by Wendy Perrin

Question from reader JSHenry76:

"Just read your excellent article on villa rentals and am anxious to do one. We're thinking of renting in Florida next Christmas or February, and I was disappointed to see that the only rental agent listed for Florida is very expensive. Any suggestions for an agency with more affordable villas?  A villa on St. John is also a possibility.  Does the U.S. Virgin Islands specialist you recommend handle St. John as well as St. Thomas?"

If you want something reasonably priced, forget about renting over Christmas!  Prices are at their peak, and the few good-value properties are probably booked by now.

For an affordable rental in Florida, you might try ResortQuest or VRBO.  ResortQuest is not on our list because the only Florida rental agent who has met our exacting criteria is the expensive one you cited: William McClain of Villazzo.  VRBO stands for Vacation Rentals By Owner, which of course means you skip the middleman.

As for St. John, the U.S. Virgin Islands specialist we recommend, Diane Aamodt of McLaughlin Anderson, is our top choice for that island. The photo above is of Rivendell, a villa on St. John that Diane represents.

If you happen to be looking for a beachfront villa that's a good value for your dollar, you might also consider Virgin Gorda in the British Virgin Islands.  Unlike the U.S. Virgins, Virgin Gorda has a large supply of villas located on the beach (the large supply is, of course, what makes them relatively affordable). For a Virgin Gorda rental, try Hunter Butler at Blue Escapes.  Happy villa hunting!