Feedback about our listing in Driffield, East Yorkshire (UK)

[Ann32229]

Hi - I'm Ann and along with my husband Pete we are new hosts. We have an entire house in Driffield, East Yorkshire (UK). It would be great to get some feedback about our listing if any of you lovely people have time: 

https://airbnb.com/h/detached-house-in-driffield-east-yorkshire

I am an educational author and my husband is an artist.

[Helen427]

Hello @Ann32229 and welcome to ABB & ABB CC from across the other side of the world in Remuera, Auckland, New Zealand

You have a gorgeous listing.

Do you have any photos of how your home was when it was under it's previous guardians and who the builders/ architects were who originally created it?

Maybe try locate some of that information and stories on the people who were there before you from newspaper archives and print them off and make a little booklet for your guests to browse during their stays and/ or get your husband Pete to make thank you cards featuring a part of your delightful home.

A little memento is good PR for your guests to go home and share memories with future potential guests.

Did you create the waterlily pond?

All the best

[Ann32229]

Thank you Helen for taking the time to view our listing and for giving us some great ideas. The pond was already in the garden when we bought the property. It looks lovely in summer but no so much in winter!

[Helen427]

It's a pleasure @Ann32229 

I so happen to have been browsing a Building magazine today that featured a couple of early 1900's homes restoration and renovations here in New Zealand.

I like that era of homes as they really are a work of amazing craftsmanship and decoration using the most natural of techniques.

Do you have any flower bulbs in the vicinity of the pond?

Maybe that's one way to jazz it up for the winter/ spring months and not detract from it in summer?

Heads up - when replying add the @ to tag who you are including in the conversation so they receive an alert.

[Ann32229]

Hi @Helen427 

My husband is going to plant lots of colourful things and also create a rockery around the pond.

Thank you for the heads up about the @ tag - I didn't know!

All the best with your venture and thanks again for your advice.

Ann and Pete.

[Kia272 · Accepted solution]

@Ann32229  Your property looks lovely. Two things: First, the price is coming up for me as $106 US dollars a night. That seems awfully cheap! It's whatever price you set it at - which seems to be $133- minus the 20% discount that AirBnB encourages for new listings? Anyway, at this price you'll attract a segment of the market that you don't necessarily want to attract. Even at $133, that's a super-low price for 6 guests. I don't know your market and the prices, but I've always felt that the best thing to do with pricing is to decide what it's worth TO YOU to rent out your place, and price accordingly. Even if you're at the high end of the market, you will get guests. You'll attract people who value quality over price. 

Second, I would NOT allow access to your husband's art studio. I think it's asking for trouble. If you don't want guests accessing that room, close and lock it and be done with it. Your husband's artwork could come to some harm- inadvertent or intentional. We all like to believe that guests will act the way that we ourselves would act as a guest in somebody else's home, but it doesn't work that way. 

I'd also edit your photos a bit- 60 is a lot and not many guests will look at them all. Some seem redundant, like the lounge area photos. 

Good luck with your hosting venture! Kia

[Marie6762]

@Kia272 

Inoticed that the studio is “off limits” to guests and locked 🙂

[Ann32229]

Hi @Kia272  - it's really kind of you to have taken the time to look at our listing and to provide feedback. We have been 'guided' by Airbnb during the listing process regarding what price to charge, and to accept a 20% discount on the first three bookings. We did this, but we don't know how to switch off the discount now as we don't want to offer it. 

We have now increased the price as your feedback really helped us to make a decision.   My husband will be locking his studio and we will also place a 'no access' notice on the door.

We live next door to the property so we are hoping to keep an eye on the comings and goings, as we don't accept dogs!

I wasn't sure about the photos, as I wanted to include several in the different 'rooms' section of the listing, but they all seem to appear together on the front page. I don't know if there is anyway of choosing what's on the front page?

Thank you again for your amazing advice!

Ann and Pete

[Kia272]

@Ann32229  You are very welcome. Just some lessons learned from a couple of years of hosting.

FYI, AirBnB's "guidance" on pricing is notoriously bad for hosts. AirBnB wants the booking volume, so they encourage low prices. Be careful with your settings and even if you decide to use "smart" pricing, be careful with that too. I have the lower limit of my smart pricing at the regular price for my rental, and I have the high limit set not too high. I feel like it's worth what it's worth regardless of demand, and I don't want to price gauge just because I can. 

Living next door is a big advantage, and you should place that information fairly prominently in your listing. It will discourage partiers and guests who want to sneak in extra guests and dogs. Use that to your advantage. 

Best of luck! Kia

[Ann32229]

Thank you @Kia272 you have been really helpful again! 

We have updated the listing to say that we live next door!  As you say, it's a good way to discourage people from booking who might do a sneaky on us!

Best wishes.

Ann and Pete

[Sarah977]

@Ann32229  Be aware that Airbnb's suggestions, encouragements and and scare tactics have nothing to do with you being a successful host- that is  all designed to get bookings rolling in as fast and furiously as possible so they can collect their service fees.

They don't care if you make no profit or if the price they recommend attracts nothing but riff-raff. Their pricing suggestions are absurd and insulting. For example, my "price tips" are half of what my guests pay and tell me is "great value" and that I could charge more for what I provide.

Your price is way too low. Per person in a group of 6, they are paying less than what they would likely pay for a hostel room with a shared bathroom and communal kitchen.

[Ann32229]

Thank you @Sarah977 I am learning this very quickly!

Best wishes. Ann

[Marie6762]

@Ann32229 

It is a lovely listing!  You’ll experiment with your price.  I priced my listing lower at first,to accumulate 5-star reviews.   I raised it 10%, then experimented with another 10% raise on two separate occasion: each timed I lost a values star, so Ihave kept it at the lower rate for the last several months.  

I agree, however, that your price is too low for the quality you provide, and the quantity of guests you accommodate.

[Ann32229]

Thank you @Marie6762 - we have put our prices up!