How to be a host for airbnb

How to Become an Airbnb Host

When a vacation rental owner becomes an Airbnb host, it means they are able to expose their rental property to an even larger travel audience. Whether you’re looking to be an Airbnb host full-time or want to generate extra income on the side, you’ll find that the process is simple and easy to follow.В

In this chapter, we’ll go over the different hosting options available on Airbnb, host requirements, and some tips to get you started!

Disclaimer: Lodgify is an Airbnb Preferred Software Partner. This guide, including any claims or statements within, is solely from Lodgify and is not endorsed by, directly affiliated with, authorized, or sponsored by Airbnb in any way.

If you’re a Lodgify customer and want to connect via API with Airbnb, please get in touch with our customer support team. For more information: Connect Lodgify to Airbnb

Different Hosting Options

Airbnb offers three different types of options for those who wish to become a host. In fact, you don’t even have to be the actual property owner to take advantage of some of them. Even if you just have a spare room in your house, you may want to consider renting it out.

Renting Your Space on Airbnb

If you have a rental property that you would like to list for guests using the platform, then you need to begin by registering with the site. Once that is done, you can then log in and begin to create your listing. Your listing is the presentation of your rental property and what it has to offer. It will consist of images that you can easily upload and a full exciting (but honest) description of the property.

As a host, you will have to set the house rules for your guests and determine during what periods the property is available for booking. Hosting on the site is easy, as the platform contains all types of tools to assist owners from start to finish. Both guests and hosts have the opportunity to leave reviews, which gives even greater exposure to your rental.

Becoming a Co-Host

Not everyone has a property that would allow them to become an Airbnb host. In this case, it is possible to become a co-host. What this means is that people who are interested in renting can offer co-hosting services for those who do own vacation rentals in their area.В

There are many different ways a co-host can get involved. These individuals can take responsibilities such as screening guests and answering guest queries. They can also have a hands-on approach by getting the property ready for renting. An agreement is made between the host and co-host for payments and then Airbnb makes sure that the co-host gets paid.

If, as a travel property owner, you don’t have this extra time to commit to your responsibilities as a host, then a co-host would definitely be a big help. Here’s how to add up to three co-hosts to your Airbnb listing:

Hosting an Experience

If you want to become more interactive as a host, you also now have the opportunity to host an experience. This is where you get to plan an event for guests that are renting a vacation property in your area. To take advantage of this, you need to plan the experience you want to offer and submit it to Airbnb.В

Airbnb Host Requirements

While almost anyone can become an Airbnb host, there are still a series of requirements and expectations that should be followed to maintain a high standard.В

According to Airbnb, the basic requirements to become a host are the following:В

Respond to inquiries

Airbnb values hosts who are responsive, attentive, and considerate. Hosts should therefore maintain a high response rate and reply to reservation requests and booking inquiries within 24 hours.В

Accept requests

If your calendar is free, Airbnb expects you to accept most of the requests that you receive. That said, it’s crucial to keep your calendar updated if you know you won’t be able to host on specific dates. If you need to block time off during your holidays or simply need more time between bookings, make sure to do so to avoid aggravated guests.В

Avoid cancellations

Airbnb penalizes hosts that cancel confirmed bookings. However, there are exceptions in which a host can cancel (like a pandemic!).В

Maintain a high overall rating

Airbnb also evaluates hosts by their overall rating, which is the average review score from all the guests that they have hosted.В

How Old Do You Have to Be to Host on Airbnb?

What You Should Do Before Joining Airbnb

So you are thinking about listing your property on Airbnb – but where do you really begin? Here are some Airbnb host tips to get your business up and running in no time.В

Before adding anything to your Airbnb profile or listing, you need to think about your market and how you’re going to stand out from the crowd.

Do you already own a property or room that can be rented out to guests? If so, ask yourself the following questions:

There are three essential things you should always do before starting any kind of business with Airbnb:

Know Your Competition

Identify your competitors and spend some time doing research to learn what they do well. You can do this directly on Airbnb by searching for properties with similar characteristics in your area. Using filters, you can narrow properties down to the same number of bedrooms, bathrooms, similar kitchen facilities, and other amenities like pools or gardens.

Once you’ve found a variety of competitors, take a look at their photos, furniture, and reviews. Learn what guests love or hate about them, and find out why! By taking a look at what other hosts do well, you can inspire yourself and get some ideas for your own Airbnb listing.

Know Your Target Audience

When you start anything related to your vacation rental business, always bear in mind your target audience. Identify your ideal guests and base all your property marketing strategies around them:

Know Your Location

If you’re not sure who your target market might be, the main factors that can help you identify it are your property’s location and your rental itself. Your vacation rental neighborhood will have a lot of say in the type of visitors it attracts.

Most of the time, travelers – whether business or leisure – have a reason for wanting to stay in a certain area. That might be because of a famous landmark, a tourist attraction, or even an event taking place nearby.

Think about the following for your vacation rental’s location:

Know Your Property

When you’ve defined the types of people that live in your area and the travelers that will be attracted to your neighborhood, you can deduce potential guests by thinking about your property specifically.

Once you’ve answered these questions about your property and location, you’ll be able to start thinking more in detail about the target market you’ve identified. That’s not to say you’ll only attract these types of guests, but they’ll probably make up the larger part of your yearly bookings.

How to List Your Property on Airbnb

Whether you’re listing a house or just a room in your apartment, the first thing you have to do before creating a listing on Airbnb is to sign up to the platform for free.В

How to List a House on Airbnb

It may seem intimidating but listing a house on Airbnb is actually just as simple as any other property type. You can follow the same steps mentioned above and have it ready in no time.В Be sure to highlight all the amenities available, like a garden or pool.В

You also have the option to rent out a room or a shared room in your house. If renting out multiple rooms with different prices, you’ll have to upload each as its separate listing.В

10 tips how to set up your Airbnb host account

Setting up your Airbnb host listings and account might seem like the simplest task in the world. But if you want to enjoy maximum visibility and achieve Superhost status, you’ll need to go beyond completing the basics.

Why advertise your vacation rental on Airbnb?

With just under 13 million listings, 150 million users and 356.9 million nights booked during 2021, Airbnb is the global leader for travel rentals.

Statistics show that it’s captured around 20% of the global market. With this level of global reach, listing on Airbnb is an essential part of your vacation rental booking strategy when starting out in the business.

Airbnb’s main competitors in the vacation rental space are VRBO, Booking.com and TripAdvisor Rentals, and although Airbnb is the market leader, we don’t recommend that you rely on one source for guest bookings, instead, you should adopt a multi-channel strategy to maximise visibility and achieve a healthy level of bookings.

For this article, we’re covering tips on how to set up your Airbnb host account. We’ll look at the other OTA (online travel agent) listing accounts in our next articles.

How to become an Airbnb host

It’s completely free to set up your account on Airbnb but you will be charged a service fee for every booking and your guest will also have to pay a fee for booking your accommodation on Airbnb. We’ll cover costs and services fees in the ‘Setting your Airbnb Rates’ section below.

To set up a personal host account on Airbnb visit their Hosts page and click on the ‘Try Hosting’ button.

Before you start

Before you get started take a minute to think about your vacation rental strategy.

Is Airbnb the only Online Travel Agency (OTA) you plan to use or are you considering a multiple channel strategy?

If multiple channels are your choice, you might consider a channel manager to help with the management. With Your.Rentals you can register in one place for free and link to 30+ major channels.

One Account = Multiple Channel Access!

Getting started with your Airbnb host account

There are 10 steps to setting up a complete Airbnb host account and it will take you around 30 minutes to complete the process. Here are our Airbnb host tips on how to set up your account and listings.

Click on Start a New Listing. You’ll have the opportunity here to watch a quick video introduction with Superhosts.

Step One: Type of Accommodation

Click ‘Let’s Go’ and the first detail you’ll need to input is the type of accommodation, choose from:

Once you have chosen your top-level accommodation type, press Next and you’ll be asked to define the accommodation further.

Example: you might specify ‘House’, but is it a residential house, a villa, a cabin, or a cottage?

There are lots of options to choose from under each ‘type’ which helps the guest understand exactly what your accommodation offers.

Step Two: What space will guests have?

The next question to answer is what space will you offer your guests?

If you have multiple shared or private rooms, you should create an individual listing for each room, which will have its own separate calendar.

Step Three: Adding your address to your Airbnb host account

When it comes to adding your Airbnb address you can choose to add it manually or use the: My Current Location option. For this, you will need to give Airbnb access to your computer’s location and you may be asked to update your computer’s preferences to allow this.

You will also have the option to show your approximate or exact location on a map. But your address is never publicly shared.

Verify the location on the map. You can move the pin around to set the location and click on the next step.

Step Four: Guests & Amenities

The next step is to input the number of guests, beds, bedrooms and bathrooms.

And then select the amenities you offer to guests. These are broken down into three categories:

Standout amenities: those which grab the guest’s attention, such as a swimming pool, fire pit or hot tub.

Guest favourites: those essentials that help guests to make a booking decision based on their needs or type of stays, such as Wifi, free parking, or dedicated workspace.

Safety items: essential safety equipment that will give the guest peace of mind, such as a smoke alarm, first-aid kit, or fire extinguisher. It’s advisable to check in your region if these safety elements are essential equipment if you want to rent out your home to travellers.

Top Tip: Safety equipment additions help your listing stand out in search results.

Step Five: Adding photos to your Airbnb host account

You can add as many photos as you wish to showcase your accommodation. Airbnb says the average number is eight, but they recommend publishing around 20 photos. The more photos you add to your Airbnb listing the better.to tell your story.

You can drag and drop your photos around once they are uploaded, so they run in a sensible sequence.

Profile photo: Your profile photo is your star photo, the image that will be seen in search results and as the lead photo on your listing page, so it needs to be the best you have.

Tips for taking the best Airbnb rental property photography

Step Six: Create your Airbnb title

Your profile photos and title are two of the most important elements of your Airbnb listing. These are what will ultimately make your listing stand out in search results.

Your Airbnb title should be a maximum of 50 characters and incorporate all the most important facts to grab the attention of your ideal guests, such as:

Here you are telling your guests where it is, how many bedrooms, and two USPs – beachside and pool.

It’s quite a tight squeeze to fit in the top elements of your accommodation into 50 characters, so you might have to play around a bit to make it work.

Step Seven: Writing the description for your Airbnb listing

Next, you will start to build a picture around the accommodation by adding two highlight words that summarise the experience.

You can choose from peaceful, family-friendly, central, unique, stylish and spacious.

Next, you will write the description using a maximum of 500 characters.

Don’t forget to include:

Read our article How to write a vacation rental description for more tips and inspiration on creating your Airbnb listing.

Step Eight: Setting your Airbnb rates

It’s essential to do an investigation into competitor rates before you start preparing your Airbnb listing. Of course, the quality of your accommodation and location will determine how much you can charge, but try to set rates that are much lower or much higher than your competition.

Check out what amenities and special features your competitors offer, how many beds to guests ratio, and what prices are being set through different seasons and peak periods.

When you reach the section to set your Airbnb rates, the system will give you example rates based on your location and accommodation type/size.

You will also be given the option to offer a 20% discount to your first three guests to kickstart bookings.

You’ll be able to fine-tune your nightly rates, adding seasonal rates, once you have completed the set-up.

Airbnb Host Fees

Airbnb charges a service fee on every booking received.

There are two different structures to choose from:

As a host, you pay 3% (nightly rate + cleaning fee).

The guest fees vary depending on different factors but are generally under 14.2% of the booking subtotal (nightly rate + cleaning fee).

Fees can vary depending on your location, cancellation policy and host status.

Step Nine: Finishing off your Airbnb listing

Finally, you will be asked to confirm whether you are hosting as:

And whether you have the following items:

Security cameras: hosts must confirm if security cameras or recording devices are installed on-site and cameras and recording devices are prohibited in the bedroom and bathroom spaces.

Weapons: You must disclose if you have weapons on-site and confirm they are secure and locked away from guests.

Dangerous animals: Any potentially dangerous animals on-site should be disclosed prior to booking and locked away during the guest’s stay.

Step 10: Review your listing

Finally, it’s time to review your listing. Make sure you read through everything carefully and all details are correct.

Of course, you can go back and edit the title, photos and description at any time, but any mistakes when you launch the listing could mean losing your first guest bookings.

If everything is correct press save and you will be ready to start receiving enquiries!

At this point, Airbnb will give you the option to review your price settings, adding seasonal prices to your listing.

If your location requires you to register with the local government, you will also be asked to do this and include your licence number before your listing is published.

Once you have set up your listing, you’ll find some great hosting resources and articles to help you work out the finer details of your guest experience, such as which cancellation policy to include, cleaning and check-in protocol and tips for welcoming different guest types, such as families, pet and business travellers.

Airbnb Instant Booking option

The Airbnb Instant Booking option is automatically switched on when you set up your listing. If you do not wish to accept instant bookings, then you can switch this off in the Menu section under listings.

If setting up your Airbnb listing sounds daunting, you can chat with a Superhost during the process or jump over to the Airbnb Hosts Forum for advice from other hosts.

How to Make Money as an Airbnb Host

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Renting out space in your home can be a fun and lucrative gig. Hosting can help you pay off debt, save for that awesome vacation you’ve always wanted, or even provide a full-time income. Learn how to be an Airbnb host here.

Our number one goal at DollarSprout is to help readers improve their financial lives, and we regularly partner with companies that share that same vision. If a purchase or signup is made through one of our Partners’ links, we may receive compensation for the referral. Learn more here.

In either case, your curiosity is peeked and you can’t help but wonder, could you too make money as an Airbnb host?

Well, as luck would have it, the vast majority of you can.

Be it listing a single bedroom in your home, or putting the whole house up for grabs while you’re out of town, the short-term rental market has quickly become an affordable alternative to more traditional lodging choices (like costly hotels).

A relatively passive earnings opportunity, Airbnb provides a platform for you to make money from unused living spaces.

Money that can help you pay off debt, go toward a vacation, or even replace your current full-time income.

Whatever your reason for wanting to get started, our comprehensive Airbnb hosting guide will introduce you to the necessary rules and requirements for listing with Airbnb, and lays out helpful tips for maximizing your earnings.

Things to Consider Before Getting Started

Before you jump all-in and decide to become an Airbnb host, it’s important to look at the short-term rental regulations in your area, and familiarize yourself with any local laws that may require certain protections for you and your guests.

1. Check the local laws

If you really want to do things by the book, the first thing you should do is check the local laws on short-term rentals in your area.

Some cities may require you to obtain a business license or special permit.

2. Decide how much money you want to make with Airbnb

Ah, the fun part.

Why do you want to host with Airbnb? What is your goal?

Do you want to make enough money to cover your rent or mortgage, or are you just looking for a little extra spending money? Maybe you’re saving for a vacation, paying off debt, or just need some extra cash on the side to supplement your muffin and coffee addiction.

3. See what other local listings are priced at

Learning how to be a great Airbnb host is a little like learning how to run a business. And just like with any business, you should do a little research up front.

Take a look around the Airbnb website to check the going rate for similar rentals in your area (i.e. same number of bathrooms, bedrooms, location, etc.). Determine the average prices for weekdays and weekends.

Source: Airbnb

The nice thing about Airbnb is that you have the full freedom to choose when you rent out your space, and there’s no long-term commitment. Start by renting your place out just one time to get your feet wet.

Once you have a feel for how much you can expect to earn per rental, you can calculate how many nights per month you’ll need to make your place available to meet the income goal you set in Step 2.

4. Talk to your landlord

If you don’t own the place where you live, then you’ll need to ask your landlord’s permission before profiting from having strangers stay at your place. You’re more likely to get the okay if you rent from an individual rather than a large apartment complex.

Most leasing companies will not allow short-term rentals.

Furthermore, you’ll want to be prepared before you speak with whoever it is you need to get permission from. Make sure you’ve done your research, and be sure to convey to your landlord what’s in it for them.

Will you split the profit? Will the split be even or skewed?

Have some projections drawn up and be ready to discuss how much you think you can both realistically make. Your landlord is much more likely to agree if you can convince them the benefits are worth the risk.

5. Talk to your neighbors

Ultimately, your neighbors don’t really have a say in the matter if you own your own house (unless you’re part of an HOA, in which case you’ll definitely need to check the HOA rules and chat with your neighbors).

Either way, you can avoid a great deal of frustration by being up front with them about your plans.

Neighbors can put a stop to your dreams of hosting with Airbnb quickly if you or your guests behave disrespectfully. Better to get it out of the way up front to avoid potential roadblocks in the future.

Again, have a plan when you approach your neighbors and/or HOA. Let them know how often you plan to host guests, how you’ll screen potential candidates, and ask them if they have any special requests (i.e. quiet after 9 PM, maximum number of vehicles, where guests will park, etc.).

6. Keep insurance and taxes in mind

These are two necessary evils.

However, Airbnb’s policy does not protect your property; and neither will your regular homeowner’s policy.

That’s because homeowner’s policies have what’s called a “business activity” exclusion, which means your policy can deny any claim related to a business activity. What does that mean for your Airbnb business?

It means you’ll likely need to purchase a separate liability insurance policy to cover your assets.

Whether or not you need to collect occupancy taxes from your guests depends on where you live. Some locations have a collect and remit feature that automatically adds the occupancy taxes to your listing, so you don’t have to do a thing. However, if you do need to collect taxes separately, Airbnb makes it easy to do so by adding a special offer to your listing.

Tips for Maximizing Your Earnings as an Airbnb Host

If you decide to list your home (or unused room) with Airbnb, awesome.

Now it’s time to get your game face on and focus on the prize.

1. Decide what kind of host you want to be

In terms of making money, there are three main kinds of Airbnb hosts. Those who are looking for (1) ways to make money relatively quickly (2) a steady second income, or (3) want to launch a full-time Airbnb business.

Your Airbnb hustle can change and grow over time. We recommend easing into it at first, one visit at a time until you get a feeling for what it’s like to be an Airbnb host and whether or not it’s a good fit for you.

Another thing to consider is how hands-on you’ll want to be with it. Are you going to greet every visitor upon arrival or avoid human interaction at all cost (not recommended)? The more personal you make the experience, the more you can expect to earn.

This isn’t to say you won’t make money as a complete introvert, but personalizing a guest’s experience can go a long way in making them feel welcome (and more likely to open their wallet).

2. Choose your target market

Be realistic about who you want to attract and who you’re likely to attract.

What kind of guests do you want to attract?

If you’re renting a room in the house where you live, then maybe you’d prefer families or couples. But if you’re renting an independent unit (apartment, room in a detached garage, etc.) then you may not have a preference.

Now think about the type of guests you’re likely to attract.

Think about the location of your listing, attractions in your area, and the amount of space you can offer. If you plan to rent out the couch in your living room, then you’re not likely to attract many families.

Does your space have mass appeal, or is it ideal for a certain group of people? Are your guests visiting for leisure or business? Are they groups, families, or individuals? Men or women?

Knowing your target market is important for later when you actually create your listing and decide on your house rules.

Pro Tip: If you live in a college town, creating a listing during home football weekends is some of the easiest money you will ever make.

3. Be realistic about the time commitment

Hosting with Airbnb can be very hands-off if that’s your style. It can require as little or as much time as you want depending on how frequently you host, how much you want to interact with your guests, and what tasks you decide to outsource.

I’ve had hosts that I never saw my entire visit and others who were always present and even sat and chatted with me over dinner. Neither method is wrong, but you should take into account potential time spent greeting and interacting with guests, giving tours, and attending to general needs and inquiries.

If you want to keep your costs as low as possible, then you’ll also need to account for the time required to clean up after guests and to purchase and stock supplies.

4. Estimate your Airbnb hosting fees and costs

The costs for getting your Airbnb rental up and running will depend on the size of your space and items you already have on hand. No two hosts will have the same expenses.

Start by determining your larger, one-time purchases, such as furniture, bath towels, insurance, etc.

Then make a checklist for supplies and perishables that will need to be restocked on a regular basis.

Calculate fees for things like:

Having a checklist handy will help you determine your initial Airbnb costs and make turnover between guests much easier.

How to Create an Airbnb Listing that Sells

Now it’s time to create your listing and get your first guest!

Here are a few things to keep in mind as you put your space on the market.

1. Be honest

Don’t overstate what you have to offer, because it could come back to bite you in the form of negative reviews. Manage your guests’ expectations by being completely transparent.

If the room you’re renting is on the smaller side, then let that be known. Don’t try to up the appeal by using photos that make your space look much larger than it actually is, or else you’re setting your guests up for disappointment and your Airbnb business up for failure.

I had this happen to me once where a lady posted beautiful photos in her listing, but when I arrived the room looked completely different. I couldn’t even believe it was the same space. It was cramped, dirty, and not at all what she had led me to expect.

Don’t make her mistake.

2. Be specific

Details, details, details.

Set your listing up for success with an appealing, detailed title. Which one are you more likely to choose:

“One-Bedroom Apartment”

“Spacious One-Bedroom Apartment in Downtown Asheville”?

Make sure you fill out your entire profile, complete with a picture of yourself and a detailed description. Include any unique amenities you have to offer, like a complimentary breakfast or WiFi.

Remember that old saying “A picture is worth a thousand words”? Yeah, well, it’s true. Though you want to avoid misleading photos, you should include professional-looking, high-quality pictures. Make sure your space looks clean, bright, and welcoming.

If you need help with taking high quality photos for your listing, this article is super helpful.

3. Be professional with your profile

But casual at the same time.

You don’t need to sport a three piece suit in your profile picture, but you do want your profile to look clean and put together. That picture your friend took of you passed out in the bar last weekend won’t cut it unless you’re trying to attract like-minded party animals; in which case, party on.

Create your profile with your target audience/ideal guests in mind. Check for spelling and grammatical errors, and be sure to include professional-looking photographs that show off the unique personality of your space.

4. Be flexible

Remember, the people in your house are paying you to be there.

That doesn’t mean you have to oblige every request of a demanding guest, but you should be available to answer questions for them and make sure their visit goes smoothly.

It also means being flexible with check-in and check-out times. When it comes to travel, things happen. Flights are delayed, cars break down, or things just don’t go as planned. It’s important to keep an open mind (and an open schedule) if you really want to provide the best experience for your guests.

5. Set clear and simple rules

When setting rules for your guests, be explicitly clear. Don’t leave anything open for interpretation.

Are extra guests allowed? How many? What about smoking? Pets? What’s the procedure for check out?

You’ll create your house rules as part of your listing when you set up your host profile. Guests can view the rules on your listing any time, but most people won’t revisit them after they’ve booked their stay. Keep a printout in the guest space as a friendly reminder.

That said, try not to be overbearing.

Some people may find it a little off putting to walk into their room and find a list of all the things they can’t do. Add some personality, wit, or show your sense of humor.

Even a simple “Have fun! 🙂 ” to top off the list is a great touch to lighten the mood.

Success! Someone Booked Your Listing. Here’s What to Do Next.

If you’ve made it this far, go you.

Here’s what happens next.

1. Take precautions

Now, I like to think that people are generally good, but the infamous squatting Pashanin Brothers (and other people like them) do exist.

Avoid squatters by verifying the identity of your guests, checking out their Airbnb history/reviews, and only allowing short-term rentals.

Protect your valuables (guns, jewelry, technology, etc.) and any sentimental items you don’t want to lose by locking them up in a safe place.

And as a final word of caution, keep all communication and transactions with your guests on the Airbnb platform. Some under-the-table cash may sound tempting, but conducting business outside of Airbnb makes you susceptible to scams.

I’ve been using Airbnb for years and never had a problem with any of the aforementioned things; but it’s like they say — better to be safe than end up with squatters in your house.

2. Provide a welcoming (and clean) space

Cleanliness is a must!

There’s no faster way to stack up negative reviews than by inviting guests into your dirty home. Make a good first impression by always providing a clean space. That means cleaning up after every guest.

When it comes to design, it’s best to keep it simple. A cozy, clutter-free space will make your guests feel welcome. Soft ambient lighting and relaxing music is a great way to set the mood and show the personality of your home.

Small details like fresh flowers and interesting art add a nice touch and a pleasant feeling to any space.

3. Make your guests comfortable

Having enough and the right amenities is crucial to ensuring your guests’ happiness.

Items like books, games, extra blankets, and travel-size toiletries are a huge convenience and can make all the difference in your guests’ Airbnb experience.

The first time I stayed in a really good Airbnb I was taken aback by how far the lady went out of her way to make her guests feel at home. She had locally-made soaps in the bathroom, fresh, organic eggs, snacks in a guests-only mini fridge, and extra blankets on the bed (I sleep cold, so this was huge for me).

I was even more grateful when I woke up late for a meeting my first morning there. That makeshift breakfast of fruit and granola bars kept me from being late and set my morning off on the right foot.

And you know what? It really didn’t take much extra effort on her part at all.

Put yourself in your guests’ shoes. Cater not only to their needs, but their potential needs, and it’ll pay off in your reviews.

Here’s a great example of how to make your guests feel comfortable and special:

4. Don’t avoid your guests

Be friendly, but not weird.

I stayed with a lady once who avoided me the entire time. I would hear her in the kitchen or the living room and walk downstairs to say hello (because that’s the normal person thing to do, right?) and by the time I reached the bottom of the stairs, she would have disappeared into her bedroom and locked the door.

That happened several times – in the kitchen, the living room, and once when she pulled in outside while I was leaving (she snuck through the garage to avoid me at the front door).

Avoiding your guests may seem like the right thing to do, but it can make them feel unwelcome and even uncomfortable.

You should always make an effort to meet your guest at some point during their stay, especially if you’re renting a space in your own home.

5. Go above and beyond

The higher the demand for your space, the more you can charge. The way to increase demand is to get verified reviews, and the best way to get good reviews is to please your guests.

Don’t show all your cards in your listing. When your guests arrive, have information available for local restaurants and activities that may be of interest. Offer to show them around or give them a short tour if it’s their first time visiting the area.

Ask them about their food preferences before they arrive and leave a personalized note with a treat as a welcome and “Thank you for staying.”

If a guest asks for something you don’t have on hand but would be handy, not only for them but for future guests as well, then go the extra mile and pick it up at the store if you have a chance. Small, kind gestures like this can go a long way.

If you know how to be an Airbnb host that wows their guests, you have an amazing opportunity to earn real money. By creating a wonderful experience for your guests, you’re setting yourself up for great reviews and lots of repeat guests.

Author

Hi! I’m Megan. I’m a personal finance enthusiast on a mission to help millennial men and women understand and make more money. Along with writing and editing content, I work one-on-one with individuals as a financial and behavioral money coach.

These are amazing tips! I would definitely feel uncomfortable if someone avoided me the entire time I was there. A little small talk is always nice! I also love the idea of giving your guest ideas for the area! Great post!

My experience being ignored by my host was definitely uncomfortable. I would never book that Airbnb again! It doesn’t take much time or effort to interact with guests, and it makes a huge difference. Thanks, Sarah!

A treasure trove of advice, tools, ideas, and tips for those interested in hosting with Airbnb. This article covers a great deal of the human side that is missing in the Airbnb business model.

Thank you, Mamadou! Glad you enjoyed it. (:

Thanks a lot for this wonderful write up providing useful info for anyone who wants to be a host for Airbnb. Happened to read your article at the right time as we are thinking of renting out our property. Is there any other useful web site you may aware of providing more info? Shall be glad to know the risk factors also please. Thanks and kind regards.

Hi, Megan! Thanks for this resourceful article. I’m working on placing my house on Airbnb and your article provided a lot of tips and motivation to get going. Thanks a lot.

We feel so thankful to have found your page, Megan.

We`d been figuring out ways to make money as our incomes are not enough to pay for our daughters’ studies.

I really appreciate your commitment to your work.

Regards from Uruguay!

Airbnb is definitely a great way to make money. Obviously you are suggesting talking to your landlord and getting approval, however, the best option is to buy a property and use the money you earn on Airbnb to pay down the loan (mortgage). You can buy a house for “free” like this and save money! Happy to see that others are sharing their thoughts on hosting!

Wow, these are some great tips! I wanted to add my own tip to the list – automated property management!

I’m a very “hands-on” person so I was skeptical about automating anything at first…but I’ve saved so much time and money, I’ll never go back! They automatically handle all guest and house cleaner communication for me, AND they have smart devices which have totally changed my host experience. Their smart thermostat controls have been saving me money on my energy bill, their smart lock automatically sets codes for each guest, and their sensors alert me if there’s any suspicious activity on my property. Such a cool concept!

How to Be an Airbnb Host: 14 Tips for Fast Success

Ever been curious about how to be an Airbnb host? How much extra income could you earn, if you transitioned a property from a long-term to short-term rental?

We tracked down several Airbnb experts to explain how to become a host for Airbnb with minimal fuss and maximum profits. They were quick to point out that managing a short-term rental business is not for everyone — or for every property — but it can be extremely profitable.

From broad-level strategy and narrowing into more tactical tips, here are 14 tips for how to be an Airbnb host, as you try out Airbnb rentals as a landlord!

Table of Contents

How to Be an Airbnb Host

Real estate investing and property management aren’t “rocket surgery,” as my ex-girlfriend used to say. But as you research how to become a host for Airbnb, you quickly realize that throwing up a listing with a few photos snapped with your smartphone won’t land you huge returns.

Follow these host tips from the experts, and prepare to put in some good ol’ fashioned hard work along the way.

1. Run the Numbers

“Before you become an Airbnb host, calculate whether the additional effort is worth the money, compared to what you could earn if you rented out the same space on a long-term lease.”

Paula Pant, the sharp mind behind Afford Anything, uses Airbnb and short-term hosting for some of her rental properties. But not all.

Here’s how she breaks down the math:

Vacancy rate is far from your only expense though. You’ll need to pay for gas, electric, water, internet, consumables like toilet paper and soap. And don’t forget extra occupancy taxes tacked onto short-term rentals!

“That’s not to say that all long-term rentals are better, nor is it to say that all short-term rentals are better. It simply means that you should not make assumptions based off gross income alone. Compare the two options to see which one is more lucrative.”

2. Price Against Hotels, Not Other Rentals

Al Williamson, arguably the top expert on Airbnb rentals in the country, urges a counterintuitive approach to pricing.

“Your Airbnb pricing should have nothing to do with what you could charge for a long-term rental. In fact, don’t even price your nightly rates based on other nearby Airbnbs!

“Your competition is made up of nearby hotels. Look at comparable hotels’ nightly rates, and then try to beat them by 15-25%.”

When I asked Al about units with multiple bedrooms, he said the same principle applies. “A family of six could either book three rooms at the nearby hotel chain… or they could book your three-bedroom unit. In that example, consider pricing your three-bedroom at the cost of booking two hotel rooms, to make your unit an easy decision.”

Want a complete online lesson from Al about how to succeed as a short-term rental business? Here’s a free webinar we hosted with him, breaking down how he’s doubled his rental revenues.

3. Know Your Local Laws

The hotel industry is no pushover. With billions of dollars on the line, hotels aren’t just laying down and surrendering the loss in market share.

And their cries — and lobbying dollars and campaign contributions — tend to fall on sympathetic ears in local legislatures. After all, many municipalities charge special hotel taxes.

That means that many local governments have outlawed or severely restricted Airbnb and other short-term vacation rental services. For example, San Francisco only allows people to list Airbnb units if they live in the property themselves at least 275 days per year.

Research the best cities for vacation rentals, including both returns and legal regulations. Always understand your local laws, and make sure you can comply before listing on Airbnb!

4. Approach Short-Term Rentals as a Complete Hospitality Business

Being a landlord is largely hands-off, with occasional spurts of effort. That’s what attracts most landlords in the first place — the promise of passive income!

Short-term rentals can produce strong income, but they’re far less passive. And they require a more holistic approach to operate profitably.

“So many people who try out Airbnb just throw up the listing and then sit back and wait,” laments Al Williamson. “They don’t do marketing outside of Airbnb or VRBO. Then when it’s off-season these hosts don’t make any money, which ruins their annual returns.

“What they should be doing is launching multi-pronged marketing campaigns. Registering with travel websites like Booking.com, posting on Craigslist, leveraging their own website and audience, even using hyper-targeted Facebook ads to reach extended-stay business travelers.

“Short-term landlords who approach it as a business can virtually eliminate vacancies, while those who just think of themselves as Airbnb hosts will wonder why their vacancy rate is so high.”

Al mentioned earlier that you should price against the competition of hotels. That also means you should aim to operate with the smooth efficiency that hotels do, too.

5. Furnish Affordably (But Tastefully!)

When most people approach the task of furnishing their rental, their first thought is “I guess I should go to the furniture store.”

Wrong. False. Incorrect.

Your potential guests don’t expect their bums to be the first to sit on your sofa. Not a single piece of furniture in your unit needs to be new.

Buy used furniture, and simply make sure it’s in good condition.

Options include Craigslist, Freecycle, garage sales, Goodwill, the Facebook Marketplace and used furniture stores. Or maybe your family or friends have some extra furniture laying around in their storage units, that they’re willing to lend or give to you. You can furnish your unit for a few hundred dollars, if you go about it with discerning taste.

Just make sure the décor matches within each room. You don’t need to be Betty Draper when learning how to be an Airbnb host, just pick a color scheme and go with it. Black and white is an easy one. Blue and wood tones is another easy scheme.

When in doubt, take a tasteful friend with you to do your shopping.

Oh, and one other tip: avoid political, sexual, or juvenile wall decorations. If that sounds obvious, I’ve stayed at numerous Airbnb units that broke those rules. The weirdest was decorated with rabbits with leather S&M outfits on. Seriously.

The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Airbnb Hosting

We’ve blogged about many of the challenges that current Airbnb hosts face and how to address them, but we keep getting questions from many who aren’t currently hosts but are seriously thinking about Airbnb hosting.

Where Do I Even Start?

If you’re just starting to think about becoming a host, start here and follow these steps to give yourself the best chance of success.

This is the Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Airbnb Hosting.

Before You Even List on Airbnb

Before you even list on Airbnb, there are a few considerations to keep in mind. It doesn’t matter what your current situation is or what your motivation may be. These are things to really think about.

Goals Versus Expectations

Yes. You are looking to make some money with your Airbnb listing but do you have any other goals? Is this something you are looking to do for some “sometimes” income or is this something you are really serious about and want to make it a primary source of income? Depending on these goals, you need to evaluate the amount of capital needed, along with how much risk may be involved.

You Are Inviting Strangers Into Your Home

As an Airbnb host, you are essentially inviting strangers to come into your home. If that aspect of this business venture makes you uneasy at all, then this is probably the wrong avenue for you to travel down. However, if you feel you can communicate with strangers effectively and can host them, then it is definitely something to keep on your list.

Understand Rental Arbitrage

There is an underlying market force that makes all of the short-term rental market possible. And that force is called rental arbitrage. This will exist in EVERY market that makes it viable for Airbnb hosting, but not all markets are created equal.

Know what it means to quickly assess to what degree your area is well suited for you to host.

Ten Things to Consider Before You Host on Airbnb

Before we dive in and into some of the details, here are ten hosting considerations to think about. Having a better sense of these items will make your path to hosting a much smoother journey. It’s not just you and your extra room, hosting on Airbnb could involve many other parties and more commitment than you expected.

You don’t need to answer these questions yet, but they do provide relevant context to the topics below.

What Kind of Host Do You Want to Be?

Yes, we know you want to make some money doing this, but there are more than financial benefits to becoming an Airbnb host.

What Do You Want to Get Out of Hosting?

There are three main types of hosts out there–those that want to make a few extra bucks with their available space, those who want a stable secondary source of income, and those who want to build a serious Airbnb business that will eventually become their main source of income.

The more income potential you desire, the more planning, capital, work, and the risk you’re going to be taking on. What you want to be able to achieve will dictate the location, size, and nature of your listings as well as the tools and strategies you will be using.

Are you even cut out to host? If you’re ONE of these types of potential hosts, please don’t host on Airbnb and ruin it for the rest of us.

Have Realistic Expectations About Time Commitment

You don’t just list your unit, and then the money starts to come in. It takes time to chat with potential guests who ask questions before they’re willing to book with yours. It takes time and effort to earn great reviews. It takes time to check guests in and check guests out.

Starting out and doing everything on their own, beginner hosts are often shocked by the amount of time and effort needed to consistently deliver an experience for their guests.

But as they get into their groove, become more efficient, and utilizing tools for automation, hosts learn ways to save time and energy without lowering their quality of service.

To run a long and successful Airbnb listing, you are definitely going to need to invest some time and commitment to the process. Even when you have everything down pat, you are still going to need to spend a considerable amount of time handling any bookings you have and making sure everything is ready to go for your guests. If you lack this kind of time and flexibility, you may want to think again about being an Airbnb host.

Know the Size of Your Prize BEFORE Hosting

Would you quit your current job before knowing how much your new job would pay you? Of course not.

But that’s exactly what most new hosts do. They jump right into hosting on Airbnb before knowing the size of their prize.

Even though Airbnb has grown by leaps and bounds, there are still markets that just don’t and won’t have enough demand to support hosting. Wouldn’t you want to know if you’re in one of these markets?

So how do you know the size of your prize? Go get a market report from a trusted data provider. LearnAirbnb recommends AirDNA–they have extensive data for all major Airbnb markets and can give you a realistic expectation for how much you can probably make hosting on Airbnb in your market with your listing.

PRO RESEARCH TIP: Sign up for AirDNA and get your market report BEFORE investing time and money into Airbnb hosting. Don’t jump in until you’re certain the market has enough demand to make it all worth your efforts.

Get the Proper Insurance Coverage

Especially if you’re renting out your own home, your home insurance plan is almost guaranteed not to cover any damage that results from short-term renting.

Learn all about Airbnb’s liability insurance policy here and see if it’s enough for you.

Remember You Have Neighbors

Are you in a quiet gated community with early to bed neighbors who are very very sensitive to noise or outsiders? If you’re living in a unit that is part of a community with shared space, you have to keep your neighbors in mind.

Even if you have your own standalone house, you will want to consider managing your relations with your neighbors. An angry neighbor could kill your Airbnb hosting dreams.

Noise complaints are the biggest indicator for unhappy neighbors. Check out a nifty product that can help you prevent and manage noise issues with guests.

Yes, Get Your Landlord’s Okay

Yes, it might mean that you can’t host in your current apartment if your current landlord forbids it. Many apartments aren’t open to short-term subleasing. But there are ways to increase your odds if you approach your landlord in the right way.

If all else fails, consider finding a new apartment that would allow you to host or look to getting a dedicated unit.

Find the Right Customers for Your Unit

Yes, you love your place but not everyone else visiting your area will think the same. In order to maximize your odds of success, you will need to position your unit’s listing to appeal to the customers who are most likely to book with you.

Sure, business travelers might be willing to pay higher rates, but if your unit is located far from the business district in your area, you’re better off targeting someone else on Airbnb.

Know Who You’re Competing With

You’re not the only game in town and you will have competition. The more you know about them, and the better you understand what makes them appealing or not appealing to potential guests, the better you are able to adjust your offering to have a winning Airbnb listing. But first, you need to be able to identify the right competition.

Get All the Essentials for Your Listing

As more and more hosts bring listings onto the market to compete for the guests, so too have guest expectations grown. What used to be a nice-to-haves are now must-haves. Certain amenities are absolutely essential to delivering a great experience.

If you’re serious about hosting, your furnishings and amenities could make a big difference. Every unit must have furniture so what should you consider when purchasing furniture?

Choice of furniture can be distilled into two things: function and form. You must consider what pieces are important to your guests? What need is it fulfilling?

Know that getting the guest’s sleep experience right is critical to getting 5-star reviews.

There are not enough things you can do right to offset a poor night’s sleep. Sleep-related purchases are one area where you do NOT want to go cheap on.

Do a Sanity Check First

If you’re going to be doing a dedicated Airbnb unit, rather than just renting out extra space in your current home, do a sanity check with the figures and make sure it’s worth your time and money.

Use our free Airbnb calculator to evaluate any new potential listings BEFORE spending money on furniture and committing to a lease agreement. But use the figures you obtained from AirDNA to inform your income assumptions in the calculator.

Get Your Listing Right

Once you’re ready to put your listing together, here are some basics you need to get your Airbnb listing right.

Position Your Listing for Success

It’s not just about great photos and descriptions for your listing; it’s also about how you differentiate your Airbnb listing from your competitors.

Set Clear and Simple House Rules

Don’t go overboard and make rules so obnoxious that no guests would want to book with you but do be clear about what are off-limits (e.g. no smoking). Get the right balance when setting house rules.

Make Sure Your Listing Doesn’t Suck

When you’re making a decision how about how to take a photo of your space–just think to yourself, will this help make it Instagram worthy? What would make your guests want to take a picture and tell their friends about how great your unit is?

Hosting Smart from the Start

There are horror stories abound on the internet about nightmare guests who trash a place or end up squatting and refusing to leave. But those are all very rare, and Airbnb has every incentive to ensure that its hosts have the confidence to keep hosting through their platform.

Here are some ways to stay smart as a new Airbnb host.

Protect Your Identity

Most guests are going to be great, but there are some jerks out there who would take advantage of an opportunity if it presented itself. Take any of these simple, one time measures to not have to worry about your identity getting stolen while hosting on Airbnb.

Spot and Avoid Potential Squatters

The easiest way to do this is to keep your bookings short. The vast majority of bookings are less than a week, so unless you’re in a market where people tend to stay for weeks or months at a time, you should NOT begin your Airbnb hosting journey by doing long-term bookings over 30 days.

Although your chances of getting a squatter as a guest are very low, you could remember these simple tips to make your listing a tough and unattractive target for would-be squatters.

Get Pricing Right from the Beginning

Setting the right pricing isn’t just a one time deal; it requires regular checking and updating. If you price too high, you could end up with more vacant days but if you price too low, you’re leaving money on the table. Come up with a pricing strategy that will allow your unit to achieve the rents it is capable of.

PRO PRICING TIP: Better yet, work with a trusted third-party pricing partner such as Wheelhouse to make sure your pricing is always and automatically optimized to maximize your profits. Why 3rd party and not use Airbnb’s pricing recommendations?

Airbnb’s pricing recommendations tend to be far lower than what is achievable in the market. Hosts who have tried both have found that Airbnb often recommends pricing that is 15%+ lower than Wheelhouse while achieving similar occupancies.

Meaning: Airbnb wants to maximize bookings, not your profits. Wheelhouse only gets paid when you get paid.

Anticipate and Address Guest Headaches

Your guests have traveled far to stay at your Airbnb listing, sometimes from halfway around the world. And it can be stressful. Flights can get delayed. Keys can get lost.

So being thoughtful and proactive towards some of these most common guest headaches could go a long way towards turning potentially stressful situations into moments where you shine as a host.

Having a simple lockbox to keep a spare set of keys that you could send the combination for a guest to open late at night will not only make them happy but would save you time when some of your guests are bound to get locked out late at night.

Providing a way to alleviate the stresses for guests who either need to arrive early or check-out late is another great opportunity to deliver an exceptional guest experience.

Optimize, Automate, or Outsource

You’ll need to become more efficient and find ways to take yourself out of the equation. Your time can only scale so much.

First, optimize. Have guests frequently asking the same questions? Save all the answers as templates you can easily copy and paste. Consider using smart locks of keypads to do remote check-ins and check-outs.

Then automate. With multiple listings, some hosts end up spending up to 2-3 hours a day responding to the same guest inquiries. But it’s not just the time. It’s also the response rate.

How do you respond to every single inquiry within 5 minutes? Not possible without tools like SmartBNB, which can help guests automate and eliminate up to 95% of all guest communications.

It even helps you automate your reviews, and with its latest update, you can even train it’s AI to start recognizing and automatically answer the same questions but are worded differently!

NEVER Do Any of These Four Things

While this isn’t an exhaustive list of things you shouldn’t do as an Airbnb host, these four things should be obvious to you. Not doing any of these won’t set you apart but if you make the mistake of doing any of these, your future self will hate you.

Airbnb FAQ

Even after reading our extensive beginner’s guide to Airbnb hosting, you may find that you still have a few questions. Below you will find the answers to some of those more commonly asked questions along with a brief recap of what you have read above.

How many steps does it take to begin hosting on Airbnb?

There are only three easy steps to follow after deciding that you want to host an Airbnb. First, list your space for free. You then need to decide how you want to host. You have the opportunity to choose your own schedule, your prices, and guest requirements. Finally, you can welcome your first guest. Once the listing is live, qualified guests can begin reaching out to you for bookings.

Can anyone be an Airbnb host?

It is easy to become a host in most areas and creating your listings is always free. To see if you would make a good fit as an Airbnb host, you should review their community standards and guidelines to learn more about what they expect from their hosts and Airbnb users. You will also find valuable information pertaining to safety, security, reliability, and more.

What if there is property damage?

However, there are some exclusions you need to be aware of when it comes to the parameters of their host guarantee and host protection insurance. These exclusions can be found on the host protection insurance section of the Airbnb website. You can also find a list of eligible countries there as well.

Why should we host on Airbnb?

Still on the fence about hosting your place on Airbnb? They make it an easy process that is secure and easy to follow. They also let you maintain the control when it comes to the availability of your space, the rules, the prices, and how you choose to interact with your guests.

Are the guests booking on Airbnb verified?

Yes. All Airbnb booking guests are required to provide specific information when making their reservation at an Airbnb rental property. This information includes a confirmed phone number and email address. A verified ID, as well as recommendations from other hosts from a previous Airbnb stay, can also be requested.

✔ How to avoid the BIG mistakes that most hosts make

✔ The secret weapon of all Top 1% Hosts

✔ The pricing strategy used by professionals

✔ How to consistently get gleaming 5-Star reviews

✔ How to free up your time without becoming a «robotic host»

Learn about all of the secrets that professional hosts don’t want you to know

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70 Comments

The one bad thing about hosting air. Bnb. is most people are private owners. They do not have a hotel license. So the law will allow guests to stay unless court papers are filed. under residency claims AMD it will fall under housing laws. If the cops ask guests to leave. Guests are able to show residency and asked to have doors unlocked and access

The one thing that is bad for guests is that some of these owners are private owners and they have no personal life. They use airbnb as a dating site and it creates an uncomfortable and unsafe place. And hosts no nothing about guests.

good point on the pricing strategy, I feel like we learned the hard way about pricing.

Have just bought a unit decided I will give airbnb a go for 6 months to see how I go instead of renting. Wish me luck
Na

Hello! How is your hosting going so far?

Very good article! Just started taking care of a place in the mountains in Costa Rica and am trying to learn as much as possible about hosting on AirBnB We just received our first guests today and are hoping for a nice review.

Airbnb should have a checklist of things to provide guests. For many it’s obvious and intuitive for others not. That way it ensures a basic standard eg decent bed, excellent mattress, bedside table & lamp, towels, toilet paper, spare / backup keys, easy access to host when needed, enough hangers in the closet, etc

“bedside table & lamp”

Really? That’s so old-fashioned.

Not for everyone- I hate not having a bedside table and lamp. Lamp for obvious reasons, bedside table for charging phones and tablets, and having them to hand. And for things like keeping a glass of water and whatever medication you might need. If they have drawers, even better- helps the room look less like a bomb site. I’m always disappointed to see a listing with no bedside tables- the longer I stay, the more of an issue it is. My husband and I will chose a modern, decently furnished room over a ‘stylish’-but-sparse space any day. I want a practical living space.

Why Gecko, has it gone out of fashion to have a bedside table to put your water, glasses, cell phone and night light, kindle or book? When did it become trendy not to have a bedside table and the stuff on top?

Guide guest to your location effectively. You can drop your Map location through WhatsApp. This was very useful when my guest called me for exact location.

Once guest leave your place, make sure they are happy and try to contact them and get a Review! If you get more positive reviews, it will help in improvement of listing.

Is the price that is showed on my listing the price per room or per person?

Situation A) Your guest makes a search.

Your guest will see the price for the listing according to the search parameters by the guest. For example, if a guest searches for a place the holds 4 people, it will show all places that hold 4 people at the price for 4 people.

Situation B) Direct link to listing, no search

If a guest finds a link to your listing, but has not made a search, it will show the base price of the listing at the base number of guests that price covers.

Hope this helps.

hi,
I have a big problem. At the preview of my listing a tab is visible as instant book, but i have checked with my friend’s listings it had request to book instead of instant book. Please help me correct my self. I think because of this i lost few booking 🙁

Very good tips on pricing strategy. Also, getting a proper home insurance is a very important matter.

I’m staying in South Delhi,India, I have a two bedroom apartment i would like to join as a host in Airbnb, please guide the way forward. Thank you.

I have a ski apt in Meribel Mottaret on the piste it has 3 bedrooms but I can take 4/5 persons and will charge a bit less than for 6. I have been letting for 32 yrs and it has changed considerably over the years. The main sites now make it difficult to have a personal relationship with the clients and I wish to do all my booking, whereas they insist I have to do it their way or I don’t get a decent listing and pay them 20% commission for them doing something that I want to do myself as I have always done, This means that I have to pass the commission onto clients making it very pricey. All I want is find clients during the ski season for a week at a time, I have a cleaner and can provide linen as well. I would like you to tell me if you think airbnb would be appropriate for my needs?

I am thinking about putting my spare room and bathroom downstairs on AirBnB but Im wishing I had done this sooner. I didnt know what it was until recently. I am getting my house cleaned up, decorating and going to purchase a bed, small dresser, used TV, and put an ironing board, iron and coffee maker in the spare bedroom. The bathroom and linen closet is right there and I will buy some inexpensive towels and toiletries too. I will claim all of this as a write-off next year. There are a ton of AirBnBs near me, both rooms and houses so I have no idea if I will get steady bookings. I have a cute place and there is a community pool. Spring Training will be here soon and I will have my place ready by end of Feb. My question, am I expected to spend time with my house guests? I am just interested in providing a,room and bathroom. I am assuming guests will use my kitchen and I will set some rules and I dont want them on my upper level where my room and loft is. I can relate to ungrateful guests and the whole rating thing-i drive for Uber and Lyft on the weekends and people are getting a clean, safe ride for dirt cheap, and need to rate 5 stars. It does not lool like AirBnB allows rebuttals for ratings, I will have to find out more. I own my place, and I really dont care about HOA rules, its my place. I have home owners insurance and I understand AirBnb gives insurance and coverage, like Uber and Lyft. I am putting all personal stuff upstairs and not keeping anything with my info on it where guests can see. I just worry about someone “coming back” uninvited or scoping my place out for a possible burglary. Does anyone have any horror stories? Squatters? Not getting keys back? Thanks

Kaz, I’m a long-time SuperHost with AirBNB. You don’t need to spend time with your guests, however, making them feel welcome will be likely to get you better ratings. I suggest you don’t go cheap on the towels and linens. It’s the little things that make a difference. You can set whatever house rues you want. You don’t necessarily need to provide access to your kitchen, but make sure they know that before they book. Instead, you could provide a Keurig and a mini frig in the bedroom. While I have read horror stories, our guests have always been great at Captain’s Cabin https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/3605531?preview_for_ml. I offer BNB consulting services.

Hi Tammy,
What’s the best way to reach you to discuss your consulting services?

You better hope no guest tells a lie about you to the trust and safety team cause airbnb will shut you down, steal your money, act direspectfully to you and not even give you a fair chance to reply. They will lie and steal and blow you off. If you don’t believe me, you wait. Or you can reoly to me and I’ll tell you all about it. [email protected]

We are just now exploring the Airbnb option. I see you consult! What’s the best way to reach you?

Airbnb will lie to you, steel from you, ignore and disrespect you and ultimately kick you out. Take it from a 4 year host who knows from experience … DO NOT GET INVOLVED

This is super helpful! A few questions:

* Does this make sense if you are living in Atlanta and doing Airbnb in Seattle?

* How expensive is it to get professional service that is very reliable?

* For income tax purpose, can you expense you airfare to visit this hypothetical property in Seattle once a month or so?

Bonjour,
Je suis superhost airbnb et j’utilise une application qui a changé ma façon d’accueillir mes invités: HappyGuest!
C’est un livret d’accueil numérique qui vous permettra de renseigner tous les indispensables à savoir sur votre logement en texte, images et vidéos!

Do you know of any airbnb’s that offer a room but also would have a place for your horse to spend the night? Someone traveling with a horse or two? We have a log home and setting for horses.

Accommodations allowing animals are in high demand, and often hard to find. Not sure Airbnb would be your best route – you would definitely want to promote it beyond their platform. I had a house for several years that was pet friendly, and I listed it with various sites aimed specifically at travelers with pets. I’m not sure someone traveling with horses would even think to look on Airbnb. Also put the word out ay nearby venues they might be visiting with their horses. My house was near a site that regularly held national dog trials, so I made sure they had my fliers and business cards.

Hey, thanks for the question. Airbnb does not want you do any communication off the Airbnb platform because then there will be no record of the agreement. It is mostly a safety precaution on both ends.

You better hope no guest tells a lie about you to the trust and safety team cause airbnb will shut you down, steal your money, act direspectfully to you and not even give you a fair chance to reply. They will lie and steal and blow you off. If you don’t believe me, you wait. Or you can reoly to me and I’ll tell you all about it. [email protected]

Are there any restrictions on being an Airbnb host? I own a home in Canada that I would like to list, but I am from China. Is there a rule against listing if we are not from the country that our listing is in?

Hreat advice. We are doing up an 1860’s wattle and daub settlers cottage on a vreek, aimed at gold fossickers near Bathurst. Horses welcome. Aiming to open next year. Wish us luck! Chanel

Hi there, Really great work.
I still have one question? I have my own top floor Apartment in Linz area, Austria. In the same building we have anther 2 Apartments. One of the Apartment owner dont want me to host Airbnb hosts. I was hosting maximum 3 guest for 3 nights in a month. So it was not like we have guest everyday. What can I do? I love Airbnb. any Suggestion?

Coukd anybody help me. I’ve just started. My first reservation request cane with an email to accept or decline. However all other booking requests are automatically confirming… coukd anyone tell me why I’m not getting the decline or accept option
Thanks

You probably have Instant Book activated. You can deactivate that by logging into your Airbnb account. Go here for instructions: https://bit.ly/2vQU4Sf. But know that for most hosts, having it on adds a significant amount of bookings.

Dear mister, madam,

We are doing a schoolproject about Airbnb in Amsterdam, because we are in our senioryear now.
We read that your company helps people with hosting their homes. However, there is a lot of critic about Airbnb. Do you think this critic is right and what do you think about this problem? And most important, do you maybe know a solution, which can advantageous for all parties?

We hope you can help us further with our project.

Kind regards,
Sterre and Mies

Hi Anne, you can follow the instructions here to change your cancellation policy.

You should contact Airbnb customer support directly. For Australia use: +61 2 8520 3333

Hi I’m interested in becoming part of this hosting business how do I go about getting started?

Start with our ultimate beginners guide blog summary that outlines many of the important first steps for a new host.

Read the horror stories about airbnb and stay away from it

Everyone is not a party animal. Sometime they are families who would like to get away. No matter what party city you live in. Make it like home away from home.

Do you have any detailed paid courses to do to get your place ready for airbnb?

Take our free email course first: https://learnbnb.com/free-airbnb-hosting-course
If you like the introductory info there, there will be links to our detailed paid course that has helped 1000s of hosts get up and running.

Any recommendations for dealing with city and county taxes? We’re renting our home and dealing with local tax filing is a big pain. Any chance Airbnb will handle this for renters any time soon?

This is rolling out on a city by city basis it seems and Airbnb will only take care of it on behalf of the city once it comes to an agreement with the city. Until then, you’ll need to collect, track, and report on your own. It’s a pain but it’s better than getting fined!

I have changed my phone number and when I try to log on to Airbnb, it keeps wanting to send a text to my old number. I can’t seem to find a way to change the number to log on and browse homes. Please help.

would like to use my spare room and bath for this purpose but I have dogs. how would this work? anyone has experience with this?

I live in USA and I have a house in India. My question is some one from airbnb will take care of the renting process on behalf of us. I do not have anyone in India to invite the guests. Appreciate the feedback.

I have been an airbnb superhost for 4 plus years and had several hundred guests without as much as a negative comment. On 5/18/18 when two guest arrived at my house (second time airbnb guest with one small favorable review); we had a very normal introduction/conversation at check in where I showed them the room for their stay, the kitchen and coffee machine and even the hottub; I then explained that I would be working in my shop and staying in my camper over there and to make themselves at home; I also told them it would be easier to call me if they needed something instead of walking to the shop; then I excused myself back over to the shop. I saw the ladies leave after a reasonable time to “freshen up” and assumed they were head out to see charleston as do most guest. THEY NEVER RETURNED. The next morning I came within a buttons push of calling the police to file a missing persons report on them. I tried to call, to text them and nothing. I was truely concerned for their wellbeing. I actually went upstairs (something I normally don’t do while people are staying) and imagine my suprise to find no bags or signs of their staying. FURTHER, image my surprise when I got a message from airbnb safety team wanting to discuss an “incident”. Well this is where the fiasco/abuse begins. The lady who was supposed to call me from airbnb to discuss whatever it was, Anita, first emailed me saying her phone was not capable of calling me …. SERIOUSLY, this is 2018, the digital age where you work for an internet company and you don’t have a decent phone. Well I guess it was true because when Anita finally did call the next day the call was dropped three times, incredible for an internet leading type company. She then emailed me to finish the conversation that way, but she never replied to anymore of my messages.. totally ignored all efforts to discuss the complaint. Hence, there was never a conversation about the incedent with me. I then tried to call airbnb office to resolve this problem only to be ignored, lied to, hung up on, demeaned and direspected not to mention they took zero action or effort to discuss or in any way resolve this issue. To this day I have no idea what the complaint could have possibly been as nothing untoward occurred. I am half expecting the cops to come up the drive to question me about “pillage and plunder” (whatever those are). I could be accused of anything but airbnb will not say. WHAT airbnb did say is “your out”. Without even an explanation of any sort they removed my account and took my money from the reservation. On top of that they allowed another guest to come stay although they would not pay me for that guest stay. Of course I was not going to let airbnb’s incompetence complicate a guest weekend when they have come to be in a wedding so I had them stay and airbnb refuses to pay.

Airbnb is incompetent, unprofessional, ill-equipped, rude, know it all, disrespectful, their phone people are a joke, their managers are worse, one hand doesn’t know what the other is doing and they will steal from you and lie to you. IF YOU WANT TO BE INVOLVED WITH A COMPANY WHO IS SUBVERSIVE AND CRIMINAL THEN GO FOR IT.