from the guests, too. The reviews have been in the five-star range since we've been renting it out.”

The rave response to his home is thanks to his local Big Bear team, who Rick trusts to be his advocates while he’s off the mountain.

“I like that I can meet with the folks that I'm working with. The entire local team is very good to me,” he says.

“If I have any issues, my local manager will pick up the phone,” he continues. “Flo's told me time after time how much she loves her job. That makes me feel better—I certainly appreciate somebody who takes their job seriously.”

Rick likes that Vacasa takes care of all the details that could be a challenge, were he to do it a different way. It’s an approach to management that just makes sense, he says.

“One of the other local vacation rental managers told me their management fee was less than what I pay with Vacasa,” he tells us. “But they would only do six free cleanings per season. That might be used up quickly, and then you're paying for the cleaning service after that each time. But with Vacasa, I know guest housekeeping is covered—same with essentials like toiletries, soap, and trash bags.”

Vacasa has solutions to all the challenges of running a successful vacation rental. Rick signed up for—and loves—Vacasa’s Linen and Terry program, which provides clean, high-quality towels and sheets for his guests (and covers replacements, too).

“Vacasa’s Linen and Terry program makes turnovers simple for me and for my local team,” he tells us.

His local team also keeps an eye on his home while he’s away, and helps him resolve issues he can’t manage himself. It’s a good partnership, he says.

“I can always call Vacasa when I need something,” he explains. “For example, I noticed a water leak in the upstairs shower. I just called my local manager. She coordinated with a handyman, who addressed it pretty easily. That leak could have been a disaster, considering I noticed it the day I was leaving and we had a guest on the way.”

“The cost of maintenance assistance like that is really reasonable,” he continues. “And of course, they let me know if anything has happened in between my visits, so it gives me peace of mind. I've been really happy with their help.”

Peaceful waters

A diligent homeowner, Rick wants to feel confident that all of his ducks are in a row. So he makes good use of Vacasa’s Homeowner Account, a personalized platform that makes it simple to review his monthly statements, reserve personal stays, connect with his local team, and more.

“Because we have a big family, it’s great that I am able to easily adjust our personal schedule at the cabin,” he says. “I like to go up and check on things frequently, too. After all, it is a getaway, but it's still my house.”

In his time with Vacasa, Rick has become a more savvy vacation rental owner, too.

“Vacasa has set up my home’s rates to adjust to be pretty competitive,” he explains. “I was taking all the holidays because that's when we want to go up to the mountains. Then I started realizing that the holidays are when the rates are the best. So I changed my approach.”

“When I did want to adjust my rates,” he says, “I was able to do it easily and have my questions answered. To me, that was almost priceless—basically everybody I've talked to at Vacasa about my questions or concerns has been very helpful.”

Rick says that if he spoke to a homeowner thinking of renting, he’d encourage them to do their research.

“And I absolutely would recommend Vacasa. It's nice to know that somebody's got your back,” he says.