You probably know that today, Cyber Monday, is the busiest day of the year for online retailers, but did you know that January 2 is the busiest day of the year for booking vacation lodging? So if you want to rent your dream vacation home for 2008, it’s a good idea to beat the rush and start planning ahead!

With an eye toward January 2, there are only 38 days left before everyone and their extended family is finding and booking their ideal vacation rental home for 2008. While everyone else is hitting the pre-holiday online sales, get in on a little known secret—if you’re good at planning ahead, your dream vacation home is just a click or two away. Just decide when, where and what vacation you want to take this coming year, and you’re well on your way! Planning ahead means you’ll have many more properties available from which to pick and choose.

To get started on the right foot, here are a few tips about how I end up with the right vacation rental home for us:

Tip 1: Make a ‘must have’ list of everyone’s needs/requirements

With small children, you might not want to travel with safety gates, a Pack ‘n Play or a high chair. Put it on the list. If you’re vacationing with a pet, you’ll need lodging that accommodates the dog or cat, too. Can’t imagine vacationing without a pool, hot tub or internet access? Add it to your ‘must have’ list, and don’t forget to combine your list with the ‘must haves’ of others vacationing with you. Aim high because your vacation home can be as nice as your dream home if you start planning early.

Tip 2: Research online

Property manager sites and vacation rental search site PickPackGo showcase all of their properties online. This is a great place for you to compare your ‘must have’ list with what is offered in individual homes, condos and villas. Read the descriptions and view the photos closely. They’ll tell you a lot.

Tip 3: Make several inquiries

Even if your heart is set on one particular place, ask or inquire via email about a few different properties. This will help you to evaluate (and compare) the responses to your questions, and provide a chance for you to ask about more specific needs. You can learn a lot about property managers’ or owners’ responsiveness, as well as their knowledge of the properties and area through inquiries. They should be willing to take the time to answer your questions and concerns, and if they don’t, it may be time to move on to your next choice.

Tip 4: Read the fine print

Make sure to review a copy of the rental agreement in advance of booking your reservation. It may include policies about deposits, payments, check-in/out procedures and requirements the property management companies or owners have about the rental.

Tip 5: Book early!

Historically, January 2 is the busiest booking day of the year for vacation rental homes. Looking and booking early can guarantee you get the property you really want. Truthfully, waiting until the last minute and hoping for a ‘special’ won’t help much, unless its off-season. Some owners would rather not rent their homes than get a price below what they are asking during high season. So waiting is not to your advantage. If you have an idea about when you want to travel and where, it pays to book a rental early.

So after you shop for that new camera online today, take a minute to start looking for your dream vacation home for ‘08, too. January 2 is coming soon!