Interested in hosting in Guatemala City

[Karen4553]

Hello, I’m interested in becoming a host in Guatemala City but currently live in California. I would like to know if anyone here is host in Guatemala City and lives out the  country. I would like to see if some can help me with the steps I need to take in order to become an Airbnb host. If someone can please reach out. I will greatly appreciate all the help I can get. Thank you 

[Elisa]

Hi @Karen4553 😊, 

Thank you for asking this question!

What made you decide to start hosting?

I’m sharing this article with you 👉 How to start a business on Airbnb 

and I’m also tagging a few hosts from Guatemala to see what advice they can share: @Bridger1, @Luis5653, @Ariana27, @Mario-Andrés2, @Ken1781 and @Andrea2457.

Thank you in advance everyone!

Warm regards 🌻,

[Karen4553]

Thank you very much. I truly appreciate it. The reason why I’m starting airbnb is because my husband and I recently purchased a home in Guatemala City maybe looking into the future as our retirement home for us. But as of right now since we are not able to be there since we live in California, just planning to use it as an Airbnb to get a little extra income for the property. Honestly I’m a little nervous but thank you for your advice and reaching out. I really appreciate it all the guidance I can get.

[Elisa]

Hi @Karen4553 😊, 

Thank you so much for your reply!

You have an amazing plan 😍 don’t worry, I’m sure you’ll find a way to make everything work out.

Did you have a chance to take a look at the link I sent? What do you think?

Let me know if you need any more help!

Warm regards 🌻,

[Bridger1]

Hello, Karen! I am hosting in Guatemala City while living in the USA as well. Here are some things you should take into mind as you think forward on beginning an Airbnb.

-Guatemala City is EXTREMELY SATURATED  with Airbnb and short term rentals, and making a profit can be quite difficult if you plan on paying a monthly mortgage. 
- Paying taxes can be quite confusing, and the SAT (Guatemalan IRS) is watching Airbnb like a hawk. 
- You have to have somebody that lives close to your property that can manage your property with you as there will absolutely be emergencies.

-figuring out where to buy your things to furnish your space is quite the chore!

That said, what I have found is that 70% of all the airbnbs in the entire city of Guatemala are so incredibly similar with the products they use and their setups that it’s not hard to stand out. It is also incredibly fun! We have had the opportunity to host about 100 guests and many come from different countries for many different reasons!

I am wide open to questions if you would like to ask!

[Karen4553]

Thank you @Bridger1 for your reply. Yes, I would like to know if I need to get a permit in Guatemala before starting Airbnb. And in regards to the ( SAT) how do I go about that is it when you get your first guest that they start taxing you? And also in regards to having someone live close to the property do you recommend a family member or are there other people that provide that service? I need all the advice I can get Thank you again 🙏🏼

[Bridger1 · Accepted solution]

No permit is needed since it’s your property! All you need to do is register on the website SAT to be able to pay your taxes. This is a long and confusing process. Non-residents pay a 12% tax while residents only 7.%. My wife is a resident, so we use her information to pay taxes. I would 100% recommend you get an accountant that does this for you monthly. We paid $24 per month and they did everything for us. You must pay taxes on all income by the end of the following month. 

as for the person that helps us, we have a family member that we entrust 100% of our property with. This includes banking to helping guests. We have other family members that also live close by that we entrust with the cleaning and maintenance. 

There are many other cleaning companies that are very trustworthy in Guatemala City that I doubt you’ll be able to find.