Host profiles

[Leo2569]

Profiles for hosting, I was trying to make my profile look well on my page adding a good bio,

What are the rules for adding to your host bio? I figure they might have some rules of what you can or cant put in your bio etc.\

or if there is another discussion pertaining to this that would be awesome

[Sarah977]

@Mike-And-Jane0  I was born and raised in the US and have never heard anyone say 'conversate'. These words that make it into the dictionary as informal come from people saying something wrong for so many years that it becomes accepted. 

One I have heard a lot that's also not a word as far as I'm concerned is "complected" -people describing someone as light (or dark)-complected, referring to their skin color. 

[Anonymous]

@Leo2569   There actually are some rules about what you can put in your bio, but they're the same general rules that apply to the content of your listing and reviews:  https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/546/airbnbs-content-policy

There's nothing wrong with your bio per se;  it presents you as an educated professional. But this might not be the only side of yourself that you want to foreground as an in-home host. Your prospective guests aren't looking to hire you for a job; they just want to feel comfortable sharing a home with you and possibly have some fun social interaction. 

Just imagine yourself in the guest's shoes: if you're considering staying in the home of a stranger for some period of time, what would you like to know about them? What could they say in a sentence or two that would make you relate to them or convince you that you'd be a good match as temporary housemates?  Whatever it is, that's what I'd suggest putting in your bio.

[Leo2569]

@Anonymous Thanks much appreciated, just received the first booking, I'm under the impression that Airbnb doesn't pay until after the checkout?

[Anonymous]

@Leo2569  Congrats on your first booking! Airbnb releases your payout after the check-in date; it can come through in little as 2 days but delays are not uncommon.

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Leo2569 According to Airbnb the first payment you receive can be up to 30 days post the guest checking in. Our first payment was much quicker than this though.

[Emilia42]

@Mike-And-Jane0 I think that may only be if the host's first booking is 28 days or more. @Leo2569 payout will most likely be released 24 hours after check-in (then a few days to appear in the bank account)

[Emilia42]

@Leo2569 I suspect that this is going to cause some confusion:

You'll want to be really clear on how many guests have access to the house and what space/rooms they have access to. Many home share hosts report that some guests are confused to find that the host lives in the same space. Airbnb does not do a very good job of distinguishing private rooms from entire homes. It is always good to reiterate the specific so guests know exactly what they are getting. Good luck!

[Leo2569]

@Emilia42 Yes, will definitely check, I have some settings that I was updated

[Anonymous]

@Leo2569  Since you already have a confirmed booking, contact your guest right away to make sure you're on the same page about what your setup is and what the rental includes, while there is still time for the guest to cancel for free if there was a misunderstanding.

The variables highlighted in @Emilia42 's screenshot need to accurately describe exactly what is included in the rental:

1) The maximum number of guests you can accommodate

2) The number of bedrooms that are dedicated to the guests

3) The number of actual beds that guests can sleep in

4) The number of bathrooms that guests are permitted to use

"Private Room" generally means that guests will be sharing some common areas of the home with a live-in host, but not all guests know that. You have to be excruciatingly clear about what guests are and aren't renting, and how much interaction they can expect with you and anyone else who might enter the household - especially when we're still in a pandemic that's spread through indoor contact.  

Airbnb makes it easy to take a listing live in minutes, but I don't recommend opening your calendar to new bookings until you're certain that it's 100% accurate. As you've already seen, this forum is full of eagle-eyed hosts if you need some people to run it by.