It’s a common question faced every year. You’re browsing around the websites in Myrtle Beach (or any area really) and you are looking for deals — the “best bang for the buck” as they say.  You are faced with a quandary though. What is the BEST way to save money?  Should I reserve now, 6 to 8 months before our vacation? Or should I wait until it gets closer to time and book with a last minute deal of some sort?

Both have their pros and cons, let’s explore.

Booking Your Rental Early

You’re a planner, aren’t you?  Your quest is to find the ultimate vacation rental in Myrtle Beach for your vacation next summer. You want to make sure your trip is all set up and ready to go so you don’t have to worry about the stress of planning a last minute vacation. You have to make sure your family has scheduled time off work and you are going to have enough funds to pay for it at the time.  Sound familiar?

The pros of booking early opens you up to getting the best selection of availability.  Reserving a condo in Myrtle Beach isn’t like booking a hotel.  Hotel rooms are all decorated the same most of the time, so it doesn’t matter if you get unit 101 or 103.  Condos, however, are all individually owned. Each owner decorates their condo differently. Some take the time to really deck out their condo rental (like our Showplace Rentals), and you see some MAJOR differences between two units in the same building. (Read more about Condos vs Hotels) And truth be told, the best condo rentals book up quickly, every single year because of their “diamond in the ruff” mentality.

However, also keep in mind, that condos in general (no matter what or where) have been more sought after over the years in Myrtle Beach, as opposed to hotels.  So reserving early guarantees you your favorite rental unit.  While there may be no specials, deals or price breaks on early bookings, you ARE guaranteed availability and a booking for peace of mind.

Booking Your Rental Late

There is really only one true pro of booking your Myrtle Beach rental later in the season — discounts.  When it’s getting close to summer time,  there is still some availability left at condo rentals, not much, but it IS there.   Condo owners would rather have SOME income though, at a discounted rate, rather than no income at all, so that’s when specials appear.  Keep in mind though, you are NOT going to get pick of the litter when you wait until the last minute.  The longer you wait, the less likelihood that your condo choice will become available.

Final Thoughts

So, you should ask yourself, “What is more important to me? Price or pick?” Would you rather make sure you have secured and booked your vacation rental for next year? Or would you rather risk the chance of availability in order to get a deal closer to vacation time?  Either way you have it, you can always check our availability live by doing a search or start browsing our condo rentals.

For some, it’s ritual. For others, it might be an experiment. Either way, Myrtle Beach is home to thousands of snowbirders every year seeking out the best deals and condo rentals for their winter monthly vacation to the beach. The 2011-2012 Myrtle Beach winter rental season is no different.

Let’s face it, Myrtle Beach and North Myrtle Beach are quite peaceful in the off-season. No traffic, nobody on the beach, no lines at attractions or restaurants, but you still get to take in everything the Grand Strand offers! You snowbirders know these little tid-bits, don’t you?  Ok, maybe I won’t spill ALL of your secrets of a successful winter vacation in Myrtle Beach, but even so, for those who haven’t yet tried North Myrtle Beach during the off-season, you’re missing out!

First off,  the term “snowbirders” refers to those who “flock south to Myrtle Beach for the winter” because of the mild climate, area activities and relaxed atmosphere. Some come every year and stay in the same condo, making sure they are booked for the next year before they even leave to go back north.  Some stay for only a month, and others stay from October to March (which is when our condos rent monthly for off-season winter.)   Yet, ALL of them take advantage of Myrtle Beach in the off-season.

The CondoLux winter monthly rates start at $800 for a month for a 1 bedroom condo, and include all the amenities you need to stay for the entire winter. The full kitchens are nice for staying home and preparing meals, and you can always sit on your oceanfront balcony and sip on hot chocolate under a blanket for those romantic evenings where the moon is reflecting on the ocean.

We could go on all day about what makes Myrtle Beach so wonderful in the winter, but wouldn’t your rather try it?  Take a minute to check out all the monthly winter rentals we have to offer in North Myrtle Beach, and if you want to be closer to the attractions in Myrtle Beach, you can view the winter monthly rentals in Myrtle Beach as well..  Who knows, maybe you’ll fly south to Myrtle Beach once a year as well!

We’d like to touch base on another topic we frequently get asked about:  Parking Passes

Parking Passes are a very important part of your stay. We  strongly encourage all of our guests to display their parking passes that have been provided to them at all times.

Failure to properly display the parking pass(es) we provide you with, can and most likely will result in your vehicle(s) being towed at your expense.

Parking violations are in no way, shape, or form enforced or monitored by CondoLux. Parking Regulations are set and enforced by the individual Resorts in the area.

We absolutely do not want our customers to fall victim to this situation (being towed), so we’re going to do our best to provide you with the information you need to have a hassle and tow-free vacation.

HOW MANY PARKING PASSES DO I GET?

When you check-in, you will receive the amount of parking passes allowed for your individual unit (dependent on which unit you rent).

If you need more passes, please let us know how many parking passes you will need WHEN YOU ARE MAKING YOUR RESERVATION.

WHAT IF I HAVE VISITORS DURING MY STAY?

We will provide you with additional passes for your visitors, but this doesn’t guarantee them a parking spot — due to limited space.

If you forget to ask for visitor passes during your reservation, please feel free to come to the CondoLux Office to get more passed during hours of operation.

WHAT IF CONDOLUX IS CLOSED WHEN I CHECK-IN, AND I NEED MORE PASSES?

If you only asked for 4 parking passes during your reservation process, and you check-in after our hours of operation, we will only leave 4 parking passes for you. If when you get here you find yourself needing more parking passes, you must wait until our office is open the next day to get them. This is why we encourage our visitors to get an accurate number of parking passes they’ll need prior to their arrival, and ask for them during their reservation. We fully understand that you may have unexpected visitors during your visit, and we will do our absolute best to accommodate you.

WHERE SHOULD WE PARK IF WE DON’T HAVE PARKING PASSES?

DO NOT PARKING IN THE PARKING GARAGE IF YOU DON’T HAVE A PARKING PASS, YOU WILL GET TOWED. We would suggest using city-parking until you can come to the CondoLux Office and acquire more parking passes. You are responsible for understanding the regulations of City-parking as well.

SHORT AND SWEET SUMMARY: ALWAYS display your parking pass. If you don’t have one, please don’t park in the parking garage. If you need more parking passes, wait until we’re open and we will gladly get them for you =)

CLICK HERE TO SEE OUR OFFICE HOURS AND LOCATION

We’d like to take a moment and bring attention to a very important issue regarding parking regulations: ROOF-TOP CARRIERS.

As outlined in your Reservation Confirmation e-mail that you receive when you book your unit(s); there are certain parking restrictions that you need to familiarize yourself with prior to your arrival.

Roof-top Carriers

Vehicles with Roof-top Carriers do not meet the clearance height needed to utilize our condo’s on-site parking. Customer’s are NOT permitted to park their vehicle , or store their Roof-top Carrier at the CondoLux office if they choose to ignore this warning. Some properties have overflow parking space outdoors that vehicles with Roof-top carriers are permitted to use. Please check directly with the resort in question prior to your arrival for verification.

We are aware that there may be situations that require the use of Roof-top carriers for storage when traveling. Please understand that when bringing a Roof-top Carrier, you will be responsible for finding your own means of parking.

We strongly encourage all of our customers to familiarize yourselves with the Rules & Regulations stated on your Reservation Confirmation e-mail and also our Frequently Asked Questions page prior to your arrival to save yourself from any issues.

City parking is available for free of charge in North Myrtle Beach. All applicable rules and regulations are posted accordingly and are enforced by the city.

We sincerely appreciate your cooperation, and please feel free to call us if you need any additional help.

UPDATE  (June 14th, 2011):

Since promoting this post on our Facebook page, we’ve received a lot of feedback on this topic.  Our goal with this post was to simply make our customers more aware of issues that can arise when bringing a Roof-top carrier.  We’ve come up with a short list of solutions (with the help of our Facebook Fans) for those of you who have the “Roof-top Carrier Blues”

Solution #1)  Remove the Roof-top carrier prior to entering the parking garage, and simply storing it in your rental unit.

Solution #2)  Buy a Hitch-Haul instead. One of our Facebook Fans had this to say about her experience with a Hitch-Haul.

” A Hitch-Haul is added to the back of your SUV (trailer hitch). We had ours professionally installed on our Mini-Van. When you get to your destination, you can take the Hitch-Haul off and store it in your vehicle or condo. ” – Janet Stillman

Get more information about buying a Hitch-Haul

Solution #3)  Find alternative parking.

Imagine the sound of waves gently rolling ashore mixed with a warm and salty ocean breeze. Picture the sun rising over the clear blue ocean water. Feel the warmth of the sun basking down upon you. Now imagine enjoying all of this from the privacy of your own oceanfront balcony. When you own one of the coveted Myrtle Beach oceanfront condos, you could enjoy this type of experience whenever you desired.

There could not possibly be a better time to take advantage of the available oceanfront condos in Myrtle Beach. Housing prices are still quite low, as are mortgage interest rates. Many people interested in purchasing a second home or retirement accommodations find these Myrtle Beach condos perfect for their needs. However, the real estate investor is the true benefactor of these low priced oceanfront condos.

Many real estate investors purchase these beautiful homes to use as vacation rental properties. Myrtle Beach is one of the most visited areas in South Carolina, and in the Southeast. Near perfect weather, beautiful beaches and exquisite golf courses make Myrtle Beach the “go-to” place. Investors know that when an area is a popular tourist destination that accommodations will be needed.

Oceanfront condos will generate the highest rental income because of their perfect view. While the many amenities that are offered at the condominium complexes are an additional bonus, the unobstructed view of the ocean is what draws many to these accommodations. Ocean view condos are quite different than oceanfront condos, and while still in demand, can not command the same rental pricing.

The difference between ocean view and oceanfront is simple. An oceanfront condo has no obstruction between the condo and the ocean. When you look out the balcony window you have a complete view of the beach. An ocean view condo, on the other hand, still allows you to see the beach, but possibly from an angle or at a greater distance. Because of this slight difference, many people only consider oceanfront condos when looking for vacation rentals.

There are many reasons to consider Myrtle Beach oceanfront condos. Perhaps you have retired and enjoy the warm winter weather. Perhaps you have worked hard your entire life so that you could live the beach lifestyle you have always dreamed about. Maybe you are a savvy investor who knows how to become financially successful by taking advantage of low real estate pricing in one of America’s hot spots. Whatever your background or intention, you will be pleased with Myrtle Beach and the Grand Strand area.

For information and a list of available oceanfront condos to buy, give the CondoLux Sales Department a try at 800-624-6418