can you help me with the simplest way to create booking calendars for vacation homes? I want to be able to have the customer fill in the calender, get rates while they are filling in the calendar and then have that information update the website and send an email to the administrator. What would be your suggestion for something like that? There are many pre packaged software out there but I think with the right tools, I could create one myself.

Any advice would be wonderful.

Thank you,
Tom Heylmun

I held back to see if anyone else would comment.
What you want requires a database, knowledge of php and its interaction with clients. I would suggest that you consider software that has been designed for the purpose. Where WFB comes into its own is in answering questions from potential clients.

It could be used for what you want but would require the skills to set up the logic required. To start you could accept enquiries via WFB and handle the transactions manually even updating a booking calender. The system could be added to once in operation. The web site itself can do some of the logic for you, like a page gives a choice of homes, the choice displays that home and its current occupancy showing available dates with rates, a contact form allowing booking request for a certain period.

You would still have to accept the booking and deposit and then adjust the calender to reflect the new booking. Any system is just a collection of steps and actions. Get those right and automation becomes a lot easier.

Take a look at www.phpjabbers.com They do exactly what you're looking for at $49.