With a background in resort management, property maintenance, and guest services, the owners of Heron Holiday Homes bring decades of experience to the vacation rental industry. Their expertise in hospitality and HVAC services made the transition to managing a thriving vacation rental portfolio a seamless fit.

Can you tell us a little bit about your history?

I began my career in the hospitality industry in January 2000, starting as a maintenance technician and working my way up to General Manager of a timeshare resort. Over the years, I managed several large resorts in the Orlando area. After a decade in hospitality, I decided to pursue a different path, joining my father’s air conditioning business. Eventually, I started my own company in that field. My wife, Letica, owned a residential cleaning company, and we had extensive experience in property maintenance and guest services. 

Through our work, we crossed paths with the original owner of Heron Holiday Homes. I provided HVAC services for her vacation properties while my wife managed the cleaning services. When her husband passed away, she decided to step away from the business and approached us with the opportunity to take over. Given our hospitality, maintenance, and cleaning background, it was a natural fit. We took the leap, and since then, we’ve grown Heron Holiday Homes from 10 properties to 30, focusing on providing high-quality, personalized service.

What is your background?

My career started in hospitality, managing timeshare resorts before I moved into the air conditioning business. I worked for a local vacation home management company for about five years. 

If a later career, what did you do before?

Before vacation rentals, I worked in hospitality for 10 years and ran my own air conditioning company.

Are you from that geographical area, or did you move there later?

I moved to Florida in 1985 and have been here ever since. I graduated from Boone High School in Orlando and earned a Business Degree from Rollins College in Winter Park.

If later, is there something that drew you to that area?

Florida has been home for most of my life. Its thriving tourism industry, beautiful weather, and family-friendly attractions made it an ideal place to build a career in hospitality and vacation rentals.

What do you love the most about the VR business?

The best part of the vacation rental business is the opportunity to create unforgettable guest experiences. I love meeting people worldwide, helping them make lifelong memories, and seeing their excitement when they stay in one of our homes. Providing a comfortable, welcoming space where families can relax and enjoy their vacations is incredibly rewarding.

What do you dislike the most about it?

The biggest challenge in this industry is dealing with the unpredictability of guest expectations and last-minute changes. While we strive to provide exceptional service, there are always situations beyond our control—unexpected maintenance issues, difficult guests, or market fluctuations. However, we take pride in handling these challenges quickly and efficiently to ensure a smooth experience for our guests.

How do you use OwnerRez to manage your business?

OwnerRez is an essential tool for streamlining our vacation rental management. We use it for automation, guest communication, and ensuring seamless bookings. The platform allows us to manage reservations across multiple channels, handle payments efficiently, and automate guest messaging. It has significantly reduced the manual workload, allowing us to focus more on providing excellent guest experiences.

What is the most useful feature OwnerRez offers?

One of the most valuable features of OwnerRez is its automation capabilities. It simplifies everything from booking confirmations to follow-up emails, saving us countless hours of manual work. The ability to integrate with our direct booking website through its WordPress plugin has been a game changer, ensuring real-time updates across all platforms. Additionally, their customer support and user community are outstanding, always providing quick and helpful responses whenever we need assistance.

Richard and Letica have truly made Heron Holiday Homes a standout in the vacation rental industry. We look forward to seeing how they continue to grow their business!