(Photo above: Greg Wesson, Marketing Manager and Stacy Wesson, General Manager | by David Clewett)
Cascara Vacation Rentals is a family owned and operated vacation rental and property management company in Sunriver. They take pride in offering authentic, personal service in an increasingly impersonal industry, which is paying dividends as the company finds itself at the center of the rental resurgence.
In 1983, Ed Willard started Sunray Vacation Rentals. His wife, Sandy, ran a housekeeping company and they worked to grow the company to service over 160 homes. The couple has seen many ups and downs throughout the years and has recently experienced an upturn in business as homeowners again return to professional management for their homes and rentals.
“In August 2014 as the ‘”Sun” names became crowded in our category of work, Sunray became Cascara to set ourselves apart. We now care for more than 100 homes in Sunriver and Caldera Springs,” said Greg Wesson, Cascara marketing manager.
In a world where Airbnb, HomeAway and VRBO are mainstream websites that vacationers turn to first when finding accommodations, Cascara Vacation Rentals is forging their own path.
Cascara’s first priority is offering personalized, quality service that cannot be matched by big businesses.
Cascara features permanent employees instead of temporary staff and is owned by knowledgeable Sunriver locals. Their staff is located in Sunriver and offers 24/7 service including immediate repairs, assisting with lockouts and providing additional amenities. Their office is even open to renters who need to print, scan or fax.
Cascara is able to thrive because the service they offer is unlike that of larger rental companies. It is more of a personalized experience where guests get to know exactly who they are talking to on the other end of the line.
“There are many things bigger companies do that we just can’t compete with. But we pride ourselves on customer service and that is how we succeed,” Wesson said.
While pin code locks and self-check-ins are becoming more common in the vacation rental industry Cascara renters still check-in directly at the main office to receive a physical key.
“The process is partially a security measure to protect the homeowner. It allows us to create a good first impression and point of contact for the guest as well,” said Stacy Wesson, general manager for Cascara.
Cascara’s primary focus is helping create lasting memories for family vacations. Unlike many similar companies Cascara does not practice real estate. They are entirely focused on the care of the homes, homeowners and customers that they work directly with on a daily basis.
“We have several programs from full management to property services for those who have a vacation home in Sunriver but don’t care to rent it out. Customer service is our fine point. Caring about the home and the guest, that’s our mission,” Greg Wesson said.
Cascara manages the entire rental and home care operation with in-house staff and services. They handle reservation bookings, housekeeping and every bit of customer service in-between. That provides peace of mind vacationers will not get with big businesses.
“Cascara has an advantage over bigger companies in that we are not a start-up, we’re well versed in the industry. Having staff on hand is a big deal as some managers simply run an office in a major town and outsource all work creating no accountability,” Greg Wesson said.
Cascara’s attention to detail with regard to property management gives peace of mind to homeowners.
“We check on all of our homes weekly and will check each home more frequently during bad weather and the winter months,” said Stacy Wesson.
Cascara’s presence provides home security when a home sits vacant and unrented for any period of time. They provide peace of mind that a renter will not do any major damages through a prescreening and in-person screening process. The company checks each home after renters have departed to quickly assess any damages and help coordinate repairs with local contractors.
“We have over 100 homes and at least 20 had ice damage this past winter. We were quickly able to assess the damage saving the owners major home repairs. There are owners who realize they can’t take care of the home on their own. If you’re not living there year round you need someone looking after the home for you,” Stacy Wesson said.
Cascara has several homeowners who live overseas and simply cannot make it back regularly to look after their Sunriver property.
“Sometimes homeowners don’t even realize just how much snow we have on the ground so we can be their eyes to let them know what is happening with their home,” Stacy Wesson said.
During the past winter snowstorm Cascara owner and founder Ed Willard personally checked every home to make sure there was no damage.
Cascara is able to go above and beyond by even helping select interior décor, color patterns and paint when owners are in the midst of a remodel or repair.
While Cascara does periodically represent a home outside of Sunriver their focus is on community and caring for homes and travelers in Sunriver. Since the 4,206 home sites in Sunriver are fully developed, Cascara’s exceptional service to homeowners and guests is what allows the company to continue attracting new business.
“The biggest benefit of booking with Cascara is the local, on-hand staff. Imagine being locked out at midnight and not being able to get ahold of anyone or not knowing which number to call. It frustrates many guests and can easily be avoided by booking directly with us,” Greg Wesson said.
Cascara
57100 Beaver Dr, Building 6, Suite 160, Sunriver, OR 97707
www.cascaravacations.com
800-531-1130
cascara@cascaravacations.com
CEO: Ed and Sandy Willard
General Manager: Stacy (Willard) Wesson
Office Manager: Michele Getchell
Marketing Manager: Greg Wesson
No. Employees: 11 Full Time
Year Established: 1983
Product/Service: Vacation Rentals and Property Management
Hot News: In a thriving economy homeowner’s are ditching the burden of managing their own rentals through VRBO and seeing the benefits of hiring a management company.
Outlook for Growth: Cascara continues to grow by proving the value of their service to new owners of existing homes or owners formerly on other management programs. As nearby Caldera Springs continues to grow Cascara intends to increase their presence in that community.
