(MONEY Magazine) – It's not as if you can test-drive a vacation home before you rent it. So when you rent, you often feel that you could've gotten more for your money. Or maybe you wish you'd known about the house next door: It's bigger, has a better deck (with a barbecue) and comes with beach passes. Better luck next time? No, better luck this time. With these tips, you can snag the vacation rental of your dreams.

NETWORK. Your best bet is a personal recommendation, so hit up all of your friends, family and colleagues. "At least that way you know it's legitimate," says rental agent Judy Cuthbertson, co-owner of Tahoe Management in Lake Tahoe, Nev. The earlier you start networking, the better: Good rentals for the summer season tend to go by April.

GET ONLINE. Pictures of homes (inside and out) aren't the only leg up in your search that you can get online. Ask an agent for street addresses and go to www.mapquest.com to find out just how close (or far) it is to the beach. Many rental-home websites have virtual guest books too; read the comments--use them as a review of sorts--and e-mail guests if possible.

ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS. Cable TV, air conditioning, linens, towels, and pots and pans are just a start. Has the rental agent actually been inside the house? (If not, move on to someone who has.) Is the "water view" through a picture window or at the end of the street? How many steps is it from that "beachfront" cottage to the water? And is the beach sandy? Rocky? The house sleeps six--all in double beds, or are sofas involved? "Don't assume anything," says Clark Thompson of EscapeHomes.com.

BE REALISTIC. If a price looks too good to be true, it probably is. And don't expect too much negotiating room this year. Most of the agents we surveyed expect demand (and prices) to be as high as or higher than last year. --MEGAN JOHNSTON AND AMY WILSON