December 31, 2006

Austin American-Statesman

The year of big deals: Central Texas got down to business during 2006, generating some impressive numbers.
“There have been some lean times for Central Texas startups seeking investment backing. But last month, one company landed the biggest single venture investment ever for an Austin company. Homeaway Inc. is no struggling garage startup: Its CEO is tech veteran Brian Sharples, and it was launched two years ago with $47 million in seed money from Austin Ventures LP and other firms. Sharples used part of the new haul to buy out his largest competitor in the online vacation home rental business. Unlike many tech upstarts, Homeaway, which operates a Web site for renting vacation homes, is profitable.”

December 22, 2006

CNNMoney.com

How I rent my summer vacation home: Own a vacation rental? It's never been easier to rent out the weeks that it's vacant - Les Christie
"Christine Karpinski, author of ‘How to Rent Vacation Properties by Owner‘ and a director of HomeAway.com, an online market place for vacation home rentals, says, ‘The average traveler thinks that vacation homes are expensive to rent…but the vast majority of the homes available are reasonable.’”

November 28, 2006

USA Today

ISO: Vacation rentals with all the comforts of home - David Koenig
“Vacation-home rentals compete with hotels, especially resorts that market to vacationers. For large families, a house can be cheaper to rent than several hotel rooms, and they come with kitchens, which allow vacationers to stretch their budget by preparing some of their own meals.”

November 27, 2006

Budget Travel Online

Finding a Home Away from Home - Erik Torkells
“What HomeAway wants to do is be like Ebay without the auctions--bringing together buyers and sellers in a way that makes it easier for everyone involved…the company has introduced user-reviews to its site, so folks who have rented a house (or villa or apartment or whatever) can rate the property in several different categories--including how accurate the initial posting was, and how true-to-life the photographs were. We thought it was very clever to make sure that only proven renters can post ratings.”

November 17, 2006

Motley Fool

Baby Breaker Birth Announcements - Tim Beyers
“First up this week is HomeAway, a Web-based marketplace for vacation rentals…the firm closed $160 million in new financing on Monday, which the company touted as a 2006 record in its press release announcing the deal. “But does scale matter in this business? Big investors seem to think so. Five separate venture capitalists were involved in funding the deal, including HomeAway’s hometown financier, Austin Ventures of Austin, Texas.”

November 12, 2006

Dallas Morning News

Web Travel: Next vacation, stay in a caboose or a windmill - Larry Bleiberg
“If you could, would you stay in a caboose or a windmill on your next vacation? How about a tepee? A new global Web site, HomeAway.com, lists more than 60,000 vacation-home properties across 90 countries. In addition to the above mentioned, you'll find a barn, bungalow, cabin, castle, chateau, condo, cottage, house, houseboat, mansion, villa, yacht, and yurt.”

October 01, 2006

Kiplinger's Personal Finance

30 Best Travel Sites - tacy Rapacon
“Consider an alternative to hotels: Condo–apartment rentals. Vacation rentals generally offer more room and amenities for the same price as hotel rooms. Plus, their kitchens can spare you from having to dine out for every meal. The best selection of rental lodgings we've found is at HomeAway.com.”

September 01, 2006

VIA

What’s New in the West
“Visit www.homeaway.com to check listings of more than 65,000 vacation rentals around the world.”

September 01, 2006

Where to Retire

Finding a Place to stay When ‘Testing’ a Town - Katie Solan
“When searching for the retirement locale of your dreams, it’s wise to spend time in the area to help decide if it's a perfect fit. Homes also can be sorted by whether they take pets or are suitable for other specific needs. Some home options cost as little as $200 a week, though the average cost is $200 per night.”

September 18, 2006

The Wall Street Journal

After the Peak: Vacation homes can still generate rental income in the off-season. You just have to be creative - Daisy Maxey
“Typically, owners should knock 30% off their peak rates for so-called shoulder-season rentals -- those that fall between their high and low seasons -- and as much as 50% off peak rates for low-season rentals, says Christine Hrib Karpinski, director of the owner community for HomeAway.com, based in Austin, Texas, an online marketplace of vacation rental properties.”

August 01, 2006

Forbes Best of the Web Directory

Travel: Vacation Rentals— HomeAway.com
“... Homeaway.com is a massive marketplace for vacation rental properties. Check out the condo in the heart of Buenos Aires overlooking La Avenida Julio 9, widely considered the widest avenue in the world.”

August 23, 2006

The Wall Street Journal

New Travel Sites Seek to Carve Niches: Venture Capital is Betting On Start-Ups to Tap Luxury Vacation Market - Clancy Nolan
“Austin Ventures led the largest effort with HomeAway Inc., a roll-up of six vacation rental Web sites. Working with veteran executive Brian Sharples, the Texas venture firm agreed to commit as much as $50 million to a growth-oriented project focused broadly on information services. After zeroing in on the online travel sector, Austin quickly bought up a handful of existing sites, including CyberRentals.com, GreatRentals.com and VacationVillas.net, and combined them into a one-stop shop for vacation rental homes. ‘It’s kind of the untapped frontier of travel,’ venture partner Phil Siegel said.”

August 16, 2006

Frommers.com

Last-Minute Labor Day: Squeeze out the Last Drops of Summer - Carrie Havranek
“If you're a family or large group, you might be interested in Home Away which offers vacation rental homes across the country in choice urban, resort, or otherwise desirable locations, has a number of properties available through the Labor Day holiday. Choose from the likes of Ocean Isle Beach in North Carolina... The Nauset House Guesthouse on Cape Cod... Union Pier, Michigan... Silverthorne, Colorado.”

July 07, 2006

The Wall Street Journal

Home Pages - Christina Lewis
“A number of websites allow travelers to browse and book rental properties online, many with real-time availability. Here are a sampling of sites that show listings by owner.  Web Site: HomeAway.com  Listings: 75,000  Site, heavy on New England and Hawaii, says inventory grew 50% this year...”

July 03, 2006

U.S. News & World Report

Don’t Be a Grumpy Bumpee - Christopher Elliott
“Even though 2005 was the most profitable year ever for the hotel industry, the average occupancy rate was just 63 percent. So chances are, you'll find a room somewhere, even at crowded destinations... Also, check out two new sites, homeAway.com and forGetaway.com, which specialize in vacation rentals that run a fraction of the cost of a hotel room.”

July 02, 2006

New York Times

Comings and Goings - Hilary Howard
“Homeowners pay a $299 annual fee to list their properties on the site, which is free for users.”

June 01, 2006

Travel + Leisure

Dream Villas Made Easy - Hillary Geronemus
“OWNERS: More and more people with second houses are getting into the game themselves, posting their properties on marketplace Web sites... We Like: Hideaways International, HomeAway."

June 19, 2006

Time

Home Pages: Home Away From Home - Jeremy Caplan
“If you're hunting for a short-term getaway rather than a permanent residence, Homeaway.com which launched last week, might hit the spot... Homeaway is free to search, and listings include owners' contact information so that you can call or e-mail to make a direct reservation as soon as you find a vacation spot that meets your needs.”