Booking Enquiry

[Mary996]

Hi All,

I previously had a Guest and his family stay after an initial visit to see the house and to meet us and we are once again being asked to show a prospective Guest around (who may be viewing other places and deciding on their choice - after viewing - since its a longer stay).

This Guest has no Reviews and didn't offer her reason for visiting.  We have provisionally agreed a time but of course she has to ask for our address in order to visit and I am feeling aware that we know nothing about her as yet. Under the circumstances I have asked her to provide some info. Is it reasonable to ask for her home address (since she will have ours prior to booking - which is not the norm). Has anyone else gone through this process or similar? Is it possibly unwise to agree to 'viewings'? Any thoughts appreciated.

I think perhaps I'm baulking at the one-way direction of this Enquiry. But perhaps she simply hasn't thought to offer some info about herself.....??? I have suggested she fill me in a little more. This may not suit her ... we will have to see!!

[Mary996]

Great advice @Dale711 ... more or less done this!

Think they may not be able to afford. xx

[Nina75]

I do viewings all the time. I prefer pre-booking viewings as guests know what they are getting, and it has cut down on bad reviews and weird situations, also, I get to meet the guests and decide if I really want them. A few of these people I didnt want them anyway. BELIEVE ME!! I also Love the transparency.

 I just had a guest book today that I told her not to book it until she came by and viewed the place and yes of course she booked it anyway, she came didn't like it, now she is requesting a refund, and my days are blocked on a weekend. This particular house has been blocked for 8 hrs and no one else can book it, and my AirBnb case manager has went home for the day.

The only thing I dont like about pre-booking viewings is that some of the guests come late and its a drag when they dont value my time.

[Mary996]

Hi @Nina75 

Many thanks indeed for your input. I found it very interesting that you also are willing to consider viewings, and that well in fact you prefer this!  That is just so interesting.

One of my two listings is intended for a small family with younger children as its necessary to walk through their room to get to the loo but I've been surprised that other arrangements have suited people and on one occasion a Guest asked to see the layout in advance as he was in the area  and wanted to accommodate his brothers and his father and whether we could fit in an additional person for one or two nights in some way, so I was agreeable to showng him around and to firming up some of the downsides so everything was clear in advance. 

I think I am probably going to take up some of the great advice here and improve my Listings with more photos and to annotate them as has been suggested. I have seen other Listings that have done this and I agree that it looks great is very professional and impressive.

[Nina75]

@Mary996  ive been in the Real Estate business for 25yrs, Showing properties comes naturally for me, I also have a business partner who lives on site, so its very easy. We get a lot of requests for movies and weddings receptions, baby showers, so we dont want any misunderstandings. it cuts down on bad reviews.

[Stephanie365]

I don't allow advance visits. That's what photos are for in the listing.

[Mary996]

Noted... not your thing @Stephanie365 

[Mary996]

Hi All.

UPDATE .........The outcome currently is that the Guest hasn't booked!

From my perspective it was helpful to have shown someone around because it got me into tidying up and getting motivated (anyone else find this challenging?). The prospective Guest did appear to want to attempt to negotiate the fee as they are planning to stay longer term in the area but I decided just to refer to the  discount already offered .  (They may have had it in mind to suggest going outside of our Agents too but I wasn't having it and they seemed to lose confidence in their 'script'). I have been ok in the past with dropping the fee and have offered a rate just somewhat above the going market rent as the Guest at that point was proposing an extensive length of stay and we decided it was worth it. I think if this particular guest had messaged me with a firm proposal for a reduction in advance using the system I might have been more amenable and have made a 'special offer'. Under the circumstance there was an element of 'creepy' which was unwelcome.

I also sensed a bit of a 'snooping' agenda. Has anyone else experienced this? In the past I had a neighbour send a Guest, without saying anything upfront to me about this... who was clearly up to something ....!! It is not a comfortable experience and was unwelcome. Has this happened to others?  Would love to hear more.

Meanwhile THANK YOU VERY MUCH INDEED to each and everyone of you who so kindly commented and have contributed to inspiring me to do better....! Thank you again xxxxxxxxxx