Airbnb Backwards

[Kyle501]

Here is my situation, I’m moving from Wisconsin to Oregon, we don’t want to buy immediately upon arrival and thought Airbnb or Vrbo might be better options for a 2-3 stay but I’m having difficulty finding something affordable. We are not vacationing and don’t require all the bells and whistles. Is there a way or another site that anyone is familiar with that would let hosts see what I need and what I’m offering per month for pay. I find it hard to believe that hosts would rather let their income property sit dormant for months Instead of having income coming in, but even in these times people don’t seem to be budging. Not looking for a handout, just some help from the community. Any constructive advice or help would be much appreciated. Thank you in advance.

[Debra300]

@Kyle501,

Please add more context to your comment, "..but I’m having difficulty finding something affordable...".  Are you saying that you're not getting any search results when you do searches on Airbnb and Vrbo with the filters of required amenities (bedrooms, beds, bathrooms, kitchen, etc.) and your price range?  Or are you saying that when you do a search with amenities and price filters that you aren't seeing anything in the results that you like?

[Kelly149]

@Kyle501 @There’s just no good way to make an abb work as a long term place. No background check, no deposit, no utilities, fully furnished, ...

and if you’re wanting to pay pennies on the dollar then a host can get that with just a few days rented at regular price so there’s no incentive to give you full time use at a part time rate. 

?see what’s available on Craigslist?? Good luck

[Mark116]

@Kyle501  The search function is your best bet, whatever you find that is available long term within your budget is pretty much going to be whatever there is.  Many hosts react negatively to people asking for discounts, and a lot of hosts won't rent long term because it often gives the person the same rights as a tenant.  I don't know of any other sites you could check, but perhaps you could do it the old fashioned way and look for a tenant at will arrangement rather than a STR.

[Kyle501]

Thank you both for the replies. I am not asking for pennies on the dollar I’m talking about the a $200-300 a month difference to stay within budget for our move. I do understand there is a risk with long term  renters and not doing background checks but you risk that every weekend you rent as well. Is it rude or unheard of to negotiate with hosts on a price? I still find it illogical that someone would rather their income property not produce income than find someone willing to pay something. I have found a couple in the area I am seeking that meet our needs but there is still that price gap and for 70 nights I’m searching for, if your property pops up within the parameters it means you have no bookings right? Otherwise it wouldn’t show as available. Any further answers are greatly appreciated.

[Sarah977]

@Kyle501  For an experienced host who is adept at vetting guests, no it's not more risky to get a weekend booking than a 70 day one. As other posters have explained, a long-term tenant can fall under landlord/tenant laws and it can be almost impossible to get an objectionable guest out (not insinuating you'd be objectionable in any way, but you're still a stranger to the host). Having a weekend guest who makes a mess just means a big clean-up, having someone there for 70 days who may ever clean up anything can result in a huge horror show and having to replace numerous items.

There are other issues that come up for hosts with long term bookings, such as the guest assuming that since they rented the place for a few months, they can just invite other people over, friends or family, which isn't the case.

It isn't unheard of for guests to try to negotiate the price, but it is rather rude. Hosts who don't mind taking long term bookings already have a monthly discount in place. Asking them for a further discount is basically saying that you don't think their place is worth what they're charging, so it's insulting. Or that the financial situation of a complete stranger is their concern. 

Just because you get listings come up as available when you enter your dates doesn't mean those hosts might not be able to book any of those dates short term between now and 2 months from now. Plenty of guests book a few days rental only a week or less before the check-in date. 

You might have better luck going to a regular rental agent (they often work out of real estate offices).

[Anonymous]

@Kyle501 Many hosts do offer discounted monthly rates. But the price displayed in your search results will account for the already-existing discount. If there is literally nothing showing up within your budget, Airbnb is probably not a cost-effective option for you - they'll be charging you hundreds on top of the rental rate in service fees alone.

If you do intend to ask hosts to take a pay cut to give you a deeper discount (which I really don't recommend), it helps to be aware that long term stays are usually costlier and riskier to the host than vacationers. You make heavier use of the facilities and utilities, because you're not out sightseeing all day, chances of damage are much higher, and there's always the risk that you'll acquire right of tenancy and squat the property without paying rent. Hopefully you can understand why most hosts would rather take a sprinkling of short bookings at full price than a sharply discounted 70 day stay. I would echo the suggestion above of contacting a conventional rental agency instead, and keeping Airbnb in mind more for short holiday breaks. 

[Ann72]

@Kyle501  Two factors in addition to those noted above by @Sarah977 and @Anonymous may be in play:  some hosts have temporarily closed their Airbnbs, while others are fully booked.  Many people working remotely need to get away and they have more flexibility for local travel than before.  

Most towns and cities have local rental agencies with listings that might suit your needs.  Rather than a platform search, consider going old-school and picking up the phone.

[Emilia42]

@Kyle501 Also, the $200-$300 difference is likely coming from the taxes and Airbnb Service Fees which the host has no control over. This can add 20-25% to the booking. So while it looks like you are paying, say $2,000 per month, the host has technically listed their place for $1,600.