Be Our Guest, Be Our Guest

We all remember Lumiere singing these words during the scene in Beauty and the Beast when Beauty first enters the Beast's magic castle.  When one becomes a guest there is a moment of escapism when one sometimes forgets the rules of etiquette. As rental agreements are signed, and expectations are outlined between guest and landlord however boundaries and expectations are formally agreed to.  A clear set of expectations by the landlord must be met for the tenant to have the privilege of staying at the property.

In today's real estate world there are both short- and long-term rental arrangements.  Short term rentals can be defined as hotels and or Airbnb type stays.  Long term may be extended term month to month or annual lease terms.  Each type of rental is subject to an agreement of expectations of both the tenant and the landlord.  The tenant must respect the boundaries of the landlord for the agreement to work. Violations may be caused to terminate the stay.  A third less formal stay may be a personal one with family or friends visiting for a period of time.

Since the COVID pandemic there has been some crossover between the traditional and longer term stays as travelers with work at home options seek to visit new travel destinations for longer than usual time periods.  In addition, there have been longer than planned personal visits while family members may work from home to reduce paying rent in high-risk areas. 

When someone does rent using one of the short terms apps, they are subject to review by the landlord.  There are social norms that should be followed to be a good "renter.".  There may be consequences of not being able to rent again in the future if the set boundaries are not met.

In an apartment rental there are guidelines that must be adhered as detailed by the landlord in the rental contract.  If these are not adhered to the renter may have his or her lease terminated either early due to a violation of the contract or upon its renewal.  It will be the landlords decision whether to extend or end the tenant/landlord relationship.  

On the personal front although not specified in a formal contract if a guest extends his or her stay or does not abide by the house rules, he or she may risk a future invitation.  I wrote a blog post a few years ago about how to be both the perfect guest visitor and how to be the perfect host which I recommend referring to on each link.

In each of these scenarios the common thread is that boundaries need to be set by the party who controls the property.  The guest has the privilege of visiting or renting the property and will be paying to use it in agreement to specified guidelines.  As we head towards the summer season and travel begins to open up please read the recommended rental guidelines as suggested in the Boston Globe article here.  The lyrics to Lumiere’s song may continue ring in a guests ears if they follow the appropriate etiquette and are welcomed back for future stays.

Wendy is Realtor with Coldwell Banker and an upcoming author of her first book.  "COFFEE CONNECTION: A LONG-TERM RELATIONSHIP WITH MY DAILY BREW".   Travel is one of her greatest passions.  In addition, she enjoys coffee, walking her dog, theater/arts, reading, writing and meeting new people.  She always welcomes the opportunity to have a virtual coffee now that we are amidst the “new normal”.  

Check out her website at www.wendybcb.com or her FB page @wendybcb as she posts up to date content to meet the ever-changing marketplace.  

How to be a perfect house guest

A few days ago I blogged about tips on how to successfully host guests at a vacation home.  As mentioned,  I am now following up on Part 2 of this theme with how to be a perfect house guest.  Of course no one is perfect on either end and it would be too "Stepford Wife" like if they were but I thought I would write a list of ideas for anyone planning a stay at someone's home.  I found a good article on this subject as a guideline but more specifically here is a list from my viewpoint and experience.

Before Arrival- Define agreed upon dates and a length of stay
- Arrive at a reasonable agreed upon time if possible
- Learn where to park and only park in designated space
- Understand and respect the hosts schedule (they may have appointments or work to do during your stay).

What to bring
Ask out what type of clothing to bring, casual, dress, swimwear. 

If you have a special diet feel free to bring your own food
Bring you own toiletries - sunblock, towels
If you have a special pillow feel free to bring along
If you have a pet ONLY bring if invited by the host.

DO NOT BRING CHOCOLATE or anything dangerous that the pet could access.  (we had one guest hide chocolate in a backpack that my dog ate-had to call poison control at 2am)

Arrived
Tour the house and learn where you should put your things.
- During the tour get a pulse of your hosts.  
- Are they carefree and tell you to make your self at home in the kitchen?  If yes, know your limits but offer to help where needed (I wouldn't raid the icebox when they are asleep). 
-Respect assigned boundaries (ie: if a door is closed DO     NOT ENTER unless invited).  
- Do not touch the house guests personal items unless you have permission.
- Learn the appropriate guidelines if your host has a pet (ie: keep door closed and appropriate foods).  


How to behave
Respect norms of house and the venue-if you are in a private house it is different than if there are neighbors all around so you need to be mindful of noise levels both in and outdoors.
- Understand bedtimes, wake up times etc.
- Ask permission before using anything of the host and respect the word "No" if they set limits.
- Seek activities you can do on your own and feel free to take a day trip.  You can invite your hosts to join you but don't feel slighted if they suggest you go on your own.  Sometimes hosts need their own space.
- Be social and don't ignore your hosts when they indicate interest in chatting (ie: put your phone/laptop down).
- Keep the room where you stay clean-make bed, empty trash.  Your things should be neat and out of site.


End of Visit
Clean up after yourself and put everything back to how it was upon arrival without leaving a trace.  

Sign your hosts guest book and rave about how your stay was.  Chances are if you give a great review and follow all my suggestions you will be invited back next year.  

Wendy is a realtor with Coldwell Banker Needham.  She enjoys working with buyers and sellers on both sides of the Bourne Bridge. Wendy tries to connect her life wisdom with that of homeowners. She enjoys blogging and writing about all things local that keep her balance.  For more info on Wendy check out her website at www.wendybcb.com.