Critique my listing, Makenzie, Texas, Lake Tawakoni

[Makenzie15]

My name is Makenzie, I am a current host and family to the owners of our rental! We launched our Texas, Lake Tawakoni house in October of ‘22 and it’s been amazing since! 

so glad to be here! 

id love any feedback if yall take a glance at our booking. I know there can be no peak seasons but id love to find ways to get bookings in that time too without discount our rates too much. Even if it means offering something else onsite. 

[Title updated by Community Manager for relevancy]

[Cathy1183]

@Makenzie15 Your place looks beautiful and you have lots of great reviews. First, I’d take out the phrase “if you don’t mind the country.” Instead, state that the house is an x-minutes drive from town or x-miles, where the x is whatever number belongs there. Our place is way out in the country and people choose it because of that, so there’s no need to state it as though you are apologizing in advance for it being in the country!! Also, there are some typos in the description—people can be strange about that. Besides that, clearly explain in the listing about the loft bedroom being open to below and therefore neither private nor quiet. In my experience as a guest, I really like to know things like this ahead of time. Good luck!

Cathy

[Antony14]

@Makenzie15 , @Cathy1183 's comments said all I was going to say.  Awesome looking place.  Correct the typos, and describe the lofts relationship to the rest of the house, and you're good to go.  

[Angela3878]

@Makenzie15 Your place is incredibly beautiful and perfect for a small gathering or a family get away. I am new to hosting this year so I am always looking to improve my listing as well. I love your Welcome Guide, I need to work on mine. Honestly from the comments the main concern seems to be the openness of the loft not being described. The cleanliness comment, well those will happen. I work incredibly hard to keep mine looking brand new every time, it does take lots of effort. We are in a small town and I am always amazed with many bookings we actually have. I feel like working on your description is my only critique. You’re doing a beautiful job!

Angela

[Bronwyn102]

@Makenzie15 Just beautiful!  I'm already looking reaching out to family for a reunion at your beautiful listing 🐵

The house and property are just beautiful.  I would put emphasis on "outdoor enthusiasts" and capitalize on the lake and outdoor features in your description... list more fun things to do in the area.  Ice cream shop? stores for food shopping? Can you fish in the lake?  

Your off to a great 2 years already!  🐵

Bronwyn

[Adam2067]

@Makenzie15 While I’m new to Airbnb, I’m eager to contribute. I really like your listing; it looks fantastic both inside and out. I agree with Cathy1183. Your property is stunning, and the reviews are impressive. Consider phrasing the rural location positively, highlighting it as a serene countryside setting that attracts guests seeking peace and quiet. Additionally, it would be beneficial to clearly mention in the listing that the loft bedroom is open to below, which may affect privacy and quietness. As a guest, I appreciate having this information upfront. Adding towel hangers in the bathroom, if possible, would be a nice touch but not essential.

Best of luck and keep up the excellent work—you're on the right track!

Adam

[Angela1496]

Very happy to help. I’ll pop back in here in a couple hours to take a look. 

[Angie734]

Hi @Makenzie15 , you have an absolutely beautiful place, and from your reviews, it looks like your listing is doing very well! Here is some feedback from a quick glance at your listing:

• Select the top 5 best photos to appear first, ensuring no repeats including the main listing photo. It would be best to either remove the outdoor photo with the firewood, or make it the 5th photo!
• Include the bedroom and bathroom layout and types of beds on your listing description, you are welcome to review one of my listings and follow the same!
• If accepting events, it is best to specify the types of events, maximum capacity for attendees, parking spaces, etc.

I have been hosting for over seven years, with the last two years focusing on events. What I didn't realize initially is that hosting family and corporate events requires a different approach and commitment level than regular Airbnb stays. It involves running everything as a business, and without the right resources, it can quickly become overwhelming.

Please feel welcome to reach out with any additional questions or comments. I am currently traveling and may not be able to respond quickly, but happy to do so when I get a chance.  I hope these comments are helpful to you, wishing you all the best!

Angie

[Alex9908]

@Makenzie15 Outstanding place one thing that caught my eye and made me think as if I was a guest myself is the bedding I only say this because I know it will make a difference for you the way the white cover sheet hangs off is not attractive and the pillows on the roof beds, make it look more comfortable an take new pic xx

 

 

 

[Angela3707]

Oh gosh I didn’t even notice that, agreed though! Those corners should be tucked and not touching the floor. And pillows should be rearranged to look esthetically pleasing.  

[Ada-Luz0]

@Cathy1183 hit all the points.   Your house is beautiful.   The typos need to be corrected and I would definitely remove the “if you don’t mind the country.”

[Bubby0]

Hi @Makenzie15 ! Your place looks awesome! Love the colors inside, and what a cool property to be able to share. My only feedback would be to personally respond to each of your reviews, especially the ones that are less than 5 stars or contain recommendations. 

This shows your potential guests that you are highly engaged and willing to make improvements when there is the opportunity to do so. I try to implement any feedback I get in a review, and then I will go and update that person thank them for the ideas. 

In the app, go to Menu on bottom right and then Insights. Click on your stats and then your rating, and from there you can easily respond to all your reviews. 

Overall, this looks excellent! Feel free to check out my Airbnb in Portland, OR to see if there is anything in our listing that sparks some ideas!

Best,

Bubby

Owner, The Yellow Cottage

[Ben6150]

Hey @Makenzie15 

Great work and great reviews on your property. I'll just list my feedback in point form:

1. Create some lifestyle pics over real estate pics - Sell the experience, not the property. I have 3500+ Airbnb listings in my area but these lifestyle pics set us apart from the crowd. 
2. Also the fashion type shots - the ones you might see in a magazine. You have practically everything there already, you just need the right photographer but you could do it yourself with a little practice. Maybe some throw rugs for the bed might help with this but the rest is there. 
3. Suggestions - Toasting marshmallows over an open fire, kayaking on the lake, elevated shot of hot tub - lid off, steam coming out, book/glass of wine/cheese board etc in a table next to a chair overlooking the lake...... You get the gist? Have a look at my properties for ideas (The ones with * in the title). I still have the real estate pics, but the tight shots and lifetsyle shots are the heros and I try and put the wide shots towards the back. More like "See yourself relaxing here"
4. I wonder with the aerial shot you could maybe add some highlights like "House", Boat Slip, lake access .......... best spot for sunsets!?!? You can easily do it on PowerPoint as I have done with "Westhaven" and "Sea Breeze" to show the proximity to shops and beach etc https://airbnb.com/h/westhavensorrento 
5. Your description needs work - jump on ChatGPT and type in a few key words : I used "write a description for Airbnb listing, lake tawakoni, spacious lake house on 2 acres, boat slip, kayak, lake access, sleeps 10". ChatGPT generated "Escape to our spacious lake house nestled on 2 serene acres at Lake Tawakoni! This retreat offers the ultimate waterfront experience with its own boat slip and access to kayaks for exploring the tranquil waters. Ideal for families and groups, our home accommodates up to 10 guests comfortably. Enjoy breathtaking lake views from the expansive deck or unwind around the fire pit under the stars. Inside, you'll find a fully equipped kitchen, cozy living spaces, and bedrooms designed for relaxation after a day of lake activities. Whether fishing, boating, or simply enjoying nature, create lasting memories at our lakefront oasis." You can add more words about features (fireplace, spacious kitchen, separate guest house etc) and it'll write it all up in 2 seconds for you. 
6. See these descriptions for inspo https://airbnb.com/h/njordland  https://airbnb.com/h/ryebotanica 
   
   
7. Note also that as Guest Favourite you are in the Top 20% of properties worldwide for Guest Experience. I have several in Top 1/5/10% so I added a banner to their listing photo to celebrate it so maybe mention that for your's too? 
8. 
9. About half of your reviews are quite short, others quite long. If you build an emotional connection with people they are more likely to look after your house, keep it clean and write a lovely review. I absolutely over communicate with my guests and email them a detailed guest book with lots of local tips and things to see. All my messaging is "we are thrilled to host you......Honoured to have you stay....... blah blah" to create a connection. This also helps when things go wrong i.e. last week I had ants take over a hot tub and it couldn't be used but I apologised profusely and gave them a 6pm checkout and still got 5 stars. 
10. Another note - Airbnb AI sorting photos is a disaster for me. Has thrown out my whole story telling, bringing all the boring shots to the front and features to the back. Take out a couple of the living room shots and put them in the "Additional Photos" section at the back. When you click the photos the first 5 are all living room, living room, living room....... yawn. At "Westhaven" I added in Pizza shots and coffee cups from a magazine shoot we did onsite to break it up. Maybe see if you can do something similar across all rooms. 

A lot of info Sorry! I hope some of it helps. I operate in a saturated market on a very small peninsula. I only have 12 properties but they outperform the market average by a mile. it is 12 deg C and raining this weekend and I still have several bookings this weekend - because I have lots of hot tub and open fire photos! Best of luck. 

Ben

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[Astrid490]

@Makenzie15  saya baru saja melihat tempat anda, rumah yang luar biasa, saya berharap suatu waktu nanti saya bisa menginap di tempat anda. dan senang mengenalmu dan keluarga, salam

Google Translation added by Community Manager:  @Makenzie15 I just saw your place, what a great house, I hope someday I can stay at your place. and nice to know you and your family, greetings

[Caroline2472]

Hi Makenzie, your place looks amazing! I agree with previous comments. Also, I would suggest detailing and photos of each room so guests can work out the room allocation. Are there pics of the cottage? How big is the whole area? What kind of events can you do? You have a big property and land so shout out about them!

perhaps a welcome basket as well or option to have some food at the house if its a way to the shops. 

Good luck. Caroline