Preferably not at a resort; I want more of a "cottage away from it all" kind of idea. I am most interested in Slocan Lake, although anywhere in the Koots would be fine. I have never looked into something like this before, so if you have ever taken part in a timeshare at all, I’d love to hear your advice. Thank you for your time!

Hi there,
I don’t know if this is exactly what you are looking for but you may want to check these results I got from www.vrbo.com:

http://www.vrbo.com/vacation-rentals/canada/british-columbia/british-columbia-rockies#a13141

Your question is a double edged sword as most of the "Timeshare vacation rentals" I know of are in resorts. If you are really looking for a "vacation rental" which may or may not be in a resort just do a Yahoo search for "Kootenay Vacation Rental" and see what you get. I apologize if you’ve already done this and that’s why you posted here though.

There’s a site that specializes in "Timeshare Vacation Rentals" its Redweek.com.

You question, furthermore, lends itself to helping you communicate with the owner/agent of the VR and not some scammer.

My wife and I have been renting VRs for the better part of a decade to travel with our kids. Those experiences came in handy when I wrote: The Vacationers Guide to Vacation Rentals; What to do Before, During and After Your Vacation.

You can get a complimentary copy of chapter 4 of the guide here:
http://www.vacation-rental-info.com/vrib

Chapter 4 has a hidden discount code in it that provides you with a "sales price" on the guide. And the guide is 100% guaranteed to beat your expectations or it’s free.

You can contact me at my site.

Good luck and Make Some Trails.
Terry

I’m looking for a cabin or house in the mountains, where i can bring my two labs along.

Hello - here’s a site that allows you to search for pet-friendly vacation homes: http://www.perfectplaces.com/United_States-Vacation-Rentals.htm?feedid=492

Use the menu on the right side to select the location, then check the box for "Pet Friendly" and click the search button. This should bring up vacation rentals in that area where your dogs will be welcome.

Hope this helps…have a great trip!

If you think Pelosi not a blatant hypocrite you are either as disingenuous as she is or you have the political awareness level of a drunken 3-year old.

A. Tantaros

When she became Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi assured Americans she would “drain the swamp” and clean up ethics violations. To this day, she still boasts about that notion as an accomplishment. Sadly, the swamp is winning.

In perhaps the most appalling display of “cronyism,” — a word Pelosi herself used almost incessantly when Republicans were in power, — she has allowed her good friend and political ally, Rep. Charlie Rangel to retain his powerful post as Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee. This, despite calls for him to step down from both sides of the aisle and a litany of unethical transgressions, including the following:

- Evading taxes on $1.3 million in income derived from multiple properties and failing to disclose hundreds of thousands of dollars of assets and income.
- Accusations of taking a $1 million contribution to the Rangel Center at City College from a wealthy businessman who later got a lucrative tax break for his company.
-Accepting a Citigroup-funded trip to the Caribbean in November 2008, when the bank was bleeding the bailout funds dry.
- Unreported rental income from a vacation villa in the Dominican Republic that Rangel failed to acknowledge when filling out financial disclosure forms.

Instead of applying the same guidelines on impropriety that she did for the GOP, Pelosi has largely stayed mum, opting instead to duck, deny, and ignore the gravity of the situation in front of her. It’s not surprising since this isn’t the first instance of her favoritism.

She’s also stuck by her closest congressional cohort, John Murtha, who is also facing an investigation into his misdeeds including no-bid contracts awarded to a nephew’s company and $38.1 million in earmarked appropriations for clients of the PMA Group which employs former Murtha staff members and contributed to his campaign.

When asked about attempts to strengthen congressional ethics standards, the Pennsylvania Democrat responded that he thinks it’s “crap.” Apparently his buddy Pelosi agrees.

And still, there more! Despite finding photos of $90,000 in cash tucked inside containers of pie crust and Boca Burgers from an FBI raid on the freezer in Louisiana Congressman William Jefferson’s house, Pelosi tried to "gift" him (ironically) with a Homeland Security committee assignment. — He would later be convicted of 11 counts of racketeering and bribery.

Someone call Joe the Plumber! The drain on the swamp is awfully clogged up.

Even some Democrats agree. Two of the Speaker’s own party members broke with ranks with her and voted against Mr. Rangel, a sign that the Speaker will soon have to answer for her actions — or lack thereof. Many are calling on Rangel to resign, realizing that not only is this hypocrisy in it’s most audacious form, but also that Republicans will make political hay out of this issue until the leadership on the left, primarily Pelosi, speaks up and calls for the New York congressman to step down.

When the ultra-liberal New York Times editorial page wags its finger in disgust at a hometown son and one of their own, the writing’s on the wall about the the severity of this mistake in leadership. On Friday here’s what The Times said:

“It is time for Democrats in Congress — who once justifiably complained about the corruption of the Republican majority — to demonstrate to Americans that someone in that august body has ethical standards.

“Speaker Nancy Pelosi, maintaining her tunnel vision on behalf of a powerful colleague, led the majority to defeat the Republicans’ latest call to depose the New York lawmaker. She does the nation no favor.”

But many Democrats in Congress still refuse to see what damage this scandal is doing to their credibility. Why? Because Rangel is “a likeable guy.” Congressman Mark Foley was also a "likeable" guy. But he had to go. More obviously, a chilly demeanor isn’t what’s driving the charge here.

Mr. Rangel is the big cheese when it comes to writing federal legislation that impacts our tax code. To not only shield a member of her caucus as political payback for Rangel’s past support of Pelosi — but to also reward that member — shows that the Speaker is willing to risk losing her entire caucus, and what’s left of her almost non-existent credibility, for the sake of a few. That’s not just bad politics. That’s bad judgment.

If she hopes to survive a bloody battle in 2010, one where her own words and actions will be used against her, she must insist Rangel resign immediately.

If I had to talk to The New York Times — who concluded their scathing rebuke of the Speaker by asserting that the protection of Mr. Rangel as chairman “is a grave misstep

What is wrong with the Democrat party is that it has been hijacked by Commies who are intent on destroying Capitalism and replacing it with income redistribution and socialist control.

President John F.Kennedy, a Democrat, stared down the communists with a naval blockade of Cuba when the russians tried to put nuclear missiles there.

When Kennedy visited Berlin during the Soviet Blockade he declared "Ich Bin Ein Berliner" (I am a Berliner) to say that when any free people were under attack by socialists we all were.

If Kennedy was alive today he would be disgusted that modern Democrats have adopted the exact policies he opposed.

Thinking of a summer stay at Lake Chelan (in Washington State) and with 4 adults and five kids (all teenagers) between two families, it may be smart to rent a lakeside home. What are my best opportunities?
I know my choices. The question is what are the best?

hi there,here"s afew idea"s for you,,
the first link as them all!!and prices to!!

http://www.telhost.net/realestate-online/lakechelanvacationrentals/listings/index.asp?type=1

http://www.lakechelanvacationrentals.com/

http://www.cometothelake.com/lodging_private.html

http://www.chambermaster.com/directory/jsp/busdir/MemberPage.jsp?ccid=102&memid=83

http://www.lakechelanshores.com/page2.html

http://www.gonorthwest.com/Washington/cascades/Chelan/chelan_rentals.htm

http://www.fabresorts.com/content/homefinder.html

http://www.watsonsresort.com/

best wishes and good luck..LATE EDIT..

surely that"s up to you to decide which is the best,i"ve give you a few idea"s,you take it from there,depends on a lot of things, for one how much are you willing to pay,come on give people a chance!!

Can anyone recommend a good website? Any help would be appreciated.

http://www.vrbo.com/

Can anyone recommend a good website? Any help would be appreciated.

Internet is the best resource in finding vacation rentals across the globe. Check out Best Bid Vacation Rentals which offers vacationers with the great opportunity to bid on the vacation rental home and they offer the best deals and bargains on vacation rental property and homes in USA. In addition to that they you can also check this prime property listed with them located in Salvo North Carolina.

Looking for vacation rentals around New Smyrna up towards cape canaveral down to pompano beach. From Feb 23 - March 22, 2007

You are looking for a rental somewhere between New Smyrna and Pompano Beach? Wow, they’re like 200 miles apart.

I can only speak intelligently about a few place that are about 1/2 way between each of your endpoints. Cocoa Beach is about 5 miles South of Cape Canaveral (the closest beach to it). It has the famous Ron Jon surf shop, which is surrounded by hotels and motels. I’m sure there are condos or timeshares for rent, too, but I don’t know of any off the top of my head. Here’s a link to help you get started: http://travel.yahoo.com/p-travelguide-474929-cocoa_beach_fl_vacations-i;_ylt=AmfOK8dnZ7jHoNVjTVIU3V9TFmoL

About 20 miles south of Cocoa is the Satellite Beach/Melbourne Beach. Melbourne is a really great town that has pretty much everything you’d want - whether it’s food/shopping chains, or Ma and Pa stores, or nothing at all. Around Eau Galle Blvd and AIA is the heart of the beachside rentals. To the South is a Hilton, Double Tree and several others, including some family owned places. North of Eau Galle you’ll find several condo & timeshares for rent. Here’s the link: http://travel.yahoo.com/p-hotel-475043-melbourne_hotels-i?fromiy=1

South of the Melbourne Area, there isn’t much of anything until you get close to Palm Beach. From there, it’s all totally developed beachfront property til you get to Miami.

By that I mean, best way to make sure you don’t wind up with a lousy place, get swindled, etc.

I’m looking to rent a home or condo for 1 week in August in San Diego. Besides asking for a lot of current pictures, what can I do?

I understand you wanting to be very careful so your vacation ends up relaxing, enjoyable and just what you expected and hoped for.

First off, make sure you ask questions about the property. How old is it? When was it last updated? Do you allow pets or smoking? My thoughts are pets and smoking truly add wear and tear to the rental so unless you have a pet or smoke, you may want to look for a rental pet/smoke free!

See if they have a personal website with ample information as well as photos.

I have a cabin rental in North GA. It’s a 3 bedroom, 3 bath with 2 full size futons. I limit my guest count to 8 max but truly prefer only 4-6 guests, mostly because of the wear and tear it puts on the rental. My rental is only 2 years old and that somewhat will tells potential guests the condition of the unit is good as it is fairly new.

To avoid being swindle (I haven’t heard of any of that which is good) You can research the property by going to the local appraisers site online to see the actual year it was built, and to be sure the owner is who the person you are dealing with claims to be.

Hope this info helps you. Feel free to ask add’l questions and I will try to help.

My wife and I just retired and are planning a U.S. vacation tour. We are wanting to know the best way to book vacation rentals throughout our journey. We haven’t picked any states to travel to yet, but would like to visit most if not all of them. In the past we have used KeyVacationRentals.com, but just wanted to see what others are out there. We also would like to only book from vacation rental site. Thanks for your suggestions!

I’ve been using Owner Direct Vacation Rentals for several years now, and I’ve always had a great experience both in finding the perfect place(s) to stay, and with their customer service reps… they’re the greatest!

I’d have a look around at Owner Direct Vacation Rentals http://www.ownerdirect.com and just start picking places along your route.

It sounds like a great way to plan a vacation! I’ve actually done that myself, on a smaller level, with just two different places lined up one after the other, and it was just great. It’s so much nicer arriving at a vacation home, than it is arriving at a hotel… so much more relaxing.

Hope this helps!

We are thinking about renting a house in the Exumas, and searching for "vacation rentals exumas" only shows aggregators. Do you have any recommendations for good home rental brokers or specific recommendations for houses / locations of where to rent? Beach access and privacy are most important factors.

I would recommend this website: http://www.exumabahamas.com - look on the left hand column under accommodations. This is a website from Exuma so you are getting the information right from the source, plus you can contact the owners.

They list the following:
Coconut Cove , Hartswell Cottages , Master Harbour Villas
Minns Cottages , Periwinkle Cottage ,Regatta Point