@Leo62:
You raise some interesting points. Over the past year or so Airbnb has had a lot of publicity and the number of rentals available has drastically increased. In my city the number has practically doubled in the last couple of years to over 1,300. Every listing has one thing in common- they all had no reviews when they started.
Hosts go through the same vetting process that a guest goes through. They must provide various id's. Airbnb does not verify the house listing, however. What is written and depicted is soley the responsibility of the host. Airbnb relies on the review process to weed out the listings that are inaccurate.
All that to say this, yes, there is some adventure in choosing a listing with no reviews, but there are also some things to watch for.
1. Is the price completely out of line with similar properties in the area? If it is simply too good to be true then it probably is bad.
2. If the host indicates that they want to message outside the Airbnb platform (ie personal email) then you should not book that property.
3. Similarly, a host asking for payment outside the Airbnb platform is violating Airbnb terms of service and is also probably not legitimate.
4. The pictures should also match the listing's description. Are the amenities in the description also shown in the pictures?
5. Is there a good picture of the host with a well-written profile paragraph?
6. Does the host have some written recommendations on their profile page?
7. You can always message the host with any questions or comments prior to booking. Don't book if you become uncomfortable during the message exchange.
8. You can contact Airbnb directly if you arrive at the listing and it is not as described. Airbnb has the option of moving you to another host. Airbnb does not pay the host when you pay for your reservation. Instead, they wait until early morning of the day after check-in to send the payment. This allows you time to contact Airbnb and let them know of a problem prior to the host receiving a payment.
As I said, there is some adventure in trying new things. Untested hosts may not be for everyone. If you are their first guest then you should be understanding if it is not a perfect stay. I remember our first guest. He arrived and then the AC developed a problem so it took all night to get the apartment cool. The guest was understanding- it was his first Airbnb too! He has since stayed at several more.
Be prepared to provide constructive suggestions to help the host improve. Be kind when you complete your review.
Well, Leo, are you ready for some adveture?