WEBVTT NOTE This file was generated by Descript 00:00:05.570 --> 00:00:08.760 Speaker: Welcome to Keynotes, a podcast just for Costco homeowners. 00:00:09.240 --> 00:00:12.220 This is where we explore how to get the most out of your relationship with 00:00:12.220 --> 00:00:16.630 Costco, learn tips and tricks on how to make more income with your property, 00:00:17.049 --> 00:00:19.999 and learn a little bit about the short term rental industry along the way. 00:00:20.699 --> 00:00:24.330 I've been a vacation rental nerd since my 20s, and the team has finally let 00:00:24.330 --> 00:00:27.289 me have this podcast so I can share everything I've learned with you. 00:00:27.930 --> 00:00:30.480 I'm your host, Steve Schwab, and this is Keynotes. 00:00:37.970 --> 00:00:39.180 Hey, welcome to Keynotes. 00:00:39.260 --> 00:00:43.410 I'm your host, Steve Schwab, and today we are with Greg and Stacy 00:00:43.410 --> 00:00:45.710 Wesson from Sun River, Oregon. 00:00:45.790 --> 00:00:47.080 Guys, welcome to the show. 00:00:47.310 --> 00:00:47.689 Thank you. 00:00:47.970 --> 00:00:48.680 Speaker 2: Thanks for having us, Steve. 00:00:48.689 --> 00:00:50.110 Speaker: Yeah, glad to have you guys here. 00:00:50.640 --> 00:00:53.109 We've known each other now for, is it coming up on three years? 00:00:53.739 --> 00:00:54.809 Speaker 2: Yes, just about three years, 00:00:54.810 --> 00:00:55.164 Speaker: I think. 00:00:55.525 --> 00:00:56.144 Isn't that great? 00:00:56.214 --> 00:00:56.455 Speaker 2: Yeah. 00:00:56.905 --> 00:00:59.705 Speaker: I remember meeting you guys over there in the, at the mill. 00:00:59.945 --> 00:01:00.995 Old Mill and Bend, yeah. 00:01:01.035 --> 00:01:03.465 The Old Mill and Bend, and I'd just gotten off my motorcycle. 00:01:03.465 --> 00:01:08.804 I'd been riding a motorcycle from Montana to Arizona, and I made a detour 00:01:08.804 --> 00:01:12.364 to meet you guys, and I was like, well, we'll get off the motorcycle and call 00:01:12.364 --> 00:01:15.985 them, and literally I threw my leg over the motorcycle to get off, turned 00:01:15.985 --> 00:01:17.670 around, and, There you guys were. 00:01:17.680 --> 00:01:19.170 It was right there on the spot. 00:01:19.200 --> 00:01:21.170 We had a really great dinner. 00:01:21.500 --> 00:01:22.840 It was like an immediate connection. 00:01:22.840 --> 00:01:24.090 Really enjoyed that day. 00:01:24.090 --> 00:01:25.400 Uh, getting to meet you guys the first time. 00:01:25.610 --> 00:01:28.319 Speaker 3: Yeah, we were, we were blown away that you would come all that way 00:01:28.320 --> 00:01:30.730 on a motorcycle and have dinner with us. 00:01:31.200 --> 00:01:31.969 Speaker: That was really fun. 00:01:32.159 --> 00:01:32.939 That was a fun day. 00:01:33.490 --> 00:01:38.130 You guys are generational in Sun River as property managers. 00:01:38.130 --> 00:01:39.650 How'd you guys get into it? 00:01:40.550 --> 00:01:44.919 Speaker 2: So, yeah, my mom was cleaning houses for second homes. 00:01:45.640 --> 00:01:50.880 40 years ago and my dad and a real estate buddy thought, 00:01:50.900 --> 00:01:52.280 Hey, we could rent those out. 00:01:52.370 --> 00:01:56.389 And so they got some contacts from my mom and that's how the business started. 00:01:56.449 --> 00:01:58.459 And I've come and gone several times. 00:01:58.510 --> 00:02:03.030 And the last time I came in and took over as general manager and have been 00:02:03.060 --> 00:02:07.320 working in the business for about 10 years, Greg got into it five years ago, 10 00:02:07.320 --> 00:02:08.273 Speaker 3: years 00:02:08.273 --> 00:02:09.226 Speaker: ago, 00:02:09.226 --> 00:02:10.179 Speaker 3: 2012. 00:02:10.180 --> 00:02:12.680 And you were a school teacher before this, right? 00:02:12.680 --> 00:02:12.719 Right. 00:02:12.719 --> 00:02:12.759 Right. 00:02:13.829 --> 00:02:16.920 Majority of my early years were restaurant work. 00:02:17.320 --> 00:02:20.480 My mother had been a school teacher, and I had just come out 00:02:20.480 --> 00:02:23.119 of a divorce, and so I was kind of looking to change some things up. 00:02:23.119 --> 00:02:29.049 So I went and I got my Master's of Arts in Teaching, and by the time I got done with 00:02:29.049 --> 00:02:34.089 that program, The jobs were not in Oregon, the jobs were in China, the jobs were in 00:02:34.100 --> 00:02:38.190 North Dakota, the jobs were in Alaska, and I really didn't want to leave the area. 00:02:38.190 --> 00:02:42.140 So, I stuck around, I reconnected with Stacy, we'd gone to high school together. 00:02:42.619 --> 00:02:45.229 Um, but didn't, we ran in different circles, didn't really know each 00:02:45.229 --> 00:02:48.750 other, but reconnected with her and got involved in the business, so. 00:02:49.694 --> 00:02:51.885 All that hospitality background came to play. 00:02:51.984 --> 00:02:53.015 Speaker: Good hospitality background. 00:02:53.015 --> 00:02:56.804 I guess the thinking that you were a school teacher was from your degree. 00:02:56.885 --> 00:02:58.154 Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, I had that. 00:02:58.154 --> 00:03:02.665 And I did, I subbed a couple years and just was not able to land a job there, so. 00:03:03.314 --> 00:03:04.894 Well, we're glad you didn't and you came to 00:03:05.225 --> 00:03:05.635 Speaker: this field. 00:03:05.854 --> 00:03:06.694 We love having you here. 00:03:07.524 --> 00:03:13.104 Guys, as you've taken over the company and ran with it, can you tell me a little bit 00:03:13.104 --> 00:03:17.754 about your approach to hospitality when it comes to both guests and homeowners? 00:03:17.954 --> 00:03:19.904 Speaker 2: Yeah, we are very relational. 00:03:20.044 --> 00:03:25.439 That's how we We work with our clients, whether it's the owner or the renter. 00:03:25.889 --> 00:03:30.619 Life is hard and vacationing is hard, even though you're getting away and having fun. 00:03:31.189 --> 00:03:34.189 You know, costs and things not working right can really 00:03:34.319 --> 00:03:35.569 make your vacation go south. 00:03:35.609 --> 00:03:39.979 And having a vacation home and having to trust somebody with an investment 00:03:39.979 --> 00:03:44.669 you have that may be, in our case, a couple hours away or overseas, as 00:03:44.669 --> 00:03:46.939 we have owners that haven't probably seen their home in six years. 00:03:47.379 --> 00:03:50.709 And they know that when they do come, everything looks as it should. 00:03:51.719 --> 00:03:55.350 Communication is the number one thing to have, because if you can't communicate 00:03:55.350 --> 00:04:00.249 with owners or renters often, then they start thinking that you don't care. 00:04:01.700 --> 00:04:02.879 Speaker: It's a high trust relationship 00:04:02.950 --> 00:04:05.740 and so that communication builds trust. 00:04:06.460 --> 00:04:09.749 Speaker 3: I know for me and my background, one of the restaurants I 00:04:09.749 --> 00:04:13.790 worked at one of their core beliefs was you take care of the guest and 00:04:13.790 --> 00:04:15.359 the business will take care of itself. 00:04:15.730 --> 00:04:19.485 And that's certainly right here, except that we have Two guests in a sense. 00:04:19.485 --> 00:04:22.395 We have the owners and we have the actual guests coming in So we have 00:04:22.395 --> 00:04:26.135 to take care of both of those and in doing so the business takes care of 00:04:26.135 --> 00:04:26.534 Speaker: itself. 00:04:26.565 --> 00:04:28.454 Yeah Yeah, it's a dual agency, isn't it? 00:04:28.515 --> 00:04:28.794 Speaker 3: Yeah. 00:04:29.044 --> 00:04:32.805 Speaker: So speaking of both guests and homeowners inside of Kasaga, we 00:04:32.805 --> 00:04:35.235 have something called Owner centric. 00:04:35.914 --> 00:04:37.855 It's a philosophy that we all subscribe to. 00:04:37.914 --> 00:04:40.025 Can you guys tell me what it means to you? 00:04:41.555 --> 00:04:44.065 Speaker 2: I Think for me, it's the easiest thing because Without the 00:04:44.095 --> 00:04:45.515 owner, we don't have a business. 00:04:45.945 --> 00:04:47.025 Because we don't own any personally. 00:04:47.025 --> 00:04:49.745 We are renting and managing other people's homes. 00:04:49.804 --> 00:04:53.674 And so, they are our customer first and foremost because they 00:04:53.674 --> 00:04:57.875 provide us with the item, the house, the tool, to be able to rent it. 00:04:57.954 --> 00:05:00.854 And so, without them, we have nothing. 00:05:01.224 --> 00:05:05.294 And I think that's making sure that they feel that, that they know that, that hey, 00:05:05.304 --> 00:05:06.374 we're so glad to have you as a family. 00:05:06.565 --> 00:05:11.575 It's part of our brand that we're sharing their home with, and I think 00:05:11.595 --> 00:05:16.355 that's super important when, um, you're talking to people, because I know a lot 00:05:16.355 --> 00:05:21.285 of people are guest first, but at the end of the day, you can be guest first 00:05:21.285 --> 00:05:24.224 all day, but if you don't have anything to rent, then you're, you're in trouble. 00:05:24.414 --> 00:05:24.744 Speaker 3: Yeah. 00:05:25.114 --> 00:05:25.454 Yeah. 00:05:26.424 --> 00:05:26.534 Yeah. 00:05:26.595 --> 00:05:29.515 It's definitely different being in a business where you don't have 00:05:29.515 --> 00:05:33.495 something, you're selling a physical item, and so you have to take care of 00:05:33.495 --> 00:05:34.925 that home because it is your business. 00:05:34.925 --> 00:05:35.065 Yeah. 00:05:35.065 --> 00:05:35.204 Yeah. 00:05:35.425 --> 00:05:35.655 Speaker: Yeah. 00:05:35.655 --> 00:05:35.725 And 00:05:35.725 --> 00:05:38.195 Speaker 3: it makes sense that in the orange grade it comes 00:05:38.195 --> 00:05:38.685 Speaker: first. 00:05:39.995 --> 00:05:43.465 You know, I, I always think of guests, you know, and making sure that we're 00:05:43.525 --> 00:05:48.774 taking great care of guests is actually serving that homeowner and make sure that 00:05:48.784 --> 00:05:50.715 those properties are being protected. 00:05:50.784 --> 00:05:52.164 We have the right guests in there. 00:05:52.645 --> 00:05:54.875 They're getting a great experience, so they're leaving 00:05:54.875 --> 00:05:58.715 five star reviews, which help the algorithms , and rebooking processes. 00:05:59.175 --> 00:06:03.545 But while we have a huge responsibility to those guests. 00:06:04.165 --> 00:06:08.435 Our fiduciary is to those homeowners because you know we're the stewards of 00:06:08.435 --> 00:06:14.085 their properties and that's in many cases like a lifelong relationship we have 00:06:14.085 --> 00:06:16.865 with these homeowners and it transcends just the transactional business. 00:06:16.885 --> 00:06:19.535 We often have relationships with these people that last for 00:06:19.545 --> 00:06:23.040 generations, especially you know, you know, Your cases, right? 00:06:23.050 --> 00:06:26.430 You know, with a generational company, I know that you guys have talked to me 00:06:26.430 --> 00:06:30.210 about owners that have been there, signed up with your dad and are still there. 00:06:30.970 --> 00:06:35.060 , Making sure that we're owner centric is what keeps those homeowners 00:06:35.160 --> 00:06:37.669 around for a long, long time. 00:06:37.670 --> 00:06:38.720 That generational thing. 00:06:39.320 --> 00:06:41.740 You guys are really involved in the community. 00:06:41.870 --> 00:06:43.200 I know you do a lot there. 00:06:43.320 --> 00:06:46.600 Can you tell me how that plays into your thoughts in 00:06:46.610 --> 00:06:48.509 hospitality and how you operate? 00:06:49.905 --> 00:06:52.284 Speaker 2: For us, community is important because, you know, we 00:06:52.284 --> 00:06:57.495 have vacation rentals in places that aren't always vacation rental areas. 00:06:57.815 --> 00:07:01.240 Or, we still have some full time owners that, you know, It's mostly 00:07:01.310 --> 00:07:03.760 vacationerals, so you're going to have vacationerals people around you. 00:07:04.200 --> 00:07:06.950 But I think connecting with them and that they know that we 00:07:06.950 --> 00:07:08.129 actually care about the community. 00:07:08.129 --> 00:07:12.149 We're not just putting heads in beds, which is a term thrown around 00:07:12.150 --> 00:07:14.940 by a lot of people that just think that's what vacationerals is about. 00:07:15.289 --> 00:07:18.690 We want people to experience the community, enjoy the community while 00:07:18.690 --> 00:07:21.130 they're there, and learn about the area. 00:07:21.250 --> 00:07:23.960 And I've done a lot of work with boards. 00:07:23.990 --> 00:07:25.740 We're actually run by an HOA. 00:07:26.135 --> 00:07:30.275 And I've spent the last several years really bringing that 00:07:30.275 --> 00:07:34.364 relationship back to the forefront of it being a healthy relationship. 00:07:34.365 --> 00:07:36.534 I'd say over the 40 years it's come and gone. 00:07:36.925 --> 00:07:42.384 And by connecting with them, working with them, they now know me and they know, 00:07:42.474 --> 00:07:44.334 Oh, I'm going to take care of something. 00:07:44.335 --> 00:07:46.995 If a renter's causing problems, they know I'm going to go take care of it. 00:07:47.305 --> 00:07:52.705 We actually, I helped create a nuisance property rule that they implemented. 00:07:53.715 --> 00:07:56.355 If I hadn't been part of their communities in the past, they probably would have 00:07:56.355 --> 00:07:58.275 done it without a vacation rental manager. 00:07:58.275 --> 00:08:00.385 And that's, that really hurts. 00:08:00.415 --> 00:08:03.285 You need that voice from us to tell you how to keep our guests in line. 00:08:03.515 --> 00:08:03.955 Speaker: Yeah. 00:08:04.025 --> 00:08:04.894 Yeah, absolutely. 00:08:05.375 --> 00:08:08.985 You know, when I hear you say that and speak about the community in that way, I 00:08:08.985 --> 00:08:11.305 always think about loving the community. 00:08:11.334 --> 00:08:16.075 And I hear you guys often speak very lovingly about the communities and instead 00:08:16.075 --> 00:08:18.055 of using the community, which I hear. 00:08:18.555 --> 00:08:22.124 other people doing at times talking about, you know, they're just heads in beds or 00:08:22.394 --> 00:08:24.814 doesn't really matter what the neighbors think is their property, whatever. 00:08:24.814 --> 00:08:26.085 And that's really the wrong approach. 00:08:26.085 --> 00:08:29.664 And, you know, speaking to you day to day, having conversations with you, your, 00:08:29.664 --> 00:08:32.365 your love of the community really comes through and making sure that you guys 00:08:32.365 --> 00:08:36.814 are not just stewards of the homeowners, which is, you know, our, like I said, 00:08:36.814 --> 00:08:40.984 our fiduciary, but also your stewards of the community, which is really important. 00:08:41.684 --> 00:08:43.714 Speaker 3: I think for us, it's not somewhere we came 00:08:43.714 --> 00:08:45.214 to and started renting homes. 00:08:45.595 --> 00:08:47.075 Stacy grew up in Sun river. 00:08:47.704 --> 00:08:50.994 She would ride her bike down to the local pool and swim and then 00:08:50.994 --> 00:08:52.435 go to the local ice cream shop. 00:08:53.155 --> 00:08:55.224 And a lot of her foundational memories are there. 00:08:55.514 --> 00:08:57.444 For me, I moved there while I was in high school. 00:08:57.685 --> 00:08:59.574 My first job was at Sun River Resort. 00:09:00.274 --> 00:09:03.125 I spent my high school years there and that's where my parents lived. 00:09:03.434 --> 00:09:08.694 So it's more than a place for us to have homes and have other people experience. 00:09:08.964 --> 00:09:10.744 It's having people experience what we got to experience. 00:09:11.294 --> 00:09:13.685 I started vacationing there in 1986. 00:09:14.145 --> 00:09:15.855 And so I experienced that part first. 00:09:16.629 --> 00:09:19.569 And then I got to experience living there and now I get to 00:09:19.569 --> 00:09:20.990 experience sharing that area. 00:09:21.500 --> 00:09:23.589 So yeah, it's absolutely part of who we are. 00:09:24.020 --> 00:09:28.369 Speaker: What a great way of passing the baton to the next generation of people 00:09:28.399 --> 00:09:31.359 coming to experience something that you guys have grown up with and loved. 00:09:32.139 --> 00:09:32.849 Really cool. 00:09:33.409 --> 00:09:36.339 We talked a little bit about the owner centric model and what it means. 00:09:36.409 --> 00:09:40.079 How do you guys put that into practice on a day to day basis? 00:09:41.629 --> 00:09:43.619 Speaker 2: I put it into practice quite often. 00:09:43.680 --> 00:09:46.780 I record videos for my owners and send that to them. 00:09:46.780 --> 00:09:47.930 And they're just usually a couple of minutes. 00:09:47.930 --> 00:09:50.319 So they get an idea of what's going on. 00:09:50.319 --> 00:09:53.950 And the owner, you know, owner one time go, you know, the emails are great, but 00:09:53.960 --> 00:09:58.750 having video from you, just, I see you and I can connect with you while we're 00:09:58.750 --> 00:10:00.359 up in Canada and not near our home. 00:10:00.779 --> 00:10:03.240 And I just think it's those personal touches of reaching 00:10:03.240 --> 00:10:05.270 out, being transparent. 00:10:05.480 --> 00:10:08.289 What I loved about Costco is that being transparent with 00:10:08.290 --> 00:10:09.969 owners, That's all they want. 00:10:10.000 --> 00:10:12.379 And yes, you have to have some really tough conversations sometimes, 00:10:12.709 --> 00:10:15.469 but by showing them that we're not going to hide things from 00:10:15.469 --> 00:10:17.969 them, we want their best interest. 00:10:18.349 --> 00:10:21.679 And when we work with them, it just shows and they always know what we're doing. 00:10:21.679 --> 00:10:22.689 It's never a surprise. 00:10:23.019 --> 00:10:27.410 . Speaker: Do you have a memorable story that really demonstrates, , your values 00:10:27.410 --> 00:10:29.810 and The way you think about homeowners, 00:10:30.520 --> 00:10:33.310 Speaker 2: we think of our homeowners, I'd say it's family because some of 00:10:33.310 --> 00:10:34.710 them have been with us for a long time. 00:10:34.710 --> 00:10:38.800 We have a particular homeowner who I think he's been with us all 40 years, if not 38. 00:10:40.580 --> 00:10:45.169 His son was at the one firm that lost everybody in 9 11. 00:10:45.170 --> 00:10:46.950 You know, and so we're there for the losses. 00:10:46.950 --> 00:10:48.400 He lost his wife two years ago. 00:10:48.740 --> 00:10:51.170 And so we're there for these big events, even though we're 00:10:51.170 --> 00:10:52.530 just manager vacation home. 00:10:52.530 --> 00:10:55.510 But he calls me all the time and he asked for me and half the time he 00:10:55.510 --> 00:10:56.510 just wants to make a reservation. 00:10:56.510 --> 00:10:57.679 But I take that call every time. 00:10:57.680 --> 00:11:00.530 It may not be my job anymore, but I just love talking to our 00:11:00.530 --> 00:11:02.420 owners and he's still traveling. 00:11:02.420 --> 00:11:03.520 And it's great to see that. 00:11:03.520 --> 00:11:07.720 I think he's 95 now, but it's just, he's been with us for so long. 00:11:07.720 --> 00:11:08.800 It's like a family member. 00:11:09.300 --> 00:11:09.810 And. 00:11:10.150 --> 00:11:12.610 We see that with a lot of our owners, especially now since some of our 00:11:12.610 --> 00:11:14.930 homeowners have been with us 20, 30 years. 00:11:14.960 --> 00:11:17.530 We're now seeing the transition of them being generational where 00:11:17.530 --> 00:11:18.930 their kids are now taking over. 00:11:19.309 --> 00:11:22.129 And now they have different needs and wants for the house. 00:11:22.189 --> 00:11:26.309 And in rental, adding things that they, you know, being younger, they know some 00:11:26.310 --> 00:11:27.760 more things like TVs are a big one. 00:11:28.150 --> 00:11:30.950 You know, we see a lot of the kids come in and go, okay, we need all new TVs. 00:11:30.960 --> 00:11:31.870 It's like, yes, thank you. 00:11:31.870 --> 00:11:33.750 But it's just a relational business. 00:11:33.750 --> 00:11:34.380 And I love that. 00:11:34.380 --> 00:11:37.300 And I love that we've known these people for years in some way 00:11:37.309 --> 00:11:38.320 that we're part of their family. 00:11:38.640 --> 00:11:38.850 Speaker 3: Yeah. 00:11:39.870 --> 00:11:43.020 I know we've had homes who, they've been with us a long time, and then 00:11:43.360 --> 00:11:45.750 they look out and they see this shiny new object come into town. 00:11:46.160 --> 00:11:47.309 They say, oh, we'll try that. 00:11:48.389 --> 00:11:51.539 And then a year later, they're coming back saying it's not the same. 00:11:52.349 --> 00:11:54.690 They don't function the same way, they don't treat us the same way, they don't 00:11:54.700 --> 00:11:55.860 take care of our house the way you do. 00:11:56.459 --> 00:11:59.090 And so they come back to us, and we've had at least two that I can think 00:11:59.090 --> 00:12:01.390 of in my time that have done that. 00:12:01.390 --> 00:12:04.680 Speaker: You know, you can undercut commissions, but 00:12:04.680 --> 00:12:07.050 you can't commoditize trust. 00:12:07.840 --> 00:12:11.370 And building those relationships that transcend business with your homeowners, 00:12:11.850 --> 00:12:13.350 it becomes a love letter often. 00:12:13.350 --> 00:12:15.570 Like, you know, the fact that you're taking care of somebody, 00:12:15.580 --> 00:12:19.460 you're going out of the way in non transactional ways just to love on them. 00:12:19.710 --> 00:12:22.800 When there's problems, they call you to fix them instead of, 00:12:22.830 --> 00:12:23.980 you know, calling to fire you. 00:12:24.520 --> 00:12:27.620 Or, when they decide maybe it's time to try something else and they 00:12:27.620 --> 00:12:30.180 come back, they start to understand the value of that relationship 00:12:30.190 --> 00:12:31.400 because, you know, it's human nature. 00:12:32.020 --> 00:12:35.910 Those become letters back to us as property managers, you know, through 00:12:36.190 --> 00:12:39.709 our communities and I think that you guys really exemplify that well. 00:12:40.970 --> 00:12:44.469 If anyone wants to get a hold of y'all to talk about property management in 00:12:44.469 --> 00:12:45.770 Sun River, how would they find you? 00:12:46.810 --> 00:12:50.980 Speaker 2: So yeah, we have obviously our website@cascaravacations.com, 00:12:51.400 --> 00:12:55.210 and then I am the one that typically talks to the owner. 00:12:55.260 --> 00:12:57.705 , 5 4 1 3 0 6 3 8 1 1. 00:12:58.470 --> 00:13:01.540 It's the joy of us as we're boots on the ground there all the time, have 00:13:01.550 --> 00:13:03.150 staff seven days a week that can help. 00:13:03.710 --> 00:13:03.780 Speaker: Yeah. 00:13:04.150 --> 00:13:05.250 Guys, thanks so much for coming on. 00:13:05.270 --> 00:13:05.790 Appreciate it. 00:13:05.790 --> 00:13:07.829 Always such a pleasure talking to you guys. 00:13:08.040 --> 00:13:08.280 Thanks. 00:13:08.549 --> 00:13:09.160 Talk to you soon. 00:13:09.170 --> 00:13:09.590 All right.