1. Know whom to call when the AC breaks down: Get your host’s cellphone number — and his handyman’s. Sure, it’s nice if your host leaves behind some ideas of local attractions and restaurants, but chances are you’ve covered a lot of that ground with your own research. Better that your host — who probably lives hundreds of miles away — should leave you some domestic reassurance. If you know what number to call to reach a relevant human being when the pilot light dies and the dishwasher spews on a Saturday night, you’ll be happier. This is a double imperative if renting through a management company, because those arrangements often add one or more players to the game of telephone.

More Tips on Renting a Home