#airbnb property management toronto
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How to Choose the Best Airbnb Property Management Services in Your Area
You have invested in an Airbnb property, ready to tap into the exciting world of short-term rentals. But managing an Airbnb, especially if you're juggling a busy lifestyle, can be time-consuming. This is where Airbnb property management services come in – offering a helping hand to ensure your rental runs smoothly and profitably.
Finding the best property management company near you can feel overwhelming. This guide will equip you with the knowledge to confidently choose a reliable partner for your Airbnb journey.
Whether you are searching for Airbnb property management services near me or best property management in Toronto, this information will empower you to make an informed decision.
The Benefits of Utilizing Airbnb Property Management
let's explore the advantages of using a property management service before diving into the selection process:
Time Freedom: Free yourself from the day-to-day tasks of managing your Airbnb. This includes guest communication, scheduling cleanings, and handling maintenance issues.
Increased Occupancy Rates: Property managers like All Property Services wield their expertise in two key areas to supercharge your income: flawless listing creation and strategic pricing tactics. This winning combination helps fill your vacancies faster and maximize your rental profits.
Professional Guest Communication: Ensure a seamless guest experience with responsive and professional communication 24/7.
Top-Notch Cleaning and Maintenance: Maintain a sparkling clean and well-maintained property, leading to positive guest reviews and repeat bookings.
Local Market Expertise: Benefit from the property manager's knowledge of your local rental market, including legalities and regulations.
Finding the Perfect Property Management Match
Now that you understand the convenience and advantages, let's navigate the search for the ideal Airbnb property management company.
1. Do Your Research:
Location, Location, Location: Kick off your search by prioritizing companies that cater directly to your area. This local focus guarantees they will be well-versed in the ins and outs of your region's regulations and market tendencies.
Online Reviews and Recommendations: Head to Google, Yelp and social media to see what All Property Services' past and current clients have to say about their experiences.
Industry Recognition: Look for companies with affiliations with organizations like the National Association of Residential Property Managers (NARPM) or the Vacation Rental Managers Association (VRMA). These memberships often indicate adherence to ethical and professional standards.
2. Understand the Services Offered:
Property management companies offer a variety of service packages. Identify the services that align most effectively with your requirements and financial plan. Typical services include:
Listing Optimization and Management: Craft magnetic property descriptions, master the art of pricing your rentals, and ensure seamless communication with guests for inquiries and reservations.
Guest Communication and Screening: Providing 24/7 guest communication, screening potential renters to ensure a good fit, and handling check-in/check-out processes.
Cleaning and Linen Services: Coordinating professional cleaning services between guest stays and managing laundry needs.
Maintenance and Repairs: Addressing minor repairs and coordinating with vendors for more extensive maintenance needs.
Financial Reporting and Tax Preparation: Providing monthly reports on income, expenses and generating year-end tax documents.
3. Schedule Consultations with Potential Companies:
Once you have shortlisted a few property management companies, schedule consultations. This is a great chance to evaluate their:
Experience: All Property Services' track record specifically with managing Airbnb rentals in your local area.
Communication Style: Ensure clear and responsive communication to maintain a smooth working relationship.
Marketing Strategies: Uncover their secrets to showcasing your listing and reeling in guests.
Technology Utilization: Inquire about their use of technology for managing bookings, guest communication and access control.
References: Speak directly with past customers to hear their experiences with All Property Services.
4. Read the Fine Print:
Before signing any contracts, meticulously review the management agreement. Pay close attention to details including:
Fees and Service Inclusions: Ensure a clear understanding of fees, any additional charges and the specific services covered in the agreement.
Termination Clause: Understand the terms for terminating the agreement should your needs change.
Insurance Coverage: Before moving forward with All Property Services, confirm they have proper safeguards in place. Make sure they carry sufficient liability and property insurance to shield your investment in case of unforeseen circumstances.
5. Consider the Company Culture:
Beyond expertise and offerings, a company's vibe matters. All Property Services prioritizes creating a culture that reflects your values and fosters open communication. This ensures you feel comfortable and confident teaming up with them.
Here are some questions to consider:
How would you describe your company culture?
How often do you communicate with owners about their properties?
What is your approach to handling guest issues or emergencies?
6. The Importance of Insurance:
Before finalizing your decision, ensure both you and the property management company have proper insurance coverage.
Your Responsibilities:As a property owner, you will likely need landlord insurance that covers property damage and liability.
2. The Property Management Company's Insurance: Verify they have general liability insurance and any additional coverage specific to managing short-term rentals.
Conclusion
The difference between the best and the worst Airbnb property management service can be like night and day as a host. With a proper investment of time, a list of thorough questions to ask, and attention to detail, you should be able to find a partner that diligently maximizes your rental income, safeguards your property and offers peace of mind.
#airbnb property manager toronto#airbnb property management toronto#Best airbnb management company in toronto#airbnb property management services#airbnb property management services near me
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Why Short-term Rental Cleaning Is Key for Property Hosting
Short-term rental cleaning is key for property hosting to be a success. Easy Hosts is your partner to get your property prepped for short-term rentals.
#property management service toronto#rental management service toronto#short term rental management toronto#airbnb property management toronto#Short term rental cleaning toronto#Youtube
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MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL
Marriott International is a global hospitality company known for operating a vast portfolio of hotels and resorts. With a presence in over 130 countries, it offers a wide range of lodging options, from luxury to budget-friendly, catering to diverse traveler needs. Marriott is recognized for its commitment to exceptional service and innovative guest experiences.
KEY PLAYERS:-
1. General Manager: Responsible for overall operations and management.
2. Director of Sales and Marketing: Oversees sales and marketing strategies.
3. Director of Finance: Manages the hotel's financial operations.
4. Director of Human Resources: Handles staffing and employee relations.
5. Director of Food and Beverage: Manages the hotel's dining and catering services.
6. Director of Operations: Ensures smooth day-to-day hotel operations.
7. Director of Rooms: Oversees guest services and room management.
8. Director of Engineering: Manages maintenance and facility services.
9. Director of Events and Catering: Coordinates events and banquets.
10. Director of Front Office: Manages the front desk and guest check-in/out.
VENUES:-
The Marriott hotel in downtown Toronto near the CN Tower is called the "Toronto Marriott City Centre Hotel." This hotel is located within the Rogers Centre and offers convenient access to the CN Tower and other downtown attractions. It's a popular choice for visitors looking to stay in the heart of the city. For specific information about venues and event spaces within this hotel, it's best to visit the hotel's website or contact their events or sales team.
MEETINGS TYPES:-
1. Board Meetings
2. Team Meetings
3. Sales Meetings
4. Training Workshops
5. Conferences
6. Seminars
7. Webinars
8. Annual General Meetings
9. Committee Meetings
10. Brainstorming Sessions
11. Networking Events
12. Focus Groups
13. Client Meetings
14. Product Launch Meetings
15. Town Hall Meetings
SWOT:-
**Strengths:**
- Strong global brand recognition.
- Diverse portfolio of hotel brands.
- Extensive global presence.
- Effective customer loyalty program (Marriott Bonvoy).
**Weaknesses:**
- Intense competition in the hotel industry.
- Vulnerability to economic downturns.
- Dependence on online travel agencies for bookings.
- Operational complexities due to the large number of properties.
**Opportunities:**
- Expansion in emerging markets.
- Embracing sustainable practices for eco-conscious travelers.
- Utilizing technology for better guest experiences.
- Introducing new hotel brands to target different market segments.
**Threats:**
- Economic uncertainty impacting travel.
- Competition from short-term rental platforms like Airbnb.
- Regulatory changes affecting the industry.
- Cybersecurity and physical security risks.
CHALLENGES:-
1. Market Competition: Facing competition from other hotel chains and alternative lodging options like Airbnb.
2. Economic Factors: Economic downturns can affect travel and tourism, impacting hotel occupancy rates and revenue.
3. Changing Consumer Preferences: Adapting to evolving guest preferences and demands for technology and sustainability.
4. Staffing and Training: Recruiting and retaining skilled personnel, especially during peak seasons.
5. Security and Safety: Ensuring the safety and security of guests and their belongings.
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#1 Toronto Airbnb Property Management & Short-Term Rentals
See on Scoop.it - The Digital Tech Magazine - 2023
🏘️Best Airbnb property management in Toronto. Get premium short term property management services in Toronto at FullHome.☎️ Call 647-258-5584
lissacoffey's insight:
#fullhome #Toronto #Airbnb #Property Management & Short-Term #Rentals
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Park Place Property Management
Website: https://parkpl.co/toronto
Address: 20 Maud St Unit #301, Toronto, ON M5V 2M5
Phone: (647) 930-0892
We are Toronto's premiere short-term rental property management company. We operate across all major platforms including Airbnb, Booking.com, VRBO, and more. We curate personalized guest experiences from check-in to check-out and ensure that you receive the highest returns on your investment. Employing a dedicated team of cleaners, legal, price analysts, and customer success representatives, we deliver a quality short-term rental experience for your guests. With the lowest monthly rates in the industry, we can guarantee you the highest return month over month. With aggressive and proprietary price analysis software we ensure your property is always booked at the best possible price.
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SoulRoom is one of the best companies that can help you find a rent to room in Toronto. We can guide you at every step to find a space that suits you, we offer rooms that are cozy, well-groomed, and has all facilities. We can help you find the best accommodation you need, Co-living might be not your cup of tea, but with us, you will feel and experience different. To know more about Toronto Home Stays you can visit our website.
#Soul Rooms#property management company#Best Airbnb Toronto Downtown#Toronto Home Stays#Room For Rent Downtown Toronto
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clients looking to market their Los Angeles properties across Booking.com, Expedia, HomeAway and more. We handle all aspects of the rental process and optimize your listings for maximized earnings.
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Professional Airbnb property management in Toronto emphasizes prompt communication, efficient check-ins, addressing guest concerns, and strategic pricing to enhance guest experiences and optimize property performance.
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website design and development for real estate professionals HOW WE HELP REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS IN WEBSITE DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT?
INTRODUCTION
Your Website Design and Development is one of the most important aspects of the brand’s global presence. and its key that design is a true representative of your brand. Your website is also a place where you turn your leads into conversions; this goes to show the importance of a website. An important thing to consider is we keep the audience in mind when developing the website – and a website should act as a good experience for both you and your audience. Website Design and Development services include building, creating and maintaining websites. It includes web publishing, database management, web programming, and content creation. We are a Toronto-based Web design and development company. If you are looking for any such service, you are on the right page and can get in touch with us at Phone: +1 (647) 499-7288 or Email us at [email protected], and one of your sales assistants will be with you shortly.
WEB DESIGN
Having an online business presence is not an option, but a necessity.
BRAND IMAGE
A website is a reflection of your brand and what it stands for. Nowadays, it is one of the first things, people look at to understand your business and values. Some of the important website elements are color, font, images, etc. Therefore, one has to select website elements keeping in mind business values.
LAYOUT
As a rule of thumb, you need to keep your website layout simple and clean. Be concise and to the point in explaining the web services you deal in. To reach perfect web design, try different layouts and based on User Experience before finalizing your web design.
FONTS AND TYPOGRAPHY
A common practice is to keep a font size that is easy to read and visible. Your font style represents you, so you have to select the one that represents you.
SITE NAVIGATION
One of the advantages of simple and clean website design is site navigation. The simple web design makes navigation easier and reaching the desired page a lot easier. The goal of having the website is to help visitors navigate and reach desired information easily and quickly. Airbnb for example has a very simple yet effective website design where users can navigate easily.
Website design and development is an important matter and should be considered seriously. If you are looking for a website design, PNMGroup has got it covered for you. We have specialized web designers and web developers in Toronto for several years and have been working with many of the Real Estate companies. If you are looking for web designers and website development, you can reach us at [email protected], and will make sure that your web page is a true representation of you and your business values.
WEB DEVELOPMENT
According to a report, a normal person spends more than 6 hours online each day. This goes to show how much we have inclined towards the online world and how important to have an online business presence for your business. With the discovery of COVID, it has become new normal and people don’t mind buying anything and everything from online business websites.
As food is a necessity nowadays, having link with the outside world is not possible without internet and business and consumer relation is based only on the Business website, pretty much. If you have been working as an offline business, you have a regional presence- but if you have a website that showcases the products and services you deal in, you have created a completely new stream of the business. It will present your brand as well as the product and service you deal in for consumers across the globe. One of the advantages of having a web presence is you can effectively communicate with your consumers and all consumers can see your business from a single point.
Blog posts is another of the web site features which help consumers stay up to date with the latest news and trend about the business. It also helps in the SEO of the website as blogs keep the website active and help rank higher in browsing.
WEBSITE DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT FEATURES
Likewise, connectivity is also improved as compared to having an offline business. Your website is 247 active and consumers from all over the world can connect with you regardless of the date and time consequences. People with the advent of the Internet have got addicted to the online world and going to shops is on the decline. With the help of Mobile, tablets, and Laptops; consumers are always just one click away from the desired website.
A business website shows the credibility of the business. Most businesses nowadays in order to prove their reliability have a website. It not only shows reliability but also the authenticity of the business.
For example, if you see ‘Toys 4 u’, they used to have an online presence but when they went bankrupt; they decided to go offline and eventually to complete lockdown. This helps you earn respect and among the peers and consumers likewise.
One of the important features of having an online presence is it helps to compare products and prices in the shortest possible time. In the past, if we wanted to compare the price of the products available at different shops; we had to go to the shops individually. Now, it’s the same anymore. Now, with the ease of the internet, you can access and compare prices of the products of your liking, and based on user experience and satisfaction you can decide to buy more easily and efficiently.
HOW PNM GROUP CAN HELP YOU?
It won’t be wrong to say that a business website is the backbone of the business and having a business without an online presence is of not much importance in the present day and age. The same goes for the Real Estate business, the real estate business has also changed or transformed tremendously over the past decade or so. Now, home buyers, sellers, or leasers don’t have to go to the Realtor’s office to see the properties. But with the help of Individual Realtor websites like RINA.CA or a group of realtors website i.e., PPRETEAM, you can connect with your consumers any time of the day of your liking without going to the office.
RINA and PPRETEAM are the websites designed by our team of website designers and developers. Not just that, we also provide brand building and digital marketing services to them. This helps them rank among the best Realtors in their respective neighbourhoods. And they continue to be one of the top clients of ours.
IMPORTANCE OF WEBSITE DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT FOR REAL ESTATE BUSINESSES
The real estate business was not like this in the past. With the advent of the Internet, the real estate business has seen new heights and continues to grow further. In the past, home buyers or sellers used to go to the realtor’s office to see the property images. Now, it is not the case anymore. Instead, with the ease of the internet and the ease of your home, you can access real estate websites of the neighbourhood of your liking.
Especially with the help of government-supported platforms, i.e. MLS/IDX Canada, this real estate business has gone on to reach new heights. As all the properties are listed and managed from a single point. IDX helps integrate realtors web sites with government-approved neighbourhood listings. This makes the whole process a lot more reliable and authenticated. This process has also made it easier for both the parties, buyers, and sellers to not get in the trouble of paperwork.
PORTFOLIO
RINA.CA
RINA.CA is a website developed by a group of web developers and is continuously being maintained and updated by us. RINA is a sole realtor and the website is ranked among the best real estate service providers in Oakville. In order to keep the website among the best in the respective neighbourhood, our digital marketing department continuously keeps the social media feed updated with the latest and upcoming real estate news and trends. The creative department also helps to come up with the latest skills and techniques to attract consumers.
PPRETEAM.COM
PRETEAM is a group of realtors who specialize in Luxury Real Estate and are one of our top clients. Our web developers developed their website keeping in mind the brand perspective and are ranked quietly in their respective neighbourhoods. Our Marketing department provides them with off-page SEO services. To keep the site among the best in the particular area – our computerized advertising division consistently keeps the online media channel refreshed with the most recent and impending land news and patterns. The innovative office likewise assists with concocting the most recent abilities and methods to draw in customers.
Here at PNMGroup, we are the leading web development agency in Toronto and have got web developers with expertise in web development in both the front-end and back-end languages. If you or anyone you know is looking for web development services with customized features.
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In Focus: Airbnb, Bargain or Bust?
The last time I wrote about Airbnb (ABNB) was back in October 2020, shortly after the company filed its paperwork to go public. Not being one to chase overpriced and overhyped IPOs, I told anyone who would listen to get into Airbnb when it became public. Seven months after it's IPO the stock is trading well below it's high, but still above its IPO price. At this price level is Airbnb a bargain or a bust?
The road to being a publicly traded company has been rocky for Airbnb, which I wrote about here. To condense it, let;s just start with 2020. In late 2019, all signs pointed to Airbnb going public in early 2020, but then the coronavirus hit and stopped travel dead in its tracks, causing investors and analysts who anxiously awaited the Airbnb IPO to wonder if the company would make it out of the pandemic.
“Chaos isn't a pit, chaos is a ladder” - Petyr 'Littlefinger' Baelish, Game of Thrones
The management team of Airbnb survived the chaos of 2020 and was able to take the company public last December. After being priced at $68 per share, the stock closed its first day of trading at $144.71. By February of 2021 the stock price had traded to over $210 per share. Even though the world hadn't completely beaten COVID-19, investors bought into Airbnb because they saw the light at the end of the tunnel. Investors understood that on the other side of the pandemic was a pent up demand for travel and vacation, which would benefit Airbnb.
Since closing at $216.68 on February 11, 2021 the stock has been in a slide, and now trades at $150.23
What's Behind The Sell Off?
In mid February of this year, there was more negative sentiment surrounding the company than positive sentiment, which played a role in the sell off. Just a day after the stock closed at an all time high, Wolfe Research Partners downgraded the stock to Peer Perform from Outperform while stating the company's lofty valuation could not be justified.
Shortly after the downgrade, the company reported its Q4 2020 results, which saw revenue of $859 million beat Wall Street's expectations of $748 million, but the company lost $3.9 billion during the quarter, which was above the $3.1 billion that the Street expected.
In addition to the downgrades and the company’s Q4 2020 numbers not meeting expectations, investors have had to rethink the reopening trade, the investments made in company’s that would benefit from life after COVID.
The Delta variant of COVID-19 has been a handful for places like the United Kingdom. Places like India and Brazil neverseemed to get a handle on the original variant of COVID-19. Just a few days ago Brazil reported 65,000 new COVID-19 cases and over 2,000 deaths within a 24 hour period. In the United States, Los Angeles is seeing a rise in coronavirus cases. Last Thursday the L.A. reported 506 new infections, the most since mid-April.
Globally and nationally, we’re still fighting the coronavirus, which has been another pain point for Airbnb.
Oh, and have you noticed the increase in Vrbo commercials? For those not aware, Vrbo is Airbnb’s competition. The company has been around since 1995, but in 2019 got a makeover and a rebrand. Vrbo is owned by the Expedia Group (Expedia, Hotels.com, Travelocity, Orbits, Trivago).
Vrbo has been on a mission to get hosts and to make sure that the world knows they exist. Vrbo has aggressively gone after Airbnb’s top hosts in an effort to bring them over to the Vrbo platform, Vrbo has even offered to transfer a host’s Airbnb rating to the Vrbo platform. Besides going after Airbnb’s top hosts, Vrbo has increased its advertising
spending from $72 million in 2019 to $103 million 2020. For anyone who wasn’t aware of Vrbo pre pandemic, the company wants to make sure that they are aware of them post pandemic.
Downgrades, earnings per share misses, a possible reopening delay, and a motivated competitor has done a lot to knock the shine off of Airbnb.
There is a bull case however for Airbnb. In May, Yahoo Finance reported analysts upgrades of Airbnb. The consensus among the 30 plus analysts covering the stock was that revenue in 2021 would come in at $5.4 billion, which if met wouldbe a 63% increase from 2020’s revenue. The analysts did however cut their price target to $166 per share, which is only 10.6% higher than the current stock price. Needham on the other hand didn’t upgrade the stock, it maintained its buy rating on the stock with a $194 price target.
Airbnb currently has a $91 billion market capitalization, which trumps Hyatt’s (H) 8$ billion market cap, Hilton’s (HLT) $35 billion market cap, Marriott’s (MAR) $46 billion market cap, and Wyndham’s (WH) $6.9 billion market cap. Of those four major hotel brands, only Hilton and Marriott reported higher revenue than Airbnb in 2020, and all but Wyndham reported higher revenue than Airbnb in 2019.
Based on the income statements of Hyatt, Hilton, Marriott, and Wyndham, there’s an area where Airbnb holds an edge and others that the company needs to get under control to really be of value to investors.
On average the cost of revenue as a percentage of revenue for Hyatt, Hilton, Marriott, and Wyndham in 2019 and 2020 was 62% and 69% respectively. Airbnb’s cost of revenue as a percentage of revenue for 2019 and 2020 came in at 42% and 52% respectively. But what Airbnb saves in its cost of doing business it spends it in selling, general, and administrative expenses. For Airbnb SGA in 2019 was 48% of revenue and in 2020 SGA was 68% of the company’s revenue. The other four hotels on average spent 25% of their revenue on SGA.
Airbnb’s CEO Brian Chesky recently reflected on the company’s big advertising spend ($1.17 billion in 2020 and $1.6 billion 2019), which is bundled into the SGA expense, and stated the company has no plans to spend that much on marketing again. It appears the CEO is keeping his word, as sales and marketing expenses for Q1 2021 decreased by 27% from where it stood in Q1 2020.
Improvement to Airbnb’s income statement and balance sheet will go a long way in making investors happy, but before pleasing investors the company has to please its hosts, which they’ve recently addressed.
Airbnb recently announced 100 plus innovations and upgrades to make the host and user experience better. The upgrades provide more flexibility to users, makes it easier for property owners to become Airbnb hosts, and provides better support for its hosts and guests among other things.
Bargain or Busts?
The travel industry is worth $3.4 trillion in revenue, Airbnb’s 2020 revenue represents less than a half of one percent of that $3.4 trillion figure. There’s a lot of room for Airbnb to grow, but with COVID-19 still lingering, Airbnb's immediate future looks hazy to some investors.
For me, I’m still all in on Airbnb for the long term. I’m not thinking about Airbnb capturing 2% of the $3.4 trillion travel industry, I believe they can capture .05% of the market over the next few years, and that alone could have a significant impact on the company.
Before COVID-19 I used to associate Airbnb with going away, going far away. I’m going to L.A. or Paris, or London, or Toronto and I want to have a long stay, I thought about Airbnb. Now, after dealing with COVID-19, I associate Airbnb with getting out of the city and going somewhere suburban for a few days, even it's in the same state that I’m in. I believe this is important to Airbnb, as it will allow them to stay in growth mode as the politicians work out who can travel to where and when.
When international travel does open up fully, I expect Airbnb’s growth to go into overdrive for a few reasons. One, I believe the pandemic has made people comfortable working away from work and companies comfortable with not physically seeing their people every day. I foresee a jump in the number of digital nomads, getting an Airbnb wherever they want and working remotely.
Flexjobs, a website dedicated to helping people find remote work predicts 36.2 million Americans (22% of the workforce) will work remotely by 2025, which is an 87% increase from the number of people working remotely before the pandemic.
Lastly, I think when things are fully opened up, the population of people that I call the new millionaires, the people that made big crypto bets and big bets on bad names during the pandemic that paid off are going to spend that cash, and I think a sizable portion of it will be spent on travel, which will be another win for Airbnb.
Vrbo is coming, but there is enough room for more than one company in this space. How I envision work and travel changing over the next decade benefits both Vrbo and Airbnb, and makes Airbnb a bargain at its current share price. I remain extremely bullish on Airbnb as a long term investment.
#airbnb#travel#COVID19#Pandemic#Vrbo#Expedia#RemoteWork#Investing#Investments#Stocks#StockInvesting#WallStreet#Money#FinancialEducation#InvestmentEducation#GrowthStocks
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July 7 - 18, Canada
July 7 - 11, Montreal
Crossing in to Canada turned out to be surprisingly uneventful! I was worried (as I generally am at all times) about bringing Newman over the border. I read plenty of blogs describing the type of paperwork that may be required, and the kinds of questions we may field. Shockingly, the border agent didn’t ask us any questions about Newman, and only spent a few minutes with us! Getting back in to the US was even simpler. This all makes Canada Newman’s most pleasant customs/immigration experience and his fourth country visited!
In Montreal, we managed to find a suspiciously good deal on an Airbnb. While it worked out alright for us, by the end of our Montreal stay it was clear why we got a deal. The apt smelling like smoke, the tenants received a late-payment of rent notification during our stay, and the property manager asked us who we were while we were in the gym one day (he said he didn’t recognize us and if we were subleasing he wasn’t made aware of it).
Other than the awkward housing situation, we all loved Montreal because...
...the many neighborhoods were all very walkable, and had street art everywhere!
...buildings were cute, quirky, beautiful, and historical.
...there was a scenic park in the center of the city.
...the food scene was just yum. Poutine? Oui! And parklet after parklet for al fresco drinks and eats.
If I had to pick one thing we really didn’t enjoy about Montreal, it would have to be the parking situation. Finding a long term, legal parking spot legitimately required us to solve a riddle. The parking signs were no joke. We still have not figured out the difference between Stopping and Parking, but despite that we somehow managed to escape Montreal without a single parking ticket. It’s kind of a miracle.
If Dash had to pick one thing he didn’t enjoy about Montreal, I’d guess it’d be the French. But even with the parking and French, we both enjoyed it so much we’d love to go back. That’s saying something!
July 11 - 18, Toronto
On the 11th, we made our way from Montreal to Toronto to visit our friends Andrew and Michelle.
We spent a good amount of time lazing about in our friends’ high rise apartment (omg the views!). When we weren’t being couch potatoes (or since it’s Canada, let’s call it couch poutines?), we did a decent job of getting out and about. Toronto didn’t feel as walkable as Montreal, but they had their share of interesting neighborhoods and quirky art installations.
Toronto reminded me slightly of San Francisco: very young, with a lot of work hustle and a seriously busy night life. It made for a really fun visit and, like Montreal, I’d be super happy to return.
July 18, Niagara Falls
On our way back to the US, we made a detour to see Niagara Falls from the Canada side. And wow! The falls were magnificent, huge!!, powerful, crowded, a showstopper, gorgeous. Now I’m out of adjectives, so just check out the pictures.
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Expedia, HomeAway and more. Guestable is your personal short term rental manager in Miami. We handle all aspects of the rental process and optimize your listings for maximized earnings.
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Move-Up vs. Second Home: Which One Is Right For You?
The pandemic has changed the way many of us live, work, and attend school—and those changes have impacted our priorities when it comes to choosing a home.
According to a recent survey by The Harris Poll, 75% of respondents who have begun working remotely would like to continue doing so—and 66% would consider moving if they no longer had to commute as often. Some of the top reasons were to gain a dedicated office space (31%), a larger home (30%), and more rooms overall (29%).1
And now that virtual school has become a reality for many families, that need for additional space has only intensified. A growing number of buyers are choosing homes further from town as they seek out more room and less congestion. In fact, a recent survey found that nearly 40% of urban dwellers had considered leaving the city because of the COVID-19 outbreak.2
But not everyone is permanently sold on suburban or rural life. Instead, some are choosing to purchase a second home as a co-primary residence or frequent getaway. Without the requirements of a five-day commute, many homeowners feel less tethered to their primary residence and are eager for a change of scenery after spending so much time at home.
If you’re feeling cramped in your current space, you’ve probably considered a move. But what type of home would suit you best: a move-up home or a second home? Let’s explore each option to help you determine which one is right for you.
WHY CHOOSE A MOVE-UP HOME?
A move-up home is typically a larger or nicer home. It’s a great choice for families or individuals who simply need more space, a better location, or want features their current home doesn’t offer—like an in-ground pool, a different floor plan, or a dedicated home office.
Most move-up buyers choose to sell their current home and use the proceeds as a down payment on their next one. If you’re struggling with a lack of functional or outdoor space in your current home, a move-up home can greatly improve your everyday life. And with mortgage rates at their lowest level in history, you may be surprised how much home you can afford to buy without increasing your monthly payment.3,4
To learn more about mortgage rates, contact us for a free copy of our recent report! “Lowest Mortgage Rates in History: What It Means for Homeowners and Buyers”
One major benefit of choosing a move-up home is that you can typically afford a nicer place if you spend your entire budget on one property. However, if you’re longing for that vacation vibe, a second home may be a better choice for you.
WHY CHOOSE A SECOND HOME?
Once reserved for the ultra-wealthy, second homes have become more mainstream. Home sales are surging in many resort and bedroom communities as city dwellers search for a place to escape the crowds and quarantine in comfort.5 And with air travel on hold for many families, some are channeling their vacation budgets into vacation homes that can be utilized throughout the year.
A second home can also be a good option if you’re preparing for retirement. By purchasing your retirement home now, you can lock in a low interest rate, start paying down the mortgage, and begin enjoying the perks of retirement living while you’re still fit and active. Plus, it’s easier to qualify for a mortgage while you’re employed, although you may be charged a slightly higher interest rate than on a primary home loan.6
One advantage of choosing a second home is that you can offset a portion of the costs—and in some cases turn a profit—by renting it out on a platform like Airbnb or Vrbo. However, be sure to consult with a real estate professional or rental management company to get a realistic sense of the property’s true income potential.
WHICH ONE IS RIGHT FOR ME?
You may read this and think: I’d really like both a move-up home AND a second home! But if you’re dealing with a limited budget (aren’t we all?), you’ll probably need to make a choice. These three tactics can help you decide which option is right for you.
Determine Your Time and Financial Budget
You may meet the bank’s qualifications to purchase a home, but do you have the time, energy, and financial resources to maintain it? This is an important question to ask yourself, no matter what type of home you choose.
Most buyers realize that a second home will mean double mortgages, utilities, taxes, and insurance. But consider all the extra time and expense that goes into maintaining two properties. Two lawns to mow. Two houses to clean. Two sets of systems and appliances that can malfunction. Second homes aren’t always a vacation. Make sure you’re prepared for the labor and carrying costs that go into maintaining another residence.
Of course, some move-up homes require more work than a second home. For example, if your move-up option is a major fixer-upper, you’ll probably invest more energy and capital than you would on a small vacation condo by the beach. Have an honest discussion about how much time and money you want to spend on your new property. Would a move-up home or a second home be a better fit given your parameters?
2. Rank Your Priorities
If you’re still undecided, make a wish list of the characteristics you’d like in your new home. Then rank each item from most to least important. This exercise can help you determine your “must-have” features—and which ones you may need to sacrifice or delay. Here’s a sample to help you get started:
# FEATURE
Dedicated home office
Extra bedroom
Pool
Walk to the beach
Big backyard
Close to friends and family
Short commute to the office
Investment potential
3. Explore Your Options
Once you’ve determined your parameters and priorities, it’s time to begin your home search.
If you’re still not sure whether a move-up home or a second home is right for you, we can help.
Contact us to schedule a free consultation. We’ll discuss your options and help you assess the pros and cons of each, given your unique circumstances.
We can also send you property listings for both move-up homes and second homes within your budget so you can better envision each scenario. Sometimes, viewing listings of homes that meet your criteria can make the decision clear.
LET’S GET MOVING
Whether you’re ready to make a move or need help weighing your options, we’d love to help. We can determine your current home’s value and show you local properties that fit within your budget. Or, if your heart is set on a second home in another market, we can refer you to an agent in your dream locale. Contact us today to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation!
Sources:
1. Zillow - https://www.zillow.com/research/coronavirus-remote-work-suburbs-27046/
2. The Harris Poll - https://theharrispoll.com/should-you-flee-your-city-almost-40-have-considered-it-during-the-pandemic/
3. MarketWatch -
https://www.marketwatch.com/story/mortgage-rates-keeping-falling-so-will-they-finally-drop-to-0-2020-08-13
4. Toronto Star - https://www.thestar.com/business/2020/08/07/you-can-get-a-fixed-rate-as-low-as-184-per-cent-which-is-unbelievable-low-mortgage-rates-driving-up-home-prices.html
5. Kiplinger - https://www.kiplinger.com/real-estate/buying-a-home/601091/timely-reasons-to-buy-a-vacation-home
6. The Press-Enterprise - https://www.pe.com/2018/11/17/5-tips-on-when-should-you-buy-a-retirement-house-hint-before-you-quit-work/
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The debate whether Airbnb is affecting the long term rental market or not is solved here in this blog. Read this to know whether Airbnb is ruining long term rental properties.
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Peru- Part 1
Turning 30 can be quite daunting to some. While I wasn’t totally terrified, I did want to hit one more continent before the big 3-0. My initial goal was all 7 continents by 30, but that darn Antarctica is quite pricey. I “settled” for six and had planned a magical trip to Peru with my fave travel buddy Jill. Since we had planned on trekking the Inca Trail, we had booked the tour part of our trip almost a year in advance. We had done tons of research (mostly Jill to be honest) and we had decided to go with Tucan Travel for their tour. They had great reviews and had tons of options for duration and location of tours. We decided on the 4 day Inca trail along with an amazon jungle trip at the end. We were planning to be away for just under 3 weeks and wanted to pack as much into this trip as possible.
Most people who hear Peru think Machu Picchu, but this country has so much to offer! I have decided to split the blog up into two since writing 3 jam packed weeks all out (and reading it!) is a bit exhausting in one go. This first blog will be all about our trip before Machu Picchu and the second one will be all about our amazing trek in the Valley of the Incas.
Sunday September 22, 2019
Thanks to Air Canada breaking a suitcase of mine, I was able to use a discount to purchase our tickets. We paid around 600$ round trip for the tickets- which was a steal. The price was a steal until I realized the day before our trip that we were flying AC Rouge. Surprisingly, our 8-hour flight was pretty decent. We were in a two seat row and received a hot dinner and snack before landing at about 0100 Peru Time (0200 Toronto time).
Monday September 23, 2019
We had booked a flight north to the beach town of Mancora, but that wasn’t leaving until mid-morning. Jill found a great B&B that was only a few kms away from the airport and boasted 24 hour check in with free breakfast. After an extensive customs assessment with fingerprints and photos, we hopped into an Uber and paid about $7.00 to get the B&B Cusing Wasi .The B&B was easy to miss as there were no signs and seemed to be just another gated home in a not so desirable area. Once we confirmed the address and saw some lights turn on, the owner of the B&B greeted us around 0210. The kind faced, Spanish-speaking owner led us to our room that had three beds and a bathroom. While the B&B hallways were fairly busy with people coming and going, it was great to put our feet up and sleep for a few hours.
Breakfast was included and the owners’ wife made us fresh eggs with toast, lunch meat and fruit. After thanking our lovely guests and clearing up our $50 bill, we got back into an Uber to the airport. Our flights with Viva Air from Lima to Mancora had been fairly inexpensive at about $160 each return (more to come about Viva Air…) including “fast lane access” and our checked bags. We made it through security and our check-in in just over an hour. We thought we had plenty of time before boarding, but apparently they start boarding much earlier than at home. We hopped on the bus to the plane and enjoyed our emergency row seats to ourselves for the 2.5 hour flight.
We arrived in Talara mid-morning and grabbed our bags en route to picking the best taxi offer. As with most airports, there were tons of people offering to take us wherever we needed to go. The prices ranged from 100-150 soles (50-60$ can). We paid just over 50 to be driven the hour or so long trip from Talara Airport into Mancora. After the mildly stressful drive, we finally found our street at the very end of the beach strip. The owner of the AirBnb Gilberto, met us at the front gate and escorted us to our beach house. Gilberto lived on the property with his two dogs (Max and Willow) in the largest of the 3 homes. He had two similarly styled set up Airbnbs along with a cute lounge area outside with a swing, some beach chairs and couches. Each of the beach homes had a small sitting area, kitchen, bathroom and bedroom with a deck out front with beautiful ocean views.
We dropped off our stuff in the small sitting area before checking out the rest of the place. The Airbnb was pretty cute and similar to the description. The bedroom had two twin beds with a towel and sheet on it and the bathroom was just what you would need. We changed out of our travel clothes and headed down to the beach for a wander. The beach was quiet and beautiful. We walked along the water towards town, checking out the many hotels/hostels and restaurants on the way. We stopped at La Tranka for our first lunch. La Tranka is one of many restaurants on Mancoras busy main strip. The town of Mancora has a population of just over 10,000 and is a popular beach destination for Peruvians and other South Americans thanks to its beautiful beaches and great surfing. The majority of people that we saw were locals visiting the area for some R&R. We realized at lunch how important Google translate was going to be on this trip as the menu was only in Spanish. We ordered our first Peruvian drinks (that were pretty cheap ranging from 15-20 soles or 5-8$ Canadian) before settling on the “tortillas with shrimp” for Jill and the ceviche and “chicharron” mix for me. After all of the cooking shows I’d watched, I thought I was in for a pork treat with the chicharron. When our meals arrived, we were both very surprised. Jill had ordered a shrimp omelet (not a tortilla) and I had ordered an assortment of fried fish. While both of our meals were delicious, we learned a valuable lesson about translation. My ceviche was huge and filled with white fish, shrimp and squid. The portions were massive and we definitely didn’t finish all of our first true Peruvian meal.
After lunch, we wandered around the town and checked out the market. This market was rather interesting as it was multiple small stalls of individual vendors selling similar things such as fruit, eggs and vegetables along with packaged food. Since we didn’t really need much in terms of food to bring home (and most of it did not look all that appetizing unfortunately), we wandered in and out of the shops and started walking back towards the Airbnb during low tide, checking out all of the happy hour deals. During low tide, we could walk all the way from our Airbnb to the town without any issues on the beach. High tide (about 10 am and 11pm) would prove to be a different issue.
Since it was getting quite cold (way colder than we thought it would get), we grabbed sweaters and scarves to make our way to the Point Hostel who had 2 for 20 soles cocktails and grabbed our first Pisco sour of the trip. Pisco is an Peruvian drink (which we learned so much more about in our Pisco tour) mixed with some sort of citrus juice, sweetner and egg white while watching the beautiful sunset. After our drinks, we walked back home for a good nights rest!
Tuesday September 24, 2019
Gosh it was nice waking up to the sound of the ocean! Since it was high tide, we hopped in a TukTuk type cab to get into town (3-4 soles). We had a lovely breakfast of crepes with coffee and juice for $13 soles a piece at Bananas café before heading over to the Inka Warrior Surf School. We decided to get a surf lesson, as we both are poor surfers and wanted to try again. There are several surf schools in the area and all charge about the same (70 soles each) for a one-hour lesson, wet suit and full day access to the boards. Henry was Jill’s instructor and I had Barrone who were both excellent. We practiced on the sand first before heading into the water around 10 am with many other surfers (or learners). The guys were amazing at telling us when to stand up and made us feel like we could actually surf- spoiler alert, we can’t surf without help.
After our lesson, we were super exhausted, so we hung out for a bit before heading to a local spot for lunch that was suggested to us by our instructors. While it took us a while, we were not disappointed by the ceviche that we had at Logan Furia. This hole in the wall was owned and operated by someone’s Abuela and was clearly a local hang out. Our ceviche was a huge portion of various fish with plantain chips to dip. At 20 soles, we were more than full and headed back to the beach to relax before we gave surfing another shot. We didn’t realized (or at least I didn’t) how much work the instructors actually did for us. While we tried really hard, getting up on the boards was way more challenging than we thought and the waves were getting further and further apart with more choppy waters. Jill called it quits but I was determined to get up. I ended up sitting on my board for longer than I tried to get up and made a new friend in the process. Daniel is an artist from the UK and was travelling around, painting and drawing while exploring South America. We chatted while drifting basically all the way down the beach before realizing we should probably just head in. Jill and I met him for a drink at a hostel/bar on the beach before heading home.
We had planned to head to the lighthouse for sunset so rushed home to shower and dress in warmer clothes. We met Daniel back in town and picked up some wine for our stroll up to the top of the hill where the lighthouse is. The lighthouse has one of the best views (if not the best views) of the town. Jill and I have a pattern of chasing sunsets at lighthouses and did not stray from this pattern. We got a bit lost trying to find the trail and ended up in a lovely gentleman’s back yard. He had no idea what we were looking for (thanks to the language barrier and a poor game of charades) but somehow managed to help us find the proper trail. The sunset at the top of the lighthouse was amazing! We could see the whole town and the ocean looked magical. We enjoyed our wine before walking back down (very carefully as I had already taken one sweet wipe out) into town. Dinner was burgers on the beach at the same spot we had beers at. The server ended up getting our food from other vendors and overcharging us but we enjoyed our time nonetheless.
After dinner we headed to the Wild Rover Hostel, which was part of a chain of “party hostels” in several South American countries. We played some drinking games and enjoyed 2 for 20 soles cocktails for a very extended happy hour. The staff were probably the most intoxicated people there but we had a blast playing drinking games and making new friends. The hostel closed early (at 0100) so with the help of our surf instructors and other new friends, we managed to buy some beers to have on the beach before making our way back home.
Wednesday September 25, 2019
Already it was our last full day in Mancora! We started the day with a delicious, hung over breakfast overlooking the water at Green Eggs and Ham. The weather was just perfect! Since we had already done most of our shopping and town adventuring, we decided to enjoy the beach and lounge around for the day. I laid out on the beach cots with the pups and a random cat and caught up on my reading. That evening, we met some of our new friends for dinner at Tokuyo. This was the most popular sushi restaurant in the town and it did not disappoint. Since we had to be up early, we called it a night and headed home to pack and sleep the rest of our hangovers off.
Thursday September 26, 2019
Sadly, we were saying goodbye to our mini beach vacay and our pup friends Willow and Max. After taking a photo in front of the cute Mancora sign, our taxi driver drove us back to the Talara Airport. When we arrived there, we were surprised to notice that it was very quiet. The security guard was confused on why we were there. I attempted to explain that we had a noon Viva Air flight and were there to check in. She explained that there was no such flight and I went into full on panic mode. A word to the wise, if you are ever booking flights in another language, make sure to translate it properly and re-read it multiple times. Viva Air had emailed me a few times asking to change the time of our flight. What I hadn’t realized was that they were also changing the date. I did not read the emails well enough and didn’t realize that they had changed our flight from the 26 to the 27th (the next day). They had given us the option to have our money back at the time of the change but if we agreed to the change, there was nothing they could do. My heart sank when I realized my mistake. We were told that the airport staff would be in at noon and we could speak to them then. This was 2 hours away! We couldn’t do much other than to sit and wait in the airport and read. Jill had used her roam like home (since the wifi at the Airbnb was subpar to say the least) so she was able to see that there were two Latam flights that day back into Lima. Normally, we would’ve just stayed in Talara for a day but we had booked a tour that was leaving early the next morning out of Lima and didn’t want to miss it. The airport staff didn’t arrive until well after 12 but we were able to get on the 1720 Latam flight for about $250 each. While this wasn’t the end of the world, I was super frustrated with myself for not realizing the change and being more organized with this flight (since being organized and anal attentive is one of my strengths in life).
Since we had plenty of time before our flight, we took a 4 soles tuk tuk into the town and went to a locally popular buffet call La Terraza. For $34 soles each, we enjoyed many different dishes including meats, rice noodles and a bizzare potatoe and tuna layered appetizer that we thought was a dessert. This place had great wifi so I was able to contact VivaAir who was not helpful in the slightest and wouldn’t do anything for us. Since there wasn’t much in the area, we went back to the airport and waited for our flight.
The Talara airport is really new, clean and well cooled. There is nowhere to buy anything to eat or drink other than a small cart and there is no wifi. This wasn’t a big deal for us but we had read reviews that there were places to eat and even a lounge (hard no). Our flight back to Lima was breezy, despite never being offered to buy food or water. Latam is a nicer airline than VivaAir with slightly more room in the seats and appeared cleaner.
By the time we got back to Lima, it was just before 7 and we grabbed an Uber from the airport to our hotel- Hotel Las Palmas. We grabbed our free pisco sours (which were horrific) and the only item on the menu at the time- burgers before going to bed early for our next adventure.
Friday September 27, 2019
Peru Hop is one of the smartest tour companies I have ever heard of. It was created by 3 guys who wanted to make travelling safe, cheap and fun throughout Peru/Bolivia. They have so many different packages and options- the possibilities are truly endless. They pick passengers up at a whole bunch of hotels in the big cities and take you to various towns throughout the country in nice coach buses. The tour guides speak a multitude of languages and are very knowledgeable. The tours often stop at not as well-known places and hidden gems. You can choose the length of the tour and when you get on and off if you’d like. We decided, since we didn’t have a ton of time, to do a 3 day planned trip south of Lima to a couple of neat towns. The cost of the trip was about $180 Canadian each, which covered the bus, some of the adventures we did and our shared accommodations.
We were picked up at Hotel Las Palmas bright and early @ 0700 after we had a nice continental breakfast at the hotel. We drove about 2 hours to Mirasur Resort. This was an interesting place that we could great breakfast at, as well as a delicious taste of a Peruvian drink called Emoliente. Emoliente is a sweet infused warm tea and was just the best after the bus ride. We explored the resort that had lots of guinea pigs (which we came to realize are not pets but food) along with some strange kids toys, open areas to do activities and various trees and plants including plantain trees. Jill and I had missed the explanation of the group activity but the basis of it was, whoever’s numbered mini house the guinea pig ran into, won a prize. Somehow, I had ended up with the winning number and won a shot of Pisco… at like 10 am. I felt peer pressured into taking it and almost vomited after but it was all in the name of fun right?! Once everyone had finished their breakfast and bathroom breaks (FYI, in Peru, you cannot put toilet paper down the toilet due to the inability of the plumbing to handle it) we got back on the bus and headed to Chincha. Chincha is a mix of Peruvian and African cultures as there were a large amount of slaves that had been brought over from Africa. We visited the Hacienda San Jose that housed many slaves over the years that slavery was occurring in Peru (a fact I had no idea about and was quite shocked to learn about). While the history of the plantations’ use was quite awful, the grounds were beautiful. We were shown the secret slave tunnels that had been used to hide undocumented slaves and for punishment. They were pretty eerie and made me feel sad about the thousands of slaves who suffered in the small, cramped, damp tunnels. Once out of the tunnels, we had a bit more time to explore the church and beautiful grounds. We got back into the bus and enjoyed the interesting desert landscapes and beautiful homes with brightly coloured bricks on our way to Paracas. Paracas is a small beach town with a cute boardwalk filled with shops and restaurants. We were staying at Freyles in a 6 person dorm room. This dorm was great with a nice pool area, lots of lounge space and private washrooms in each room. The only dorm mate that was there was Ryan from Canberra. We reminisced about our time in Australia before wandering around the town. Jill and I had lunch at one of the spots on the boardwalk that was pretty delicious. Paracas was a bit pricier than Mancora, which is the only place we had really been that we could compare to. I had fish kebabs and fries with a delicious Cusquena beer for 49 soles (still way cheaper than anything at home). We fell upon a big parade that was happening on the main street and wandered around to the Paracas sign (of course). We met back up with Ryan after grabbing some warmer clothes at the hostel and enjoyed a nice sunset overlooking the water and happy hour. While the happy hour deal nor the sunset could compete with Mancora, we enjoyed our evening and wandered around to the party hostel in the town called Kokopelli. There wasn’t much going on at the hostel so we grabbed some beers from the convenience store and played cards on our hostel balcony before bed.
Saturday September 28 , 2019
The continental breakfast at the hostel was similar to most- bread, cereal, meat and cheese- which I was totally ok with. Part of our PeruHop tour included a morning boat ride to the “poor man’s Galapagos” islands called the Ballestas islands. The open-air boat was pretty neat and we learned a lot about the area and the wildlife along with some of the history. We saw TONS of sea lions and penguins but sadly no dolphins. The boat cruise was just over an hour long and we had a little bit of time when we got back to Paracas to grab a smoothie from Fruzion before hopping on the bus.
En route to Huachachina, we stopped at the Paracas National Reserve to take some great photos and enjoy some of the beautiful wildlife, desert and ocean views. We also saw the Pre-Incan desert textiles and learned of their history. The drive from Paracas to Huachachina is about an hour and a half. On the way, Melanie our tour guide gave us some important history and culture about the area. I was most excited about this oasis town because we had heard great things about it and the photos looked amazing.
As we approached the town, we were all floored at how much it looked like the photos. This town was legitimately a desert oasis (hence the nickname-duh). The sand dunes all around the town are massive and the Huachachina Lagoon in the middle, with palm trees all on its borders is spectacular. We drove into town and learned a bit more about how this desert oasis came to be. The bus dropped us off just outside of the town (2 min walk from the main strip). We were staying at the Wild Rover (same chain as in Mancora), which was the party hostel of the town. The Wild Rover is probably the most interesting hostel we had ever stayed in, and that is saying a lot since we have frequented our fair share of hostels in our travels. It was pretty big with rooms all round a pool/bar area. Our room was right off the main pool area, which I had mild concerns about, especially since the rooms were not to be locked. The room we were in was a 3 bunk bed room with small storage boxes below each bed and a washroom. The wood storage box was long, thin and did not fit our backpacks. We ended up leaving our backpacks in the corner and putting our important stuff in the boxes on the floor (which was super annoying to get to). We each had a wristband with our name and room number on it that acted as our “room keys” and allowed us in and out of the hostel and to charge meals/drinks to our room.
After unpacking, we were headed out and about in the town before the best part of the day- dune buggies and sand boarding! We were meeting the larger group up the road to check in to our tour. The tour groups and leaders were mildly disorganized but the fact that they have so many tours running at the same time and get everyone where they need to be is very impressive. The dune buggies were way cooler than I thought they were going to be! Jill and I had sweet front seats, which allowed us to see the scary twists and steep hills we were going down slightly earlier than everyone else. Our driver drove around the dunes with speed and clear knowledge of them. You could see hilly dunes and buggies in all directions. Our driver stopped 4-5 times so we could sand board down some of the steepest dunes I had ever seen. Jill was far more proficient in standing on the board than I was so I opted to lie down each time, which was almost as terrifying. On our last sand board run of the day- Jill and “Maria” collided due to Maria’s inability to steer. Thankfully, Jill ended up with only a sprained ankle (better than Maria’s broken arm) and a few scrapes. We finished the night off with a beautiful sunset and tons of photos with the dune buggies.
We headed back to the meeting spot, which was halfway up the dunes surrounding the town, and stopped for some more amazing photos. The town looked so neat, nestled in the sand. After hobbling back to the hostel and showers, we met up with some people on our tour and had some dinner and drinks. The hostel was throwing a “full moon party” so we partied all night with our roommates- who ended up being weirdly similar to us (only several years younger). The party was definitely reminiscent of our time in Thailand especially with our buckets filled with booze. I crashed much earlier than the rest of the group but still had a blast.
Sunday September 29,2019
Wild Rover definitely knew how to through a party! We were both feeling less than great in the morning and had to be up slightly early for our pisco tasting and tour. We had a small breakfast before packing up the majority of our things.
The group was picked up at the hostel to go just outside of town to El Catador- one of the oldest pisco vineyards in the country. We were taken on a tour of the vineyard and given the history of pisco and how to make it. Pisco is made from grapes in a similar process to wine but after the grapes are fermented, it goes through a distilling process (similar to many other alcohols). Despite being moderately hung over, we sampled pretty well each of the pisco’s El Catador made from the super sweet ones, to the more bitter ones and everything in between. They had a great line of cream piscos that were similar to Bailey’s but with tons of different added flavours such as chocolate and coconut.
After the pisco tour, we hopped back on the bus to Huachachina for the afternoon. Fortunately, we were able to leave most of our stuff at the hostel, as that is where we were being picked up later in the day for our drive back to Lima. Since the town strip was rather small and Jill’s ankle was pretty sore, we found an amazing hostel (Bananas Hostel) to hang out at all afternoon. We had our phones and books and lounged in their hammocks and on their couches that were just off the main path but hidden in trees, flowers and gardens. It was a beautiful spot and a perfect way to end a busy weekend.
The PeruHop Tour was picking us up from the hostel in the early evening but I hadn’t had a chance to get my magnet yet (I collect magnets from each city I travel to) so I walked around the whole town and to the outskirts to find the perfect one and the best fanny pack I could find. I hadn’t brought a purse and was carrying around my backpack most places when a fanny pack would do, so I was stoked to have found the perfect one with a black base and fun colours throughout. The bus back to Lima was about 4 hours without traffic. The tour guide was super sweet and brought bags of popcorn for each of us and put on a classic- Mrs. Doubtfire. We snoozed on and off and were at our hotel in Lima around 2200 that night. We checked into the Hotel Santa Cruz and were thankful to have a quiet private room (albeit a bit muggy) to get a good night’s rest.
Monday, September 30, 2019
The Hotel Santa Cruz is located in one of the more touristy and nice parts of Lima called Miraflores. It is a short walk to the road that runs along the ocean and is filled with bars, restaurants and shops. I had decided to check out a local Crossfit gym in the area so hopped in an Uber (3.5$) to Latido Crossfit for an 0800 class. I was one of only two people in our class, which was kind of fun. The workout didn’t involve a barbell which made me sad, but I was super excited to get a good workout in and do something I loved doing. Crossfit is such a neat sport and even though I didn’t understand most what the instructor said, I was still able to grasp what we were doing. Movement is universal and I even did some assisted handstand walking for the first time. After the class, I paid the $20 USD drop in fee and grabbed an Uber back to the hotel. Jill had made her way down for breakfast and we enjoyed the continental breakfast while I ran her through my workout. We got ready for the day and dropped off our laundry to the Laundromat across the street. This was the first time we had really done laundry in the week we were away and were super excited that it was only 6 soles a kg.
Today, we were going to explore downtown Lima. Lima is Peru’s capitol city and is home to over 9 million people. Fun fact- it is the largest city in the dessert after Cairo. I won’t bore you with details of the city’s history (as this blog is already long enough), but there have been many civil and political issues in this city over its centuries since being founded in 1535. Lima has also seen its share of natural disasters including several damaging earthquakes. Our Uber driver told us that many of the streets downtown were closed due to some sort of political issue. We were a bit worried about this since we had been hearing stuff on the news about the President trying to disassemble congress. This wasn’t going to deter us from going to explore Lima’s downtown.
Since Lima is a coastal city with warm air temperatures, the city always seems to have a fog over it, even though it only usually rains about once a month. Today was no exception. The temperature was mild but the sky was grey and sad (which we would come to associate with Lima). Somehow, we hooked up with a “Lima by Walking” Tour and met our tour Leader Jose at the Plaza Des Armes downtown. He took us on a walking tour of the Plaza Des Armes that included seeing the Changing of the Guard, City Hall, Cathedral, historic fountain and explained what the other important buildings in the square were. We learned a lot about Peru’s political history, especially about many of the issues Lima has had over the years. Jose told us that Lima is considered to be the Food Capitol of South America (this might not be actual fact but Peruvians believe it) due to its vast array of cultural influences for food. Lately, there have been a lot more Asian influences and Chinese/Peruvian fusion restaurants called “Chifas” that are all the rage.
Jose took us around most of the downtown core and taught us about the various areas in Lima. Lima city has 43 districts, each having its own mayor which I thought was kind of interesting. We got to see the Rimac River, which runs through the city but is now empty as it is the dry season. He pointed out a few important places and a main street that we shouldn’t go to as it is more “working class” and have lots of crime including mugging. We enjoyed some chicha (which can be alcohol and non) and is made from grape juice with lime, sugar and a touch of cinnamon. It was pretty tasty but quite sugary for me. Jose said it was almost as sweet as Inca Kola, which is known as the flavor of Peru and is seen being drunk by almost everyone in the country. Allegedly, diabetes and obesity are high in the countries as well (as per Jose).
We finished our tour with some pisco (obviously) after having learned so much about Lima/Peru’s history and all of the politics that have been going on lately. I was really impressed with this tour and would recommend it to anyone. They had several other tours and we were planning to check one of them out when we returned to Lima. Since we had a bit more time in downtown, we took the classic photo in front of the Lima sign and grabbed the most amazing chocolate/caramel stuffed churros of life. We were going to check out the Catacombs and Cathedral but realized they were 10-15 soles per person each to get in. We were also history-ed out by this point. I had also seen the catacombs in Paris and I feel as though once you’ve seen one tunnel of old skulls, you’ve seen them all.
Our Uber back to Miraflores took a bit longer as it was rush hour in Lima- it seemed to always been rush hour though. We grabbed a late lunch at Barra Mar around the corner from our hotel. We share the stuffed avocado and causa (which is the potato and tuna or other fish layered dish) and I had a delicious ceviche bowl. The restaurant was small and everything was written in Spanish but the service and food was great. Our laundry was done by the time we got back, so we paid for it and got ready to start our packing, as we were leaving for Cusco in the am. We met a rep for Tucan Travel in the lobby at 6pm and he went over basic info about the flights and such with us. We were being picked up at the hotel in the am and being brought to the airport for our flight to Cusco and the start of our Inca trail adventure. It was an early to bed after we finalized our packing since 0500 starts to the day are no joke.
*Below are some of my fave photos from our first week or so in Peru (in no specific order as usual because Tumblr is annoying)
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