04/29/2026
The History of VRBO & what it’s present state means to you.
Thanks for visiting our page for our condo here on Navarre Beach.
We call it “Against The Wind” and it’s a beautiful 3BR 3Bath Oceanfront condo overlooking the Gulf of Mexico, in the beautiful Beach Colony Resort.
I’ve been renting oceanfront condos on Navarre Beach since 2003. Lots has changed in those 23 years. The business you know as VRBO has indeed changed a great deal, especially from the guests’ point of view. Here’s a short history and why it may matter to you.
The Beginning (1995)
• VRBO was founded in 1995 by David and Lynn Clouse in Aurora, Colorado, starting as a small website designed to rent their own Breckenridge ski condo. specific reason: he wanted to rent out his condo at the Breckenridge ski resort without paying high management fees. At the time, the site was basically an online bulletin board.
• There were no online bookings or credit card payments; you looked at a photo, called the owner, and mailed them a paper check.
• It pioneered the online vacation rental industry by connecting property owners directly with travelers, allowing them to bypass traditional rental agencies. A great idea for the start of the internet age.
The Acquisition (2006):
• A startup called HomeAway—backed by massive venture capital—bought VRBO. While VRBO was the pioneer, HomeAway became the "parent" company that began snapping up similar sites globally (like VacationRentals.com and NavarreBeach.com, etc).
• HomeAway acquired VRBO for $160 million, allowing it to scale rapidly while maintaining its focus on owner-managed listings.
• Under HomeAway, VRBO started moving away from the "classified ad" style and began introducing online payments and better search filters.
The Expedia Era (2015–2019)
• The $3.9 Billion Buyout: In 2015, travel giant Expedia Group acquired HomeAway and VRBO. This moved VRBO into the big leagues, integrating its listings into a massive network alongside sites like Orbitz and Hotels.com.
• The Fee Shift (2016): To compete with Airbnb’s revenue model, VRBO introduced a service fee for travelers. This was a controversial move, as the site had previously been "free" for travelers, with owners footing the entire bill.
• 2019: Rebranding to Vrbo
The brand formally changed its name from the all-caps "VRBO" to "Vrbo,".
• 2026: Continued Growth
As of April 2026, Vrbo continues to focus on whole-home rentals, providing 24/7 support and operating within the Expedia Group portfolio, competing with platforms like Airbnb.
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What does all this mean to the traveler?
If one does a cursory search online you find these “advantages” for booking your vacation rental with VRBO.
• For a traveler who has never rented from an owner before, VRBO does offer protection and safety. Their “Book with Confidence” guarantee provides secure payment, protection against fraud and assistance if a host cancels last minute.
• Hundreds of listings in most local areas giving the traveler lots of choices.
• Less expensive than a hotel especially for larger groups or families needing multiple bedrooms and amenities like full kitchens.
• Whole home focus.
• Reliable guest support. Access to 24/7 customer service through the app to help resolve issues during your stay.
The first is the reason why I still give our guests a choice to book through VRBO. It’s easier on them. Saves them time from doing research on me. However, understand, LOTS and LOTS of people over the past, say 6 years, are NOT using VRBO as they are tired of the booking fees. (See below for an example.). They may research a vacation spot on VRBO first but then try to use a “no fee” site to do the actual booking with the owner. Or book direct with the owner by using a page or word of mouth, etc.
Once a guest has stayed with us, they NEVER go back and book our unit through the VRBO website again. In fact, as I sit here in April and am mostly booked now through October 2026 and the first 3 ½ months of 2027, I have only 4 bookings through VRBO.
On my Facebook site, I show potential guests our VRBO site AND a no fee site we use called: www.floridarentals.com. The “no fee” site does not charge a guest a booking fee. Just like the original VRBO of 1995, you contact the owner directly for your booking saving all the fees.
Here’s an example of a 7 night, 2026 summer booking at our place: (3BR 3Bath Oceanfront on Navarre Beach Fl.) (Spring and Fall rates are lower.)
Direct Booking VRBO Booking
3465.00 7 night rental 3465.00
200.00 cleaning fee 200.00
415.00 State/County Taxes 415.00
4080.00 Total 120.00 VRBO CC fee
430.00 VRBO Booking Fee
4630.00 Total
Is the extra $550.00 worth it to you? You be the judge. Everyone is different.
