Hi @James4920 ,
I took a look at your listing and read your reviews and I have a few thoughts. Please know I am offering this in a bit of a vacuum so maybe it will be helpful (and maybe not).
Things that stood out to me:
1. Your responses to reviews are great, but I would not mention their suggestions since they don't mention them in their review (it must have been private feedback) because then others are wondering, what was wrong, what did they want to see different. Now if they had said the suggestion in their public review, my thoughts here would be different.
2. Whatever their suggestions were, take them seriously and really consider doing whatever it is. This is your test pool to improve and it is great you have gotten all 5* overall reviews so far, but you don't want to lose that by not listening to what your guests have to say. (and be grateful it was private recs :))
3. In your amenities, it says you don't provide essentials (the image with towels) (though based on your description, I am guessing you do). Just be sure to click that. I can't recall if you had also listed the kitchen essentials of spices/oil, etc., but I would definitely have those and coffee/tea for guests.
4. Washer/dryer - it says it is paid in the amenities and then in the description it says for guests of 7 days or longer. You might want to consider allowing guests to use it for free (and potentially for stays less than 7 days; though I do have one listing where I say you must stay for 7 days as well (but that is b/c it is also my laundry room).
5. It says a "shared backyard" -- left me wondering, shared with who.
6. Neighborhood - I would add some details about the location/neighborhood. Can they walk to anything? Is the hwy nearby? Etc etc. Sell whatever you can, but don't oversell. You don't want to ever set expectations too high. And guests should not be surprised by anything.
7. I would seriously consider getting professional photographs. The photographers Airbnb provides are really inexpensive (I'd guess less than $200 for your place) and I think it would do wonders. BUT, before that, I would recommend decorating a bit (see next point).
8. The furniture looks nice and the place looks clean and nice, but it looks so bare I would not call it cozy or comfy. The one decorator item I noticed on the kitchen table seems a bit out of place and better for a shelf perhaps. You don't want to go overboard with stuff, but some art on the walls; end tables on either end of the couch and a coffee table, maybe a thing under the TV with books/games, nightstand on both sides of the bed, and plants. It can even be fake plants so long as they are high quality fake looking plants. It makes a place look so much nicer.
9. Your response rate looks good and based on the reviews, I am guessing you are doing great at communication so keep that up.
10. I noticed one review said something about it being cheap. Being competitive on your price is great, but if it is too low, it might give the wrong impression about the type of place it is so don't go too low.
11. In the rules it says guests will need to show that they are 21 upon check in, but it also says it is a contactless keypad check in, so as a prospective guest I would question that as well and I would be put off by needing to show my ID.
I think you are off to a great start. I hope some of this can be helpful for you.
Beth
