About
ABOUT US
We are proud to announce the formation of the Harbor Country Vacation Rental Association. (HCVRA) As many in the area know, Vacation Rentals have been a part of Harbor Country for decades. You may also know that with the increased interest in Harbor Country as a vacation destination, there are now more vacation rental homes than in the past. We recently formed our local association, which is affiliate of the larger, global Association, The VRMA (Vacation Rental Managers Association) with a few goals in mind. We would like to become the go-to organization, and liaison to each of our local municipalities. When issues that come up regarding our rental community, we would like to be part of the conversation, to help provide support and Insite, and hopefully be a resource for addressing any rental related issues. We have already established a mission statement, Association bylaws, a code of ethics, and best practices.
We realize that not all members of our community support, or even understand some of what we do for our customers, the business community, and our local citizens at large. With the launch of our newly formed Harbor Country Vacation Rental Association, and our new website, we thought this may be a good time to talk about some of the positive things we as a group do for our community.
-We believe the option to rent your home is a RIGHT, not a privilege. You can live in it, you can rent it, you can sell it.
-We create and support numerous JOBS across different segments in our community. Here are just a few businesses that benefit as a result of a strong rental community: Office personnel, house keepers, plumbers, landscapers, HVAC companies, electricians, appliance repairs, waste disposal companies, accountants, realtors, banking and insurance industries, contractors, pool & hot tub companies, realtors and many more.
-By bringing tourism to the area, we help support and bring business to our restaurants, grocery stores, spas, retail shops, bakeries, caterers, wineries, breweries & distilleries, coffee shops, art galleries, antique shops, garden centers & florist. You get the picture.
-Second home and vacation homeowners pay property taxes to help fund many of the services in our area and help to further previously mentioned economic opportunities.
-In the last economic downturn, the ability for a homeowner to rent out their property as a vacation rental helped homeowners to prevent foreclosures in our area, compared to other communities in our state without a thriving tourist segment.
-Many renters “test drive” our area before moving here full time. Renters often turn into buyers, many move here full time, even further supporting our local economy.
-We are business owners, support our local community by donating to local events, charitable organizations, as well as serving on the board on local Business Associations and our local Chamber of Commerce.
As we begin to formulate the newly founded HCVRA, we are keeping the group small to just our founding members, until we get a better idea of or goals and priorities for the community. Current membership consists of Jason and Erika Milovich of Bluefish Vacation Rentals, Tonya and Henry Arana of Aqua Vacation Rentals, John Natsis and Tom Hemingway of Beachtown Vacation Rentals, Heather Gradowski of Pineapple Vacations and Yellow Bird Vacations (VACASA). We hope to add more members down the road once we become a bit more established.
Harbor country Michigan consists of the Southwestern Michigan Communities of Michiana, Grand Beach, New Buffalo, Three Oaks, Union Pier, Lakeside, Harbert, and Sawyer, represented by five municipalities and two school districts. In 1981, the Harbor Country Council was formed to explore the possibility of uniting the area under a common mission. Council member Dick Downing (originally a realtor from Chicago) is credited for coming up with the name “Harbor Country” and served as the Chamber’s first president when it received official state recognition the same year. Local business owners Nadra Kissman and Larry Bubb are credited as the area co-founders in establishing Harbor Country as a recognized geographic region.
The name Harbor Country® was secured as a Federally Registered Trademark in 2000 and is owned by the Harbor Country Chamber of Commerce.
Vacation Rentals in Harbor Country have been part of the fabric our area before there was even a destination designated and trademarked as “Harbor Country”. Long before anyone even heard of companies like VRBO or Airbnb, thousands of visitors have been treated to a wide variety of vacation rentals in our area going back to the 20’s and 30’s” What started as small cabin like rentals has evolved and still includes some of those cabins, but also includes some of very high end rentals and everything in between.
There’s a reason Harbor Country has become a preferred destination for family vacations, weekend getaways, and weddings. The variety of accommodations is endless. There are so many choices in so many places, you will have to return over and over again to experience them all.
Harbor country Michigan consists of the Southwestern Michigan Communities of Michiana, Grand Beach, New Buffalo, Three Oaks, Union Pier, Lakeside, Harbert, and Sawyer, represented by five municipalities and two school districts. In 1981, the Harbor Country Council was formed to explore the possibility of uniting the area under a common mission. Council member Dick Downing (originally a realtor from Chicago) is credited for coming up with the name “Harbor Country” and served as the Chamber’s first president when it received official state recognition the same year. Local business owners Nadra Kissman and Larry Bubb are credited as the area co-founders in establishing Harbor Country as a recognized geographic region.
The name Harbor Country® was secured as a Federally Registered Trademark in 2000 and is owned by the Harbor Country Chamber of Commerce.
Vacation Rentals in Harbor Country have been part of the fabric our area before there was even a destination designated and trademarked as “Harbor Country”. Long before anyone even heard of companies like VRBO or Airbnb, thousands of visitors have been treated to a wide variety of vacation rentals in our area going back to the 20’s and 30’s” What started as small cabin like rentals has evolved and still includes some of those cabins, but also includes some of very high end rentals and everything in between.
There’s a reason Harbor Country has become a preferred destination for family vacations, weekend getaways, and weddings. The variety of accommodations is endless. There are so many choices in so many places, you will have to return over and over again to experience them all.
