Rental unit has a one-car-garage: park my car there?

I have a vacation home in Hawaii that I rent short term when I’m not there. I was thinking of shipping my old car there for use when I’m on the island (about 3 or 4 months a year). It costs me a lot more to rent cars while I’m there than it would to ship this old car, so it seems to make sense. I would more than make up for the shipping cost in the first year. Or I could just buy a cheap car there. Either way, it seems to make financial sense to have a car.

But my property manager is against the idea because I have a one-car garage that the renters occasionally use (though mostly they just park in the driveway). I think he’s concerned that once in a while someone will rent two cars and there will only be space for one car in the driveway, with no good options nearby for a second place to park. Are his concerns valid?

Am I setting myself up for bad reviews. I would disclose it on my listing, so that it wouldn’t / shouldn’t be a surprise, but that would possibly scare away a few renters.

Maybe I’m over-thinking this, but just wanted to see if other folks agree with my property manager’s intuition or if you feel he’s over-thinking it.

Thanks

I think your manager just wants a place to park his car.:wink: Personally I don’t think you’ll be downgraded for not providing a garage. It’s Hawai’i for Pete’s sake, not Maine or Montana in the winter time! If people rent convertibles they need to learn how to put the top up!!

It’s your garage – use it for your stuff!

6 Likes

If there’s somewhere for guests to park - the driveway - then very VERY few guests would want to use the garage.

1 Like

It depends on the property. If it’s a large property where the groups renting frequently have two cars then providing parking for two cars is a plus. If people frequently have no cars or one then don’t worry about it. Also consider if you can make space for a second car outside of the garage. Can you widen or lengthen the driveway for example.

1 Like

Where are you? If in Waikiki or some densely populated area, YES, your rental agent is correct. Parking your car in the city costs almost more than a hotel room night there! If in some rural area where there is plenty of space for street parking I think it would be okay. Just be clear about it for guests.

1 Like

I agree if there’s enough space in the driveway, no need to make the garage available. (Props to you for having enough space in your garage for a car instead of all your “stuff.”)
Is your property manager perhaps renting out your garage on the side hehe?

2 Likes

"Where are you? "

I’m in a gated community, not a city. And there’s no parking allowed on the street. So that would leave only one space if I used my garage. The unit sleeps up to 6 people, so sometimes two sets of adults rent it and presumably they would have more than one car. I guess that’s the real concern.

I think KenH has said it perfectly. Use your own garage. Guests will rarely use it. Your manager is probably the one who is using it now, and that’s the reason for the resistance!

1 Like

Or, to give the manager the benefit of the doubt (!) you could ask him to show you facts and figures - what percentage of guests have had more than one car? I imagine very few.

Because you’re in Hawaii and your place sleeps six, a party of six wouldn’t be bringing their own cars anyway. So if they know that your place has parking for one car then they’ll rent just one car that will accommodate them all. Guests have to fit around what’s on offer - it’s not always up to us to pander to them - especially as you need the space.

2 Likes

@Carl_Drogo
Two or three summers ago, we rented a condo at Ko Olina for a month. The circumstances were nearly identical. The owner kept his car in the garage for his seasonal trips and it was specified in the listing that guests must use the assigned space in the visitor parking area across from the driveway. We were not allowed to park in the driveway because that is where the garbage trucks would pick up the trash bins twice a week.

It wasn’t a hardship for us to walk the few additional yards further to the car, except when carrying heavy groceries to the condo…in the rain.

1 Like

Thanks SandyToes and everyone. It seems the way to go is just to do what’s best for me and not worry about the tenants, as long as I disclose the one space in the driveway. Appreciate all the advice!

3 Likes