Tips for choosing a vacation rental

— -- If you're considering a vacation rental for extra space and savings but don't want to wind up with vintage green shag carpeting and a leaky roof, check out these tips before you check in:

Weigh the pros and cons

of renting through a management company vs. privately. Vacation rentals by owner can be more personalized and cheaper, since owners aren't paying commissions of 10%-40% to real estate or property management firms. On the flip side, agencies pre-screen properties, promise 24-hour, on-site support if something goes wrong, and increasingly tout such concierge services as theme park tickets and golf or spa packages.

Order your priorities

and create a short list of possibilities. Most rental websites let you sort listings by location, price, number of bedrooms and other features. Note: Availability calendars aren't always current, so double-check with the agency or owner.

Look for multiple photos.

Each listing should include several interior and exterior views specific to that unit. Be wary of fish-eye lenses designed to make rooms look bigger, and watch out for closed window shades: "It's a sign of either bad lighting or something outside that they don't want you to see," says Terry Gronenthal of Vacation-rental-info.com.

Get specific.

Ask detailed questions about everything from sleeping arrangements and kitchen gear to location of the nearest grocery store and what happens if the toilet backs up at midnight. Initial contact can be by e-mail — and if you don't hear back promptly, consider it a red flag — but particularly if you're renting from a private owner, phone conversations can give you a better sense of whether the property is a good match.

Do your own scouting.

"Plug the address into the satellite view on Google Maps or Google Earth," suggests BudgetTravel.com's Vacation Rental Handbook. "Scope the area for nearby attractions both bad (factory complex) and good (local park). The property might be three blocks from the beach as stated, but there could be a four-lane highway in between."