My Palm Springs, listing Review | Patrick

[Patrick2060]

Hello All,

I need advice on decor, amenities, and advertising. My home was built in 1981 It's well-maintained, spacious and bright. It does not have a pool or hot tub. I do have a stock tank pool to wade in during the summer.

I sell it as a basecamp for family adventures and I have good reviews. When I launched in 2020 I was getting families and the festival crowd.

Now I dont get a lot of activity.

I have no-brainer ideas, like adding a hot tub or building a pool. Before I invest in those amenities I would appreciate an honest opinion of my space compared to others in the Palm Springs market.

Listing:

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/45954979?preview_for_ml=true&source_impression_id=p3_1700834829_Wu%2BH8...

Thank you

Patrick

[John7474]

@Patrick2060 

Hello Patrick! 

What a great house you have!  My partner and I live in Los Angeles, but we Host our home in Oaxaca, Mexico. 

I think your listing and photos look good!   I have a few suggestions to attract guests: 

Your listing: 

Maybe re-order the details.  Give a little bit of details of each part of the house. Start with the House in general, then detail the kitchen, and each bedroom (including if any of the bedrooms have ensuite bathrooms), outdoor space,  and then laundry area.   

Event Promotions:

As you know Palm Springs has a lot of annual events.. Pride, Bear Pride, Coachella, and other events. Maybe offer promotions for those annual events.   There might be away to advertise in some of those event listings at  local establishments  for accommodations. 

Cleaning fee - other fee and price: 

I don't know the Palm Springs market, but is the cleaning fee / other fee inline with other listings in your area?  Same with the price, is that inline with what other homes get for each night? 

Hot tub or Pool? 

As you know putting in a pool is expensive, but it does get super hot in Palm Springs, and I think houses with pools do attract guests.  Maybe if you were to add anything start with a Hot Tub. 

Again, I think you have a really nice place and hopefully your bookings will continue to increase! 

Best, 

John 

[Paula]

Thanks so much @John7474 for these suggestions; they will provide very good ideas to  @Patrick2060

I am also reaching out to some other amazing Hosts to invite them to share their feedback on your listing: @Eileen462 @Lorina14 @Calvin173 @Alicia753 @James3814 

All the best,

[Patrick2060]

Thank you @John7474 ! I worked hard to make it comfortable.

[Kia272]

@Patrick2060  You should definitely use the captions feature with your photos. It adds a lot in helping guests understand the flow and set-up of your house. 

The only thing that struck me a bit weird is the $200 management fee you mention in your description?? What is that? How do you collect it? It's a bit off-putting. Has it ever caused a problem with guests? I'd strongly suggest that you build that into your price. A cleaning fee of $195 AND that $200 management fee just don't feel right. If it hasn't happened already, some guest will make a stink about it some day. 

Last....the travel and hospitality industry are dynamic and subject to supply and demand. It's just slow right now, and likely has nothing to do with your listing. 

[Patrick2060]

Hello @Kia272 

great point regarding mangers fee. I have made the change. Now to change the flow and add captions!

Patrick

[Eileen462]

@Patrick2060   Hi Patrick lovely home very neat and clean and organized.. Is your price equivalent to other AIRBNB in Palm Springs?  I know your in a high end area Im just curious.  I am from the Inland Empire not far from you.  Smiles,  Eileen

[Patrick2060]

Hello @Eileen462 

Thanks for your input. Yes, I try to keep my rates below the others. 

[James3814]

Hey @Patrick2060 ! Your home looks great for family adventures with its spacious and bright layout. While it doesn't have a pool or hot tub, the stock tank pool for summer wading is a unique feature. Before investing in additional amenities, consider sprucing up the decor, adding cozy touches, and highlighting the family-friendly aspect in your listing. You can find decoration ideas on websites like Pinterest, Houzz, and Apartment Therapy.  Best of luck, Let me know if you need more advice. Take care!

[Patrick2060]

Thank you for the input, @James3814 

Apologies for the late resonse. Life got in the way.

Thanks Patrick

[James3814]

Hey Patrick, no worries at all! Life happens, and we all get caught up in it. Please let me know if you need any more help or questions.  Happy holiday! 🍻

[Lorina14]

Hi @Patrick2060!

You have done a great job with your pictures and write up - it’s personable and fun! I tried to look at listings in your area and I noted that they all have pools or access to full pools. The wading pool is nice and you should definitely play it up! 

While I know it is your home away from home, decor does matter for booking - it has to create an ambiance that people want to experience. To that end, you may want to consider the following:

1)  Putting a patch of green AstroTurf in the gravel back yard. The bright blue lounge chairs are nice pops of color and the cactus in planters are nice but the gravel is a large part of the yard - you need to break it up with art, a patch of green, a water fountain, something.

2) Please change your bedding in all your bedrooms. It is dark and not inviting. Maybe more lights and color would be better. Consider putting more pillows on the bed - shams/decorative ones. Remember although it is your home, you are trying to cater to guests and they may like brighter and lighter colors. 

3) I noticed you have a lot of garage space - could you allow one space for a person’s car? I saw that people mentioned in other listings it was nice to park their luxe car in the garage because it gets so hot in Palm Springs. Or perhaps have a carport to shade a car? Just a thought. 

4) The management fee of $200 plus a $195 cleaning fee per stay seems excessive. It’s better to build the management fee into the price. I tried to look at comparable listings and airbnb was having issues loading the fees if I was tentatively trying to book (to see their fees). One similar listing had a $175 cleaning fee. I tried 6 other listings and it didn’t load. 

5) Consider adding a hot tub as this will appeal to people to sit in the hot tub and stare at the stars… 

6) Is it true that you cannot play music outside that can be heard over the property line? I would think you could play some music while hanging out at the wading pool or sitting outside. It seems a bit strict. I know in Lake Tahoe the noise ordinance is strict but only after 10pm.

7) You should definitely add your little narrative on the captions under the pictures - it takes us on a tour with your insight to furniture, art, or what favorite places you like to hang out at when you are visiting. 

It is true many people want a pool and many of the listings similar to you do have pools and they are an expensive investment.

You may want to consider a space where you set up misters, palm trees and some nice art in the backyard with some bright patio umbrellas or some theme like area (think of games fun to play in the yard with a family).

I hope this helps! You do have lovely pics and a great description going for you!

[Patrick2060]

Thank you for the advice, @Lorina14 

I appreciate the input.

Apologies for the late response. Life gets in the way at times.

Thanks again Patrick

[Lorina14]

@Patrick2060,

You’re welcome! Let me know if you need any other feedback.  Happy holidays!

[Calvin173]

@Patrick2060 First of all, congratulations, I think your property already looks great!

That said, everything I'm going to share with you now is my personal opinion, details... and not all hosts agree with it, but it's the way I run my own business, so...

My main advice is to always choose neutral colors and décor, try to avoid your personal taste and go for environments that all types of people would enjoy. Some hosts will tell you that you can make a profit with a niche, with a target audience... They're not wrong, but in my view, the larger the audience your business reaches, the more likely you are to stay booked and profiting.

It seems to me that you're already following this line of thinking, except for the carpet in the kitchen and the multicolored chairs outside. I'll definitely feel comfortable in your property, congratulations on your work!