WILDWOOD CREST, N.J. — There it was, in plain view. A montage of skull-and-crossbones pictures and plaques covered much of the living room's walls. It kept me from focusing on the super-sized deck with the sweeping water views.

It was the first time I was looking to rent a vacation home, but that experience taught me some important lessons about how to size up where I could be spending my time off. Topping that list: Less stuff is more happiness in a rental home.

Renting a house or a condo has become a popular alternative to hotels for many vacationers. But whether you're renting a houseboat in the Lake Mead area outside of Las Vegas or a ski home in Colorado's Rocky Mountains, you have to be comfortable with what you are getting. When rental homes are dirty, cramped or dark, the vacation time there might not what you envisioned it to be.

That's why my visit to the house in the New Jersey beach town of Harvey Cedars on Long Beach Island a few years back was such a crucial learning experience. At the time, the rental agent's Web site was very limited, and she only could provide us with a picture of the outside of the home and a brief description of its amenities.

But my friends and I were sold — at least we thought we were. The idea of being right on the bay, with a wraparound deck, four bedrooms and ocean views made this property seem like the perfect choice for a week away.

When we went to check it out in the off-season — a luxury that most vacation renters don't have, since their destinations often are far away from home — it was nothing like we expected it to be. The skull and crossbones were certainly the deal-breaker, but there were other problems as well: The house was right off a main road, the bedrooms were tiny and the decor was dingy at best.

I've smartened up since that initial home-renting foray. And thanks to the growing use of the Internet in the home-rental business, so can most vacationers. The power of the Web is increasing the pressure on homeowners and retail agents to detail what they offer through pictures, and that, in turn, gives potential renters a good look at what they could be getting.

In fact, rental agents say if not enough photos are provided — they say at least eight to 10 shots should give a good view of the house inside and out — the renters shouldn't even consider going to that property.

'YOU CAN'T HIDE THINGS'

In Lake Tahoe, Nev., Boyd Golden of Goldfish Properties added a virtual tour to his site a year ago, which now lets renters really see a 360-degree view of his roster of rental homes. Potential renters can see what the view from the deck looks like or if the kitchen is laid out to their liking.

"We know that you can't hide things. We want people to know exactly what they are getting, and let them choose if they like it or not," Golden said.

You can find a multitude of listings for all types of destinations at Web sites like www.vrbo.com (Vacation Rentals By Owner) and www.vacationrentals.com.

Still, most renters could use some guidance in what to look for. Here are some tips: