Smart renting with more freedom: how BnB Verhuurcursus students save time and offer top guest service

What if real estate could help you build wealth and create freedom? That’s exactly what Priscilla and her husband Nikki are experiencing. Together, they founded BnB Verhuurcursus, a platform that has already helped over 2,000 people invest in and rent out vacation homes. But it all started with one property and a healthy dose of courage. Their story is what this article is all about.

A personal story to inspire you

Nikki worked in the military for years. During deployments, he rented out his own home — something he grew up with. “Renting was second nature to him,” says Priscilla. “His parents did it too, so it was kind of in his DNA.”

When they bought a house with a small summer cottage in the garden, things really took off. By renting out the cottage, they were able to live in the main house almost for free. Not long after, Nikki’s apartment was added to the mix. And when a friend asked for help renting out his place, they suddenly had a third property.

Requests kept coming. At the time, Priscilla still worked full-time at Basic Fit, but managing the rentals had become like a second job. “We were on vacation in Mallorca when we looked at each other and said: if we go full-time with this, what do we have to lose?” In 2018, they made the leap — quitting their jobs to focus entirely on vacation rental management.

A course built on real experience

What started with three homes has now grown into many more — plus a thriving community of thousands of enthusiastic hosts. For Priscilla and Nikki, it’s changed everything. They enjoy more freedom, travel regularly, and now use their course to help others create that same lifestyle.

When the pandemic hit in 2019, rentals came to a standstill. But instead of waiting it out, Priscilla and Nikki saw it as the perfect time to bundle their knowledge into something they could later share. The result? A comprehensive training program that covers everything — from buying a vacation rental to managing it effectively. Guest communication is a key part of the course, and that’s where Great Stay comes in. The platform helps hosts keep communication smooth, professional, and mostly automated.

Great Stay as part of the course

They quickly realized how time-consuming it was to answer the same guest questions over and over. “We started with a paper welcome book,” says Priscilla, “but let’s be honest — nobody reads those anymore. And guests don’t want to flip through something that’s been touched by everyone.”

So they went digital. First, they tried long emails, but that didn’t solve much. “We still got tons of questions. It wasn’t until we switched to a real web app, powered by Great Stay, that things changed. Suddenly, 80 to 90% fewer questions.”

Today, the Great Stay web app is a standard part of their course. Students learn how to use the app to share everything guests need to know — from WiFi passwords to flight times, local tips to check-in instructions. “We even have a place in Tenerife, where rules and customs are different. But the app works perfectly there too. It’s fully customizable, clear, and gives guests everything they need — right at their fingertips.”

The students love it. “During our workshops, they often take tons of photos to remember how it works,” says Priscilla. “Later they tell us how big of a difference it makes — everything looks professional, it’s well-organized, and it saves them so much time.”

The future is digital

According to Priscilla, digital tools are now essential for any vacation rental host. “Everything is automated these days. Smart locks, booking systems — and guest communication too. A good web app should be part of your setup.” What makes Great Stay stand out is that it brings all these tools together in one place: the app or web app. Nikki and Priscilla use the web app themselves.

Tips for new hosts

Thinking about starting your own vacation rental? Priscilla has one key piece of advice: “Don’t wait. You’ll learn along the way. Our course gives you all the tools you need — including the mistakes we already made so you don’t have to. And a guest app is truly a game-changer. Set it up once, and the (web)app handles the rest.”