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Getting Started

The Basics

Setting Up Your Account

Signing In

Recommended Reading

Bookings & Quotes



My Account


Email Template Library

Door Locks

Property Management


Listing Site Integration


Hosted Websites

Technical Stuff

Insurance and Damage Protection

Data Management

QuickBooks Integration


Security Deposits


Dynamic Pricing Integrations

OwnerRez API

Channel Management

Channel Management

API Integrations

Calendar Import/Export

Channel Bridge

Page-Specific Help



Why Test?

Calendar Testing

Change Log



Inquiries, Quotes, and Bookings Overview

We all want bookings - but how does a guest get there?  First, let's define some terms:

An Inquiry is when a potential guest reaches out to you about maybe renting your property.  Usually they'll say which property they're interested in, and what dates.  OwnerRez can receive inquires from many sources, including listing sites, your own website, or email.

A Quote is when you reply to an Inquiry, with a price that the guest can choose to accept (or not).  OwnerRez will attempt to take the information provided in the Inquiry and help you create a quote.  Depending on the form the Inquiry arrives in, OwnerRez may be able to do this automatically and send back a quote without waiting for your review.  A Quote does not block time on the calendar - it is possible for there to be multiple open quotes for the same property and time period.  Whoever finalizes the Booking first will get the time, whether it be by accepting a Quote, making a Book Now instant booking, or booking via a listing site channel; all other Quotes for the same time will be pre-empted, and if those guests try to accept the quote and make a booking, they won't be allowed to.

A Booking is when the guest has accepted your quote.  Normally this includes a payment.  From this point on, the dates and the property are fixed, and OwnerRez blocks them off in the property calendar(s).

Instant Bookings

The process described above is how vacation rental used to work.  With modern Internet systems, though, guests often expect to be able to instantly book online, just like they can instantly buy plane tickets.  Some listing sites like Booking.com don't even support the inquiry/quote back-and-forth - it's all instant booking.  Bookings made this way don't have a quote, and there never was an inquiry - but the end result, a Booking, is the same.

OwnerRez also supports instant bookings through our Widgets.  You can place a Widget on your own website that lets a guest instantly book.

Today, most guests use instant booking, so inquiries/quotes are becoming more rare.  You still get them from your own website and from regional listing sites, from guests that want to ask questions before they book.

Listing Sites and Masked Inquiries

Years ago, the major listing sites worked mostly like old-time newspaper ads - they simply told guests about your property and gave them a way to get in touch with you by sending you an inquiry.  That allowed you to respond with a Quote, and hopefully get a Booking.

Today, many of the sites, such as AirBNB, do the opposite: they intentionally block you and the guest from being able to communicate directly.  Any discussion must go through their system using masked, random email addresses.  Only once the booking is made are you given the real identify and contact information of the guest.

While OwnerRez does support inquiry management using the masked-inquiry system, it's often easier to use the app for that listing site directly until the booking is made.  Once there's a real Booking, OwnerRez has Channel Management tools to connect with the listing sites and import the guest's information.  From then on, OwnerRez can handle all communication with the guest using our extensive system of email templates and automatic triggers.