Vacation rental website hits listings milestone

HomeAway seeks to provide a variety of vacation rental options to travelers, and now the company has hit a landmark moment in its history. In June the Austin-based website announced it reached 1 million worldwide listings.

The milestone was not something company founders said they envisioned when HomeAway started nearly 10 years ago, but it soon became an achievable feat, Senior Vice President Jon Gray said.

"It was a goal we set out for recently," Gray said. "We started targeting it and aligning the teams around working to deliver it."

HomeAway connects travelers with individuals interested in renting out their home or condo unit.

"We offer an amazing selection of properties," Gray said. "They have the amenities of being at home that you wouldn't get in a hotel room."

The travelers are not the only ones to benefit from the service. Property owners can also use HomeAway as a source of income. The average homeowner makes about $20,000 for renting his or her property for 18 weeks a year, Gray said.

The company has grown vastly in recent years and now employs 887 employees in its Austin offices.

Austin homeowners are also making extra cash using HomeAway, Gray said, with more than 1,100 listings in the city.

"Austin is now the No. 8 market in traveler demand," he said. "A number of things have changed. First and foremost, there's a lot more festivals than there used to be."

As HomeAway gears up for its 10th anniversary in February, the goal is to keep growing, Gray said.

"As soon as we hit 1 million listings, we set out to get 2 million listings," he said.

HomeAway, 1011 W. Fifth St., Ste. 300, 512-684-1100, www.homeaway.com