Has anyone added a Pickleball Court to their listing? If so, how has it affected your occupancy and pricing?

[Allen269]

Hey All,

I'm considering building a pickleball court at my property in Austin. The price is quite absurd, $50k + for excavation (the area is on an incline and needs to be leveled), concrete, court, net, fencing, lighting etc so I'm curious if anyone has taken this on and seen good results with price per night and occupancy rates? I'm pretty booked solid but have lost ground to my competitors in the last year, with last December & January being my slowest months to date. I want to make sure my place is booked solid every weekend. Thanks.  

[Pat271]

@Allen269  My completely non-expert opinion is that a pickleball court would be fabulous! It is just the kind of unique feature that would distinguish you from other listings right now in over-saturated Austin.

A pickleball court would also attract the more responsible and “mature” guest, IMO. Pickleball is all the rage right now in that age group!

You might also want to look up “pickleball” in the search fields of the various booking platforms, and contact those hosts to pick their brains regarding maintenance and overall booking effectiveness they experienced after adding their court.

[Helen3]

What does your market research show you is the additional rates you could charge ? 

how do you know this is an amenity your guests would value 

how long do you estimate it would take you to repay the costs from your additional profits @Allen269 

[Bob297]

@Allen269 

I would only make the investment when you enjoy playing it yourself. Given the investment and maintenance, I don't think you should count on a reasonable return.
It will not be a significant search criterion for most guests.

[Bhumika]

Hi @Allen269 ,

Our lovely members have shared some really diverse insights about building a pickleball court at your property! 

Did you eventually go with the suggestions of our members or are still reconsidering to create this amenity?

[Olivia847]

I don't have access to real-time data or individual experiences, but I can provide some general insights on the potential impact of adding a pickleball court to a property listing based on information available up until September 2021.

Adding a pickleball court to your property can potentially have a positive impact on occupancy and pricing, but the extent of this impact can vary depending on several factors:

1. **Location**: The popularity of pickleball varies by region. In areas where pickleball is already popular and actively played, having a court can be a significant draw for potential guests.

2. **Target Audience**: If your property attracts guests who are interested in active and outdoor activities, having a pickleball court can be a major selling point.

3. **Competition**: If there are few properties in your area that offer pickleball courts, your property might stand out and attract more guests. On the other hand, if many properties offer this amenity, the impact might be less pronounced.

4. **Marketing and Visibility**: Highlighting the pickleball court in your property's marketing materials and online listings can help draw attention to this unique feature.

5. **Seasonality**: The impact might vary seasonally. For example, if your property is in a destination that experiences high tourist traffic during certain times of the year, having a pickleball court might attract more guests during those periods.

6. **Property Type**: The impact might differ between vacation rentals, resorts, and other types of accommodations. Resorts and vacation rental properties with recreational amenities tend to see stronger interest from travelers seeking a more active experience.

7. **Guest Reviews**: Positive guest reviews related to the pickleball court can further enhance your property's reputation and attract more bookings.

8. **Pricing**: Properties with unique amenities like pickleball courts can often command higher prices compared to similar properties without such amenities. However, the pricing increase should be reasonable and in line with the value guests perceive in having access to the court.

Remember that while adding a pickleball court can have positive effects on occupancy and pricing, it also comes with initial investment costs for construction and maintenance. Conducting market research specific to your location and property type, as well as considering feedback from guests, can provide valuable insights into whether adding a pickleball court is a viable option for your property. Always make sure to consider the preferences and needs of your target guest demographic when making such decisions.

[Preston-And-Sandie0]

@Allen269 I am thinking about the same thing. I have a property in Tyler Texas that would be perfect for it. My question is, how would people search for it. I guess you can put pickleball in your title, but it would still be hard for people to find you in my opinion. What do you think about that?

[Allen269]

@Preston-And-Sandie0 My strategy would be to feature the pickleball court in the primary photo and give the property a quirky name like, Pickleball Palace, Pickle Manor, etc 

Unfortunately for me, the area I can utilize is on a substantial slope, so pulling it off was going to cost a fortune with retaining walls, leveling etc. Several bids around $50k 😕 

I'm putting on the backburner for now, but hope you can do it!

[Tamar879]

Building two courts now. I will let you know.

[Mary1523]

Hi @Allen269, Awesome property!

I was curious because I had been thinking of a tennis court one day. Not so high demand as pickleball but still significant investment.

I was of the thought, its a nice to have, not justified the return, but would do it because I like it, not because it would get me enough bookings to cover the cost.

I notice you took the plunge and your court will be ready June. Have you seen an increase in bookings or queries?

I know the differentiation problem well. Started to notice a drop off in bookings. Got a new competitor down the road that undercut everyone in the area by $100/night for a nicer offering yikes.  So I decided to look at who my target market is and really just focus on that. He isn't really aiming at that. So I'm refining my property (low cost improvements) to meet their needs and I think its already working. . So I would be super curious on whether big investments pay off..

Thanks so much!

Mary

[Allen269]

Hi Mary, yes i decided to move forward with the pickleball court to increase occupancy during my slow months (Dec-Jan) and hopefully increase daily rate. Unfortunately my summer is the slowest it's been in 5 years and the last minute pickleball addition to the listing has only secured a couple new bookings. Most my travelers book several months in advance so I'll update things here once I start to see a pick up and I get professional photos of the new transformed space. I'm booked for the fall already so I won't be able to identify significant changes until the winter most likely. 

[Adam2294]

How'd it turn out later on?  Very curious!