Some people crawl through vacation rental sites looking for the right time and the right condo or house. While this is one way to go about it, there are other methods you can use to find the right unit to rent for that perfect San Diego summer vacation. For example, if you’re on vacation this summer in San Diego and you might be in Mission Beach strolling the boardwalk or boardwalk, bring a notepad and pen. Write down addresses you like and phone numbers. Then, when you get back to your current rental, pack that paper in your luggage and get on with your vacation.

When you get home from your San Diego vacation, open up that little piece of paper and start making some calls. Tell them that you went through the unit and were interested in it for next year. Often it will be a little early to reserve it. However, this will give you the opportunity to build a relationship with the owner. Ask them to keep your information and to call you in January of the next year. Chances are they won’t because they’ve lost your contact information or forgotten to call you, so it’s important to contact them in January. That’s early enough in the year to make a reservation on the unit, when availability is available.

Most vacationers look for condo rentals from mid-January through February and March for summer rentals. Often if you look in the middle of summer you will find that you are out of luck. It is also favorable that you are flexible with your dates. Most vacation rentals in San Diego ask that renters stay from Saturday to Saturday. Please keep this in mind when searching or calling.

Another great way to find the perfect rental is to call a rental agency. There are several to choose from and you’d be hard-pressed to find one that can’t help you find the right vacation rental. Often these rental agencies will try to place you in a unit that they manage. This is how they get paid and make a living. While this is not very unusual, it will not help you find a great price on that rental. This is where websites come in to help landlords and renters connect. Keep in mind that many of the big national and international rental websites don’t care who they sell ads to. This means you may find an ad on their sites for a property management company that will still charge you a fee of around $200 – $450 over what the landlord might have charged you. If you’re looking for that price break, work directly with the owner by making sure the property is listed by the owner, not an agency.