Negotiating rentals on sites like VRBO

I'll ask what the best price they can give me is. Or I'll say something like "That's a little more than my budget. Would you take ____?" Sometimes they don't budge, but occasionally you can get a better deal. I suspect part of their flexibility could be determined by time of year and whether they think they can get someone to pay more than you are offering. Good luck!

I think how you handle it depends on your personality and how you would like to be treated if you were on the other end of the deal. Personally, I hate the concept of haggling. So what I do is; I research dozens of places I might find acceptable, then pick about 6 that I like a lot and can afford, and then send each of them a message asking for a quote. I describe our family in detail in the quote, including the fact that we are experienced in this type of arrangement and always leave the property in good condition. I word it carefully with something like; "...I was wondering if you could tell me what the total rate would be for our stay, as it would help us make our decision where to stay." Which communicates the suggestion that any discount would be greatly appreciated and I expect to have other options where to stay should the quote be too high. I would never respond to a quote with a counteroffer. That just doesn't fit with my style. I would stay somewhere else. The caveat; We always stay June/July (never August, in part because prices soar with Europeans traveling). I would probably behave similarly for the shoulder seasons. Off-season prices are already so heavily discounted that I don't think I would haggle there, either.

The longer you stay, the more it is likely that there might be a discount. Usually this discount is mentioned in the VRBO ad, if it isn't - ask. Short stays cost the owner more for cleanings between rentals, so it's much less likely. I always ask for a quote for their best rate and you MUST be completely honest about the number of people who will be staying with you.

I am renting an apartment for a month later this year in Paris. I checked out numerous VRBO properties, and sent requests to those within a certain range of my budget. I simply asked what would be their rate for a month rental from mid-Nov to mid-Dec, and asked about their deposit requirements. When a quote came back that was more than I wanted to pay, I wrote back usually saying something like 'your apartment is lovely and has all the features I want but sadly it is above my budget'. Most of the owners came back with either a counter offer or asked me what I wanted to pay. I didn't lowball my budget, but stated what I was willing to pay and the rents of others I was considering. Some were willing to meet my budget, others were not. But I ended up getting a lovely apartment in the Marais for 1400 euros all inclusive, reduced from the original quote of 1600.

To tell you the truth, the VRBO prices are great (really, look at the rest of major European cities and you will see). I can understand you wan the best price, but also understand that most of these rentals are owned by individuals who will give you EXCELLENT service (seriously, my guy gave us two free bottles of good wine in our room once). Look for the price you want to pay and book from there rather than trying to haggle. For the best rates, you can try to book as close as possible, but rooms book fast in the spring so fair warning. Honestly, except for one place in California, VRBO rentals have been some of the best places and best service I have had anywhere.