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Thank you so much for all the hard work.
I enabled this integration a couple of minutes ago, and I'm trying to figure out how it works. I thought there's a finite number of codes one can generate, at least, that's how it is in the Schlage iOS app.
Assuming is the same here, if for example, a code is generated when a booking is created, I'm assuming that code is held by OR and sent to Schlage to be used when that booking checks in (or whatever is set for the arrival grace period).
Is what I just said true?
Assuming this is true: does it mean if there is an overlap between the current booking and previous booking (the previous booking did not check-out yet) the previous booking code is overwritten? or are both codes valid and they expire based on Departure Grace Period? again, trying to understand how all this works.
One more question: at least in the Schlage iOS app, codes have names. I have one code for the Housekeeper and one for the Guest. help me to see when the guest used the lock, or when the housekeeper used the lock. what is the name of the code when I use this integration? the guest's name?
I am currently using Remote Lock at a cost of $6 per lock per month. Would I be correct in stating that the OR link to Schlage will pretty much do the same thing as RL with the exception of adding additional lock codes for property gates or other secured entrances? I am using Schlage Encode Locks.
Hey thanks, Paul - all those are the kinds of things I thought would be included in the integration, not just the few things that can be done in the Schlage app.
This is really great! Any chance Yale locks will be coming anytime soon?
As Shawn stated, those are just extras we added into OwnerRez so you can see them while you are there.
The integration, at large, is about being able to automatically set door codes for your bookings, and everything that goes with it:
All of the above should be obvious - this is what all of our door lock integrations do - but hopefully this helps clarify.
I see, thanks for that clarification.
Scott - what we mean by that is that you can now do those things inside OwnerRez. It's not meant to replace the need for the Schlage Home app but to have access to such info inside OwnerRez.
"After mapping a lock to a property, you can lock and unlock, and view lock info and events. You can also see at a glance the battery level and whether the lock is locked or unlocked."
- These are things I can already do with the Schlage app. Are these the only features offered with this integration?
Looks like a lot of fun and great connections!
Wow, looks like it was a lot of fun! Yay OwnerRez! Sorry I had to miss it.
We had a fantastic time showcasing at the 2023 VRMA International Conference and had the pleasure of connecting with numerous OwnerRez users, property managers, and industry partners.
This year, we had 10 team members fly/drive to Orlando, FL, to ensure we could converse with everyone. If you didn't get a chance to speak with us, please sign up for one of our weekly demo webinars. We will exhibit at more industry events in the upcoming months, and you can find the full list of events here.
Here are some photos we took at the conference:
(Rex and Steve setting up the booth.)
(Jen getting the bright green booth fabric set.)
(Steve and Rex putting the final touches on the booth fabric.)
(The full OwnerRez booth set up and ready for meet and greet.)
(Welcome reception with everyone who just arrived at Disney Coronado Springs Resort.)
(Coronado Springs Resort is beautiful at night.)
(The owners of OwnerRez all dressed up and ready for our Hangout event.)
(The Hangout check-in team. We checked in 250 people!)
(Bird's eye view of the OwnerRez 2023 Hangout. Luckily, we had perfect weather!)
(Suzee, Bri, and Benton from our support team came to hang out with everyone at our event.)
(It's always great catching up with our good friends from Big Fish Rentals, Chad and Julie.)
(Chris and Devin with RentalGuardian having a great time at the party.)
(Ken and the team from Nofie enjoying the party thoroughly.)
(Paul with the team from The Global Improvement Group.)
(Selfie with Rex, Bri, Shawn, and Benton.)
(Packed Hangout with everyone having a great time.)
(Post Hangout event, catch up with the team.)
(Selfie with Steve, Lisa, Rex, Bri, and Jen.)
(Last day photo with the team at Touch Stay.)
(The team breaking down the booth set up.)
(Final team dinner before heading back to our daily routines.)
Thanks to VRMA for hosting a fantastic conference. We are excited to exhibit at future VRMA events in 2024!
One, two, Freddy’s coming for your STR. Three, four, better lock your door!
Get ready to be thrilled! As Halloween approaches, check out this week's chilling product update that's all about our October 25th release with 14 updates, including our hair-raising new Schlage Lock Integration Powered by OwnerRez, along with a number of creepy crawly bugs.
OwnerRez is proud to present our first direct lock integration, the long-awaited Schlage locks integration!
Not familiar with Smart Locks? A great place to start is by reviewing the Smart Lock Overview vacation rental guide.
Priced at $4/lock per month, the OwnerRez Schlage integration supports the following lock series:
For an initial release, we've made it quite feature-rich. After mapping a lock to a property, you can lock and unlock, and view lock info and events. You can also see at a glance the battery level and whether the lock is locked or unlocked.
Users can download the free Schlage Home app to get started. Then, pair their Schlage account and configure the lock integration directly in OwnerRez.
Here are the quick and dirty steps to take inside OwnerRez to get started:
1. Go to Settings > Door Locks (under Workflow & Devices)
2. Click the "Connect Schlage Home" button
3. Acknowledge the monthly fee per lock that will be added to your monthly charges if you have a Schlage lock or locks mapped. Click "Ok, I understand" to continue.
4. At that point, you will be sent to Schlage's website with a page that asks you to confirm a few things. These three things are paramount to establishing a successful connection to your Schlage lock(s) using OwnerRez. Do not proceed until you have completed all three.
5. Once you confirm all 3 have been completed, click each checkbox and then click "Let's go" to continue.
6. Then, enter your email address and password to sign in to your Schlage account. Click "Sign In" to continue.
7. Once logged in, Schlage will redirect you back to your locks page in OwnerRez. You can then click "Change" to tweak your Schlage integration settings.
8. Once you have completed step 7, you can proceed to mapping your lock(s) to your properties. We recommend you start with one to see how things are looking and working.
Check out the Schlage support article for more information.
Be on the lookout for our upcoming Igloohome and Hubitat lock integrations powered by OwnerRez!
Don't Send Changed System Messages or Alerts When Only Cleaning Date is Changed. Guests and OR users sometimes received system emails or alerts that their booking had been changed. It was determined that the system emails or alerts were sent when an OAuth app such as Turno changed the cleaning date. We corrected this bug so guests and OR users will no longer receive booking changed alerts when apps change the cleaning date.
Ensure Payment Information is Required for Team Accounts Upgraded to Full Accounts. When a Team Access Staff Member user was upgraded to be a full user (i.e., billing will commence) they were not always asked to add a credit card. This has been fixed to require a card to be put on file to change the account from Staff to a Full account (billed) user.
Fix Cancellation Policy Preview Displays Incorrectly. When users created or edited a cancellation policy and selected the "Yes, but it's complicated" option, the available options included cancellation policies that the user had never used. This bug has been fixed to display only any previously used cancellation policies in the preview for any "Yes, but it's complicated" options.
Fix First Webhook Attempt Should Treat Any 2xx Code as Successful, Not Just 200. We were not treating 204 codes as success in our node version of the webhook sender. We corrected this error and will now treat any 200-299 code as successful.
Fix Rare Edge Case Error on Viewing Booking Transactions. An OR user encountered an error while attempting to view a booking transaction. We resolved this bug, and the user can now correctly view booking transactions.
Handle Very Long Names on Inquiries. The Inquiry widget's name field is limited to 32 characters, which can cause errors for long names. We have fixed this glitch to better handle long names by adding specific space-splitting logic to the spaces in long names.
Hide Registration Number Heading From Hosted Websites When Registration Number is Not Configured. Users that did not have their property registration number configured in the {PDESREGNUM} field and then created a Property Description Override for their Hosted Website noticed that the empty Registration Number heading was displayed live on their Hosted Website. We resolved this bug by not showing the Registration Number header if both the registration number and date fields are empty.
Improve Airbnb Publish Check Upon Connection. If an OR user created an unpublished Airbnb listing with one address, disconnected that listing from Airbnb, then created another OR property with a different address and attempted to connect that new property to the initial Airbnb listing, the listing would be unable to correctly sync. We have fixed this glitch to consider published Airbnb listings in the past only if it is published now and has an address, and if the listing was published previously when we try to push, that push will set the Airbnb listing to published.
Increase System Email Subject Maximum Length to 256 Characters. The email subject limit of 128 characters caused errors for users with long property names. We have increased the email subject limit to 256 characters. This will prevent errors for users with long property names.
Remove BridgePay as Payment Processor Option. BridgePay is a deprecated payment processor product only available in the United States. Due to underwriting limitations, new BridgePay account applications can no longer be submitted, and this payment processor has been removed as an option for OR payments.
Remove Disabled Integrations From Property Field Differences Article. Disabled API-integrated channels were visible in the Property Field Differences support article when users clicked on the far right HomeToGo, Houfy +14 others dropdown menu. We've resolved this by not having those show any longer.
Is their sample site using the slideshow that OR provides via API?
I ask because it has a different look than mine, which is from the OR API, and which I have understood from Damien cannot be made to look different.
There are several links in that item. You're looking for the one for the API docs: https://api.ownerrez.com/help/v2/Api/PATCH-v2-bookings-id
Thanks, Chris, but I'm still not seeing anything about check-in/check-out times on that linked page.
Ahh, good note -- we've updated the link to be more specific. This addition allows API partners to make updates to check in/check out times in addition to the cleaning date which was always updateable via API.
What are check-in and check-out endpoints?
The support page you link to in reference to them says nothing about them.
We are happy to announce our Partnership with Book Direct Forgotten Coast as a new first-class channel partner!
Book Direct Forgotten Coast is passionate about directly connecting guests with property managers and owners in the Forgotten Coast. They believe that happy guests who communicate and book directly not only save on fees but also better understand the specifics of their vacation destination. They created BookDirectForgottenCoast.com so that guests have a local experience with the best available homes, activities, restaurants, and services in the area. Guests have better vacations when they know the local spots and experience the local character. Book direct to truly know your vacation destination and save on third-party fees.
Book Direct has a simple model of providing high value in a niche market. The annual rate, to start, is $300 per year ($225 for property managers with 10+ homes). Learn more here.
Ready to connect?
For those coming out to VRMA International in Orlando, make sure to swing by to see us! Nine of our fantastic team members will be there - just spot the bright green booth (#611)! If you aren't attending this year, maybe we can catch you at a future event! And spoiler: next year's VRMA International is in Phoenix, so pencil it in now!
But wait, there's more - this is a product update after all! This week's release from October 18th marks 17 updates with mostly bug fixes and a few enhancements. Read on!
In case you missed Wednesday's announcement, OwnerRez is excited to announce our partnership with Book Direct Forgotten Coast as a new first-class channel partner!
Learn more by reading the Book Direct Forgotten Coast Setup & Connecting support article.
HomeToGo has implemented another feature of the OwnerRez API to receive real-time updates (via webhooks) of rates and calendar changes, enabling faster listing updates.
Not familiar with HomeToGo? Learn more by reading the HomeToGo Setup & Connecting support article.
After releasing the Upgraded International Phone Number Input on October 9th, we realized that the default placeholder phone numbers appeared too realistic and may cause confusion for users and guests.
OwnerRez has adjusted the default placeholder phone numbers with a lowercase x, ex. (xxx) xxx-xxxx.
Users will now see the newly adjusted default lowercase x placeholder phone numbers in-app.
Guests will also see the newly adjusted default lowercase x placeholder phone numbers on Hosted Websites and Guest Forms.
Many partners and prospective partners work to provide solid API integrations for OwnerRez users through our API. We've added new check-in and check-out parameters for the Bookings PATCH in the OwnerRez v2 API.
Learn more by reading our API for Apps Overview support article.
Don't Match to CC (Except "Processed Elsewhere") or PayPal Transactions When Processing Airbnb Deposits. Airbnb deposits were incorrectly matched to the credit card or PayPal security deposit payments during the dedupe process. We fixed this glitch by changing the logic for Airbnb deposit matching to only match credit cards processed elsewhere or bank transfer-type payments, not real credit cards or PayPal-type payments. OR also enabled the ability to simultaneously change the deposit amount and deposit ID on a payment, as long as the payment/refund remained undeposited.
Ensure Phone Number Type is Retained When Sending or Receiving SMS Messages. Following the Upgraded International Phone Number Input release on October 9th, a user noticed a guest phone number that was originally saved in the system as a Mobile phone number was set to no phone type after receiving an SMS message from that number. We corrected this bug to not lose the phone type in these situations.
Fix Guest Conversation Does Not Auto Select Vrbo Even if Last Message was from Vrbo. Users who had a Vrbo guest with both an SMS (or just a mobile number on file) and a Vrbo conversation history faced an issue where the Vrbo guest conversation page erroneously preselected SMS as the method for sending a message, even though Vrbo was the last method used. We have fixed this glitch to default to Vrbo if it was the last used communication method in the guest conversation.
Fix Owner Double Select on Re-enabling a Booking "Is Managed." When owner changes were made to a Booking > PM > Change > Owner > a different owner was selected and the "Is Managed " radio button was unchecked, and the "Is Managed " radio button was rechecked without saving, both the original and the new owner were reselected on the Owner dropdown menu. We corrected this issue, and owner changes made to the Booking PM section will now save correctly.
Fix ownerrez.com Search Results for Some Numeric Searches. We found that some ownerrez.com search terms that included numeric characters yielded search results that included erroneous characters. This bug was fixed by better handling "HTML markup" when a search includes numeric characters.
Fix Partially Hidden Tooltip on Email Template Delete Button. When users attempted to delete email templates with associated triggers, an important tooltip explaining why the deletion isn't allowed was partially hidden due to positioning overlaps. This glitch has been resolved, and tooltips will now be visible when users attempt to delete email templates with associated configured triggers.
Fix User Email Suppressed Alert Stuck on in Some Edge Cases. This involved Third-Party Alert subscriptions (TPA). If a TPA email address became suppressed after a hard bounce, and even if the TPA user was then unsubscribed from the alerts in Communication History, the Email Suppressed banner ("Emails that we are sending to you are bouncing") would stay active confusing the users for that account. We've corrected this to remove the banner from displaying if the suppressed email is unsubscribed from the TPA.
Improve Handling of Large Number of Properties on API Integrations Grid. OwnerRez users with large numbers of API-connected properties connected to a single listing channel noticed that their connect-property count was inaccurate in the Properties column of their Channel API Integrations grid. This issue has been corrected to properly handle when the number is greater than 25.
Improve Page Number Calculation in Forum Latest Discussions. The Latest Discussions section of the OwnerRez forum displayed a page 2 link before there were enough comments (20+ comments) to generate the need for page 2. Fixed!
Remove Non-alphanumeric Characters From Internal Discount Names Synced to Vrbo. Although Vrbo could accept non-alphanumeric characters from internal discount names on a pull sync, they could not accept non-alphanumeric characters from internal discount names on a push sync. While these internal discount names are not displayed to users, OR will now only send alpha, numeric, and space characters from internal discount names synced to Vrbo.
Send a Rate Push to Vrbo After Expanding Booking Window. When a property booking window was increased OR did not immediately do a rate push to Vrbo, it could have created a gap in time in which a booking could have been made without proper property rates and rules information available to Vrbo. A user experienced a booking that came in right between the update of the availability and the calendar update of the Vrbo listing with incorrect nightly rates. OR has corrected this bug by adding an immediate Vrbo rate push after any new Min and MaxDaysBeforeArrival property rule changes.
Show When Dates are Unavailable in Channel Rate Tester for Vrbo. Channel Rate Tester results when testing for Vrbo would not say dates are unavailable for a property - it would just show the rates/charges. We resolved this issue to say when dates are unavailable due to the property being reserved for Vrbo, like it does with Airbnb and HomeToGo rate testing.
Spell Out "Vacation Rental" On User Onboarding Intro. The OwnerRez new user onboarding introduction form asked, "What is your experience level in the VR industry?." We realized some thought VR was an acronym for Virtual Reality, not Vacation Rental as intended. OR changed the question to "What is your experience level in the Vacation Rental industry?."
I second this...
Great updates!!!! I do have a questions, is there a way to BULK add changeover days to multiple listings?
I would like to create a "no check in/out" on Christmas, and Thanksgiving.
Jaci and Susie, that idea is intriguing. I suggest that you work together to submit a Feature Request with more details.
I second this...
Great updates!!!! I do have a questions, is there a way to BULK add changeover days to multiple listings?
I would like to create a "no check in/out" on Christmas, and Thanksgiving.
We're excited to announce our partnership with RealTech, offering custom website services using our integrated site API.
RealTech is an independent website and marketing agency providing a direct booking solution for property managers in the vacation rental industry. They serve 250+ clients ranging in size from 30 to 2,500 properties in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean. Their websites are built to provide a fast, efficient booking experience for guests. All of their websites are accompanied by a fanatical support service that resolves 90% of all requests within one day.
Their results-driven marketing approach is focused on increasing web traffic and reservations while reducing property managers’ dependence on third-party booking platforms. They leverage the power of search and email marketing to grow your company's visibility and drive direct bookings. They believe a winning website experience is built on trust and relationships. They aim to provide the best experience and direct booking solutions in the vacation rental industry. Period.
This website utilizes the OwnerRez integration with RealTech:
https://www.blueskyvacationrentals.com/
Contact RealTech about pricing at: sales@realtechvr.com
You can learn more and speak with their team by visiting the RealTech website here. Feel free to reach out to their team direct at: sales@realtechvr.com
Great updates!!!! I do have a questions, is there a way to BULK add changeover days to multiple listings?
I would like to create a "no check in/out" on Christmas, and Thanksgiving.
2 questions:
- How does your system auto-populate Expedia links? None of mine seem to have auto-populated, and I know I do periodically get bookings from Expedia. Will it only auto-populate after I actually get an Expedia stay, or does your system either periodically receive Expedia data via the existing Api connection or scrape Expedia and use some matching logic? Or does it only occur for new connections? Not a big deal, just curious if I can ever expect to see them show up on my API connection page.
- For the new changeover logic option, there's one more feature that would be amazing to have: Require Changeover (or Prevent Stay-Through). I would love to use something like this where I can set an appointment for something (e.g. maintenance work or a cable TV tech appointment or something) so that I can get a booking ends that morning and another that starts that evening, but my changeover window can be used for those kinds of services. Currently, the solution is to block either the night before or the night after, but my plumbers/HVAC techs/carpet cleaners/etc. are all very used to working inside of a changeover window, and so that's unnecessarily taking a night out of revenue availability. I assume this should be doable with some creative use of maximum stay lengths for the dates leading up to the block combined with allowable check-in/check-out dates, etc. (I think it really can sort of already be done with creative use of Seasons, but it's cumbersome and something ripe for a little automatic automation. :)
Great questions Chris!
For number 1, OR runs a background service that checks from time to time but there are too many listings to check every day, so it may take a bit for your Expedia links to populate. But feel free to navigate to Settings > API Integrations > your Vrbo API Integration > Actions > Check Status to check immediately and hopefully, they will show up.
Number 2 is an interesting idea! We recommend that you submit a Feature Request with more details.
2 questions:
Hi
Regarding renters agreement changes, does this mean these clauses should also mention the Group:
- I agree to hold harmless and to indemnify the Owner of the Rental Property against all loss, damage, expense and penalty on account of personal injury or property damage to the rental dwellers, the undersigned or to any minor child or children in the charge of the undersigned, howsoever rising, whether by act or acts or failure to act of the employees, owners or animals of the said company or property owners or not.
- I enter into agreement freely with the Owner of the Rental Property at my own risk, acknowledging the risks inherent in indoor and outdoor activities and assume any and all responsibility for the minor children and myself in my charge.
Thanks Annie
Great catch, Annie! To be clear, the changes made were to the OR Default Renter Agreement only. Feel free to edit your own Renter Agreement with your suggested changes.
Vacation Rental MV is a family-run vacation rental business based in Martha’s Vineyard. Their ultimate goal is to create a memorable experience for every guest through personalized connections, ensuring guests have a wonderful vacations.
My family has been coming to Martha’s Vineyard since I was one year old / 1955. My father purchased The Captain Morse House, a beautiful whaling captain's home. He has always rented out the west side of it to help pay expenses.
During my academic years, I pursued my education in Massachusetts, where I majored in English. In 2007, I became involved in the vacation rental business by renting out The Captain Morse House on Martha’s Vineyard. In 2019, I started managing other owner's properties on the island.
This is my third career after commercial diver and then retailer. I started a windsurf shop, called Island Sports and grew it steadily for 37 years. I sold it in 2007. By that time we were a large store with 50 employees and 10 sporting goods departments including general sporting goods, Bicycling, snowboards, clothing, surfboards, and of course Windsurfing.
I am from the same area where the properties are located. Martha's Vineyard is arguably the country's top vacation destination.
Making people happy about the property they have rented for their vacation. The personal connection is important to me. I suppose it echoes the experience I had with person-to-person sales at Island Sports.
I use OwnerRez in every aspect of the business. My goal is to reduce the number of “touch points“ that are necessary for each rental. The more integration, the better.
I would have to say the automatic emails and templates. They are hard to set up, but they help tremendously.
>>>>>>>>>
It brings us great joy to listen to property managers sharing how OwnerRez has helped them run their businesses with success. Vacation Rental MV is a perfect illustration of such success.
Couldn't agree more. Also for your Zoom & Teams webinars with your partners, please disclose this important piece of info; would have saved me a lot of time. Many properties are never going to do instant book.
Spoke with PriceLabs, they said they can't do it, and to inquire with O.R.! If the logic exists to do this in iCal, the programming is doable.
Hi
Regarding renters agreement changes, does this mean these clauses should also mention the Group:
Thanks Annie
