Innkeeping and Bed & Breakfast Inns for Sale Blog

Ready to Sell Your Inn? Get All Your Ducks in a Row

September 29th, 2016 by Janet Wolf

Ready to Sell Your Inn? Get All Your Ducks in a Row

Are you thinking about getting ready to sell your inn? It is important that you get all your ducks in a row. (Definition: to be prepared and organized). When? NOW…Following is some advice on how to avoid roadblocks so your ducks can move swimmingly through to closing day.

To start, here are some important questions to ask yourself.

Does your business have clean, complete, accurate financial records?

You have invested a lot time working “on” your business. Hopefully your records are clean, honest and true. How you present your records sends a strong signal to prospective buyers. You want that signal to result in trust. Without trust, the smart, well informed buyer will most likely walk away.

FACT: The bank will require three years of federal business tax returns and three years profit and loss statements as well as balance sheets.

Does your business have policies, procedures, systems that will make a new owner’s transition easy?

If you are working with a good property management system this will be invaluable to a new owner. A robust system that can produce detailed reports. Number of nights sold, occupancy, gift certificate history and much more. Information that you track regularly, right?

The B&B Team provides a helpful “seller’s information checklist” for our seller/clients. The more detailed and organized your records are, the easier for you to complete this list.

TRUE STORY: During buyer’s due diligence and transition training, sellers provided them with a tangled web of passwords, most of which turned out to be inaccurate. Talk about a roadblock!

Investing wisely in your business throughout your Innkeeping tenure is hugely important. Your investment includes both time as well as capital. If spent wisely, ALL your records will reflect this.

“The more you invest, the greater your return will be.” and…”The better the value, the better the price.” Steve McKee, ‘Power Branding’.

The B&B Team provides our seller clients with an unvarnished, credible valuation of your inn. Over-priced inns sit forever. Under-priced inns leave money on the table. Well-priced inns offer value to both sellers and buyers. Both parties win.

Start getting those ducks in a row. The B&B Team can help.

Thanks for Listening,

Janet Wolf

Tags: sell your inn, The B&B Team
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Massachusetts Destination Inns for Sale

September 22nd, 2016 by Janet Wolf

Looking for Massachusetts destination inns for sale? The B&B Team can guide you through the process from search to sell and everything in between. We invite you to start your search with us.

For such a smallish state (10,555 sq. mi.), there sure are a bucket list of Massachusetts destination locations to visit, to stay and explore. Tourism, both international and US increases yearly for destinations like the Berkshires, Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, Nantucket, Boston and beyond.

Freedom Trail Walking Tours

It all started in Massachusetts, literally! Take the Freedom Trail in Boston and learn how our country arose from 13 colonies to 13 states. The preservation of historic landmarks along the Freedom Trail in Boston is a huge draw for tourists. Preservation has a lot to do with tourism to the Bay State.

So what does preservation have to do with tourism? Read on.

In a recent article; ‘Too many misunderstand the true impact of tourism’ By Marshall Helmberger, he refers to Edward McMahon, a Senior Resident Fellow at Urban Land Institute in Washington D.C. He provides some great insights as to why preservation has a lot to do with tourism.

“Preserve and restore historic buildings, neighborhoods and landscapes — these are what make our communities unique. Communities that don’t preserve their history, or encourage development that’s not in keeping with the community’s character (think chain stores and restaurants), lose their cultural memory and their soul. There are plenty of communities that have been swallowed up by strip development, big box stores and fast food chains, and there is absolutely no reason for anyone to ever venture out of their way to such places, since they all look the same.”

I believe this statement is very powerful! Historic homes and estates that have been converted into bed and breakfasts and historic country inns are prime examples of thoughtful preservation and restoration. Innkeepers are excellent stewards of their inns and take great pride in the character of their property and community.

Massachusetts destination inns for sale offer historic charm, character and a unique experience that are very inviting to visitors to the state. Walk down any main street on the Cape or in Berkshire County and you can find preserved historic homes and estates mingled with bed and breakfasts and one of a kind retail stores and restaurants. No two are alike. Authenticity reigns!

Cape Cod National Seashore

Beside the preservation of brick and mortar there is land and sea.

Cape Cod National Seashore that protects nearly the whole eastern coast of the Cape, keeping a 40-mile stretch of sand and dunes almost unchanged since the 1800s.
Mohawk Trail Region offers miles of scenic driving tours. 5 separate picturesque Massachusetts countryside drives through the Berkshire Hills.
Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary is an underwater plateau in the Atlantic at the mouth of Massachusetts Bay. View protected marine life; whales, dolphins, harbor porpoises and seals.

Along the Mohawk Trail

And if music and art feed your soul there is:

Tanglewood Concerts: Summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra in Lenox in the heart of the Berkshires.
About 1000 (may I exaggerate?) museums of art from the Museum of Fine Art Boston to the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge.

And then there is food. Seafood is the number one agricultural product, followed by cranberries.

Massachusetts Steamed Clams

If you are seeking a quality of life that includes all the cultural and historical preservation that Massachusetts destination locations have to offer and… if living and owning your own hospitality business is a dream and goal of yours. Consider inns for sale in Massachusetts.

Thanks for Listening,

Janet Wolf

Tags: cape cod, Massachusetts Berkshires, massachusetts destinations, The B&B Team Inns for Sale
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Carolina on Your Mind? North Carolina B&Bs for Sale

September 16th, 2016 by Janet Wolf

Great Smoky Mountain National Park in Western NC

North Carolina on your mind? The B&B Team represents a number of lovely North Carolina B&Bs for sale. In addition, there may be others we are aware of that are not listed so we urge you to get in touch with The B&B Team specialist in finding North Carolina B&Bs for sale that are just right for you.

Many folks say ‘there is no better living than southern living’. Some highlights as to why…

Blue Ridge Parkway, mountain drives on winding roads with ‘on top of the world’ scenery. “America’s Favorite Drive”.
Cherokees called it ‘land of blue mist’, the most visited national park in the US. Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Ridge upon ridge of forest straddles the border between North Carolina and Tennessee.

301 Miles!

The 301 miles of coastline from the Outer Banks to the South Carolina border are dotted with small charming towns. Including Edenton, named one of “America’s Prettiest Towns.”
Just a fraction of great reasons for folks to find peaceful and charming southern living bed and breakfasts to check in and unplug!

Another draw is…buttered, fried and topped with gravy! North Carolina west-to-east road trips will take you to some great North Carolina drive-ins and road side barbeque (dives?) or the burgeoning up-scale food scenes in Asheville and Durham. It’s all yum.

North Carolina Breakfast

I like to quote travel writers. Here is a good one for you by Emory Rakestraw.

”After visiting North Carolina, most people want to pack up their life and move here forever. As a native all I have to say is…can you really blame them? From the beach to the mountains…we have it all. Of course, North Carolina has its cities…but for those who like to live a more intimate, slow, and down-home life there are also some beautiful small towns just for you.”

The B&B Team is there ‘just for you’ too. We would love to help you find your North Carolina bed and breakfast for sale. Mountains, barrier island beaches, city or small town. Find your home, find your future in North Carolina. Call us.

Thanks for Listening,

Janet Wolf

Tags: Blue Ridge Mountains, great smoky mountains national park, north carolina bed and breakfast, The B&B Team Inns for Sale
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Inns for Sale in Maine-5 Reasons to Call The B&B Team

September 6th, 2016 by Janet Wolf

WELCOME to The Way Life Should Be

Are you looking for Inns for Sale in Maine in your search as a future innkeeper? If so The B&B Team can help in so many ways. Let me count the ways! Let’s start with 5.

1. We have 23 listings, from southern coast to mid-coast, from ‘Down East’ to the lakes and mountains of western Maine.

2. Two experienced Maine brokers, Rick Wolf and Dana Moos who travel the state regularly and know ‘Vacationland’ and our client Inns up close and personal.

3. The B&B Team provides our buyer clients with credible valuations and analyses….from lifestyle to financially viable…

4. Our guidance will help you invest wisely and avoid costly mistakes.

5. Living and working in Maine is ‘The Way Life Should Be’!

Let me give you a bit of background on that phrase, ‘The Way Life Should Be’.

An ad man from New Jersey was visiting a friend in Lubec Maine back in 1984. Now Lubec is way ‘Down East’, a beautiful coastal town, remote and quintessential. This sets you up for the scene…

Lubec Maine

Out on a deck overlooking Passamaquoddy Bay the two friends see a lobster boat in the near distance. His friend waves and the lobsterboat draws up close. He offers them a few lobsters and continues on his way. Boiled fresh lobster (can’t get any fresher than that), a cold beer or two plus “making a mess with lobster juice and melted butter, tossing the shells over the railing down to the pebbly beach below where they were quickly snatched up by an alert gull.”

He sat back with thoughts of his 90 minute city commute and guess what thought came to his head? “Now this is the way life should be!” The scene fast forwards to our New Jersey ad man moving to Portland Maine and the phrase is picked up and takes on a life of its own. I-95 road signs and LL Bean T-shirts, pretty powerful PR.

The man’s name is Michael Townsend and is currently VP of Creative Services for Perry & Banks Integrated Sales and Marketing. In Maine of course. He believes one of the reasons the state adopted the phrase; “…anyone can ascribe their own meaning to it.”

I so agree. Our current Maine innkeeper clients and friends have adopted Maine as home with the realization that life is a lot slower, the air more breathable and the nights more sleepable (I know that is not a word!) And most of all, people love visiting Maine. “33 million people visited Maine in 2015 and paid accommodations were up 8% over 2014.” Carolann Ouellette, Director of Maine Office of Tourism.

Take a look at our Maine Inns for sale and consider a trip to start your search for inns for sale in Maine. Ascribe your own meaning to ‘The Way Life Should Be.’ The B&B Team can help guide your way.

In conclusion. Picture this…after your fresh lobster you indulge in a slice of our famous Maine wild blueberry pie. Crisp crust filled with those tiny bursting buds, deep purple-blue juice mingling with slowly melting vanilla ice cream. The Way Dessert Should Be.

Thanks for Listening,

Janet Wolf

Tags: Dana Moos, Maine Inns for Sale, Rick Wolf, The B&B Team, The Way Life Should Be
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Vermont Culinary Trends-Old Meets New

August 18th, 2016 by Janet Wolf

Vermont culinary trends are experiencing a renaissance. Imaginative menus with food overflowing with flavor. Regional and seasonal from Vermont’s native bounty. Sophistication with a Vermont feel. Get the Picture?

Vermont Culinary Trends-The Old

Vermont has historically been known for its dairy farms. Large family owned farms raising cattle, pigs and sheep with a side of potatoes, eggs, maple syrup and apples. The staples of life! Over the years those farms have diminished but many still remain with 3^rd, 4^th generations of the original families. The cow is still king in Vermont. Think Ben & Jerrys.

In fact maybe ‘farm to table’ originated in Vermont. Farm families have always eaten ‘farm to table’, da. Today, the variety and quality of farm fresh food available to Vermont restaurants and country inns is tremendous and exciting. Exciting because some of the old family farms are thriving and new smaller specialty farms are popping up.

Historic Vermont Farm

Vermont Culinary Trends-The New

Wild Water Farm. They farm a variety of greens as well as baking fresh pitas in their wood fired pizza oven. They travel directly to farmers markets with their hot off the grill pitas, stuff them with fresh spicy greens and melted Vermont cheese. It’s what’s for lunch.

Ever heard of North Pomfret Vermont? Me neither. It is home to Cloudland Farm. One of those thriving family farms. The original 2,000 acre farm purchased by the Emmons family in 1908. Still owned by the same family with added venues to help them thrive in the changing economy. The new…Cloudland Farm Country Market, and a farm-to-table dining establishment added by the current Emmons family. You can take home what they grow and raise or indulge in an innovative farm to table dinner. Good stuff.

If you want to ‘go to town’ from North Pomfret you may want to take the road to Quechee. You’ve most likely heard of it? If not, you are about to.

On the banks of the Ottauquechee River is the village of Quechee. The village of Quechee is small but has a bustling energetic vibe. Maybe best known as the home of the Simon Pearce Glassblowing realm. Right next door you will find The Parker House Inn & Bistro. The Inn rules the street with its towering three story mansard roof building. A 1857 National Register Inn. But that is the only thing old about the Parker House.

The Parker House Inn & Bistro, Quechee Vermont

Owner/Chef Alexandra La Noue-Adler creates sophisticated full of flavor fare. The Lemongrass & Ginger Shrimp Tostada featured in the lead photo is one of Alex’s recent creations. Very imaginative menus using an abundance of regional and seasonal food. Her creations have been described as ‘colorful gutsy and original’. The Vermont culinary renaissance is alive and well at The Parker House Inn & Bistro.

Alex with her husband Adam have created imaginative décor as well. The dining rooms, bar and seven guest rooms offer rich colors with eye catching eclectic objects and local art. I have described it as ‘urban meets Vermont country’. The countryside views of the Green Mountains from the deck dining and some of the guest rooms are spectacular. River views, mountain views plus a side yard featuring gardens of flowers, vegetables and herbs. Beautiful!

The Parker House Inn & Bistro

The B&B Team is offering The Parker House Inn & Bistro for sale. Become the next steward of this wonderful food and lodging business. Become a participant in Vermont’s culinary renaissance, bringing your own vision and passions to The Parker House Inn.

Thanks for Listening,

Janet Wolf

Tags: Quechee Vermont, The B&B Team Inns for Sale, The Parker House Inn & Bistro, Vermont culinary
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B&Bs for Vets 2016-We Want You!

August 11th, 2016 by Janet Wolf

B&Bs across the country have been invited to participate in the B&Bs for Vets 2016 program. This year we are hoping that the B&Bs who participate will soar. The more that sign-up the more successful the program will be and…more veterans can participate in the program.

That’s what it’s all about so…We Want You!

Another reason for a large number of participants is PR. The basic definition of public relations is to ‘communicate with the public through media with the aim to create and maintain a positive image and create strong relationships with a wide audience.’

Marti Mayne of ‘Maynely Marketing’ is on the B&Bs for Vets committee (and has been for years). She is eager to get the word out to the media but we need numbers! The media is more apt to pick up a story that communicates to the public that bed and breakfasts across the country have united together as a group to honor our veterans.

Arizona Innkeepers come together

As I am writing this blog just over 50 B&Bs have signed up. It is early and more will sign up. Hope you are one of them.

B&Bs for Vets 2016 is coordinated and organized by the Association of Independent Hospitality Professionals (AIHP). There is ‘strength in numbers’, in an association and in a program like B&Bs for Vets. It is the only way to reach goals and be successful.

You are independent innkeepers! Each of your Inns and you as innkeepers are unique and different. That is part of your strength. But just think of the impact we can have on the public as united independent innkeepers. Sign up, even if you have already filled your designated room nights. It is the only way we can show our strength and commitment to the program.

Gillum House B&B WV- Vets enjoying breakfast. This is where it all began.

The B&Bs for Vets program was created seven years ago in West Virginia to honor our veterans on Veterans Day. By giving what innkeepers do best, providing outstanding hospitality (and breakfasts of course) to our veterans for one free night. Our way of saying ‘thank you’. Multiply that one free night by 900 or 9,000. Now that is what I call ‘strength in numbers’! And PR worthy.

For those Harry Potter fans, I will end with this quote.

“We are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided.”
― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Thanks for Listening,

Janet Wolf

Tags: AIHP, B&Bs for Vets 2016, Maynely Marketing, PR
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What’s New on Old Cape Cod?

August 1st, 2016 by Janet Wolf

Old Cape Cod Sunset

Old Cape Cod. Just say the name and most people will have an image that pops into their heads. Or it may be a song…

“If you’re fond of sand dunes and salty air

Quaint little villages here and there

You’re sure to fall in love with old Cape Cod”

These opening lyrics are from the classic 1957 song, ‘Old Cape Cod’. “Hailed by Cape Codders as the “unofficial Cape Cod anthem”. The song sung by Patti Page became a huge hit and has been credited with “putting the Cape on the map” and establishing Cape Cod as a major tourist destination. Thank you Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce for these informative bits of historic trivia.

Old Cape Cod-1957 Patti Page

The nostalgic charm of old Cape Cod still exists and I believe is its major draw. But what’s ‘new’ on old Cape Cod? I decided to find out.

Maybe relaxing on the beach beside those famous sand dunes is good for a day or two? But experiential tourism is huge today. Leave the beach chair in the trunk and explore. It could involve environmental, historical, artistic or food adventures. Here are a few I discovered.

The Cape Cod Art Association located in Barnstable has been offering art classes and exhibitions since its inception in 1948. Novice or experienced, I think taking an art class would be ‘experiential’ for sure.

Art Class-Discover your artist within!

Or, create your own Arts Trail with the ArtsApp Cape Cod. Choose the craftspeople, galleries and museums to visit based on your interests. A great app to discover theater and concert dates to book before your trip.

An example of a ‘must see’ is the Cape Playhouse. One of the very few remaining ‘summer stock’ theatres in the United States. This year celebrating its 90 birthday this summer. This iconic historical theatre is still going strong and revving up for another 90+ years.

Explore the natural side of Cape Cod in a kayak. Great Marsh Kayak Tours offer various 3 hour adventure tours. Learn about wildlife above and below the marshes. In addition learn some history from an experienced local guide.

Highland Hall & Gardens-Old Cape Cod Falmouth

Food, always a popular draw. The Farm to Table Series at Highland Hall & Gardens in Falmouth is holding demonstrations this summer with ‘flavors of Japan’. Learn tips and techniques along with lots of noshing.

Falmouth Village Cape Cod

Another lyrical line from Old Cape Cod. “If you spend an evening you’ll want to stay”. Where? The Palmer House Bed & Breakfast would be an excellent choice. Staying at a classic Cape Cod Bed & Breakfast rounds out a cape cod experiential vacation. Located in Falmouth, a prime destination village on Upper Cape Cod. Set in the Historic District on a quiet residential street within easy walking distance to the village. The Inn is open year round to take advantage of all the seasonal adventures. Yes, the cape is beautiful in winter too!

Front of the Palmer House Inn, Falmouth, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, USA.

The B&B Team is offering The Palmer House Bed & Breakfast for sale. The Palmer House is a prime example of a restored elegant cape building transformed into a bed and breakfast with today’s conveniences. The old and the new blend so well at The Palmer House.

For future innkeepers, your new life adventure and innkeeping career on Cape Cod could start here. ‘You’re sure to fall in love with old (and new) Cape Cod.’

Thanks for Listening,

Janet Wolf

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What is your Field of Dreams?

July 21st, 2016 by Janet Wolf

Field of Dreams Movie Site, Dyersville, Iowa

Last week Peter and Rick were visiting clients in Iowa and had some free time. Can you guess where they headed? Field of Dreams Movie Site in Dyersville, Iowa. This attraction is NOT a replica, it is the actual century old farm house and surrounding corn fields and ball field where the movie was filmed. Rick said the site is not commercialized. It is simple, serene and very green.

Why has Field of Dreams become a world wide iconic film? Why do 65,000 tourists drive down the long road to the movie site to visit every year? I believe it is the message the film gives us. We should listen to our ‘voice’ and pursue our dreams.

Rick Wolf at the Field of Dreams Movie Site

I started to think about this message and how it relates to the dream of starting a bed and breakfast.

In our ‘Better Way to Learn Innkeeing’ seminars we often use the most quoted line from the film to make a point. The first voice that Ray Kinsella hears in the corn field; “Build it and they (he) will come”. We tell our aspirers that it is a great line from a great movie but…reality check! You can build or purchase an established inn, but it doesn’t stop there! Guests will not just show up at your doorstep. After Ray built his baseball field the voice told him; “go the distance”.

This is what The B&B Team ‘voice’ says:

Never stop working on the following.

Operations
Marketing
Infrastructure

Go the distance and you will continually learn new and exciting ( yes, challenging too) ways to improve your business and reach your goal. Which is increased revenue and eventually, selling your inn. The outcome will be rewarding.

Another reward…Playing catch with your grand kids at the Field of Dreams Movie Site

From the brochure that Rick brought home, another line caught my attention.

When visiting Field of Dreams you have the opportunity to “get together with other people who have gone the distance and become acquainted.” Here is an analogy for you…attend the 2017 AIHP InnSpire Conference, Knowledge Sharing Summit on the Queen Mary in Long Beach, CA. Connect and learn from innkeepers and Allied Partners who are on the same path as you. Those who have gone the distance. Sound like a good plan?

“Some have called me a little piece of heaven on earth. I am a Field where reality mixes with fantasy, and dreams come true“. Ahh, wouldn’t you like to think that your guests say the same thing about your Inn?

Thanks for Listening,

Janet Wolf

Tags: AIHP InSpire Conference, Better Way to Learn Innkeeping, Field of Dream Movie Site, The B&B Team
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Old Orchard Beach Historic Inns

July 13th, 2016 by Janet Wolf

Old Orchard Beach-250 years of fun

Long before people went to the beach for recreation Native Americans populated beaches like Old Orchard Beach for reasons of sustenance. Tribes from Massachusetts, Maine, and Connecticut cooked clams and lobsters in sand pits as means of subsistence as far back as 2000 years ago. Early settlers observed these ocean-side feasts and created their version, the New England Clambake. In those bygone days the lobsters were so plentiful that one could fetch their lobster dinner from tidal pools with bare hands. Hope they were careful, no rubber bands on the claws I bet. Build a fire on the beach, gather some seaweed. Now that is a picnic!

Today folks gravitate to Old Orchard Beach and its 7 miles of wide sand beaches for recreation, a relaxing sun bath and a brisk swim or a barefoot shoreline stroll. For sustenance, a shore dinner is always available nearby (without sand). And after the sun sets and darkness ascends the shoreline, another kind of scene emerges. Fireworks and night baseball, concerts in the park and bonfires on the beach. And what would nightlife on the beach be without an amusement park. Viewing the miles of beach from a Ferris Wheel or speed it up on a roller coaster.

Old Orchard Beach Pier at Sunrise

Old Orchard Beach on the southern coast of Maine has a very famous PIER and amusement park that light the sky, and the beach day extends into more hours of fun. For over 250 years ‘the beach’, as it is called by the locals and generations of returning tourists, has been a summertime mecca for millions. From the early settlers who came to swim and picnic behind the large rock formations to today’s tourist that can enjoy everything this Maine seaside resort has to offer. It is said that it is ‘impossible not to have fun at O.O.B’.

Throughout Old Orchard Beach and its 250 years of history there are many ‘firsts’. Like the first Boarding House built in 1837 by E.C. Staples. He was convinced of Old Orchard Beach’s potential as a summer resort. Smart guy. It was originally a 1730 farmhouse that was converted by Mr. Staples and opened to travelers as Ye Olde Staples Inn when there were only 3 other buildings in Old Orchard Beach. In 2000 it was purchased and completely renovated and today stands proud as Maine’s first Inn, the Old Orchard Beach Inn. Authenticity is an important element in a bed and breakfast and the original beams and restored wide pine floors offer a warmth that many of the newer lodging establishments at the beach cannot duplicate. Location is also key and guests can walk to the beach and pier and restaurants, yet is set on a tree lined one acre corner lot. The 17 guests rooms offer lodging choices for families and couples. The town is planning on establishing an historic walking tour next year. The history walks will contain panels placed near landmarks with text and photos. The Old Orchard Beach Inn is on the list!

Old Orchard Beach Inn

At the turn of the last century, Old Orchard Beach was a well-established resort town. Summer cottages were built in the popular shingle Maine cottage style. In 1902 renowned architect John Calvin Stevens built a cottage for a family in Old Orchard Beach. It is now the Atlantic Birches Inn Bed and Breakfast, one of the many buildings in the re-vitalized Historic District. New Victorian lighting, wide brick tree-lined sidewalks and an outside dining courtyard complete with fountain in Town Square and a newly renovated Town Hall. This 10 guest room bed and breakfast is beautifully landscaped with a swimming pool and gazebo. The inside features architectural detailed woodwork that John Calvin Stevens was known for, gloriously restored. He was also known for his classic wrap around porches. Atlantic Birches Inn has a beauty!

Atlantic Birches Inn-Old Orchard Beach

The B&B Team offers these two Old Orchard Beach historic Inns for sale as beautiful examples of bed and breakfasts that have been lovingly restored and celebrate the rich history of their town. For future innkeepers who are seeking historic inns in a vibrant beach resort in Maine, it may be time to look at Old Orchard Beach.

Thanks for Listening,

Janet Wolf

Tags: historic inn, inns for sale, Old Orchard Beach, The B&B Team
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Investing In Your Inn

June 30th, 2016 by Janet Wolf

Federal House Inn in the Massachusetts Berkshires

Investing in your Inn is an ongoing process, one process that never should slow down or even worse, stop. The result of inactivity and lethargy will produce a whole bucket load of issues that will affect your property’s worth on the marketplace. Dire consequences? You bet!

This was the topic of the most recent webinar hosted by AIHP, Association of Independent Hospitality Professionals. The webinar titled, “Sprinting to the Finish” was conducted by White Stone Marketing with some input from innkeeping professionals, including The B&B Team’s Rick Wolf. A lot of good information was shared in the webinar that every innkeeper needs to hear. A recorded version will be available soon.

Here is a quote from a colleague’s formula in regard to investing in your Inn.

Deferred maintenance = hidden problems = buyers fear and doubt.

Which leads to another formula…

Tired + deferred maintenance = costly redo’s = lower offer!

Short and to the point! Copy and paste this. Read it daily. Let this become your mantra.

All of us at The B&B Team have seen both sides of the coin on this subject.

Innkeepers sprinting to the finish and receiving a fair market value for their property based on their ongoing marketing, steady business growth and their well cared for property.
Innkeepers putting their property on the market when they have moved way past burn out, never a good thing.

I want to showcase a recent success story. How new innkeepers Marcia and Ken, graduates of The B&B Team ‘Better Way to Learn Innkeeping’ Seminar, encountered some hidden problems after the purchase of their Inn and how they overcame them and moved forward and are already starting to see success. And in only 2 ½ months!

Picture this…washing machine dies in the first week. Plumber informs them that hook up was installed improperly and mold has built up as a result. He suggests all new plumbing, otherwise the problem will persist. Solution: Innkeepers moved the laundry room out of the dank dark basement to a first floor sun room. Bright and clean with garden views! Innkeeper’s quote “It was life changing.”

More problems emerged but all were overcome (yes a lot of stress along the way) but ‘positivity’ prevailed. After things settled down a bit, onto redecorating. The fun stuff! I will let these photos do the talking and let your imagination picture the before!

Elizabeth Campbell Photography-Invest in Good Photography!

Guest Room-Clean, fresh, a new beginning

Federal House Inn Makeover Elizabeth Campbell Photography

Yes, all guest rooms and common areas received a makeover. All done in record time to receive Beth Campbell on the scene for a photo shoot. Not many new innkeepers tackle this kind of fast track transformation. I believe Marcia and Ken needed to achieve this goal to show themselves that yes, after many setbacks and disappointments there is a bright future when ‘positivity’ and hard work prevail. (I can’t imagine the piles of stripped wallpaper).

And, some icing on the cake, a jump for the Federal House Inn on Trip Advisor from #6 to #2. Congratulations! When Rick and I visited Marcia and Ken (a surprise visit) we saw nothing but smiles and enthusiasm. Yes, ‘life changing’!

Thanks for Listening,

Janet Wolf

Tags: AIHP, Federal House Inn, The B&B Team, White Stone Marketing
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Ready to Sell Your Inn? Get All Your Ducks in a Row

Massachusetts Destination Inns for Sale

Carolina on Your Mind? North Carolina B&Bs for Sale

Inns for Sale in Maine-5 Reasons to Call The B&B Team

Vermont Culinary Trends-Old Meets New

B&Bs for Vets 2016-We Want You!

What’s New on Old Cape Cod?

What is your Field of Dreams?

Old Orchard Beach Historic Inns

Investing In Your Inn

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