New To Airbnb, About To Publish My Listing, But - Are Hosts As Unhappy As They Seem?

[Rebecca181]

Hi Everyone,

I am excited to be joining the Airbnb community. I spent several days getting my first home listing together and was just about to publish it but then decided to do some research on the community forums here to see what sorts of issues / challenges I might face as a new host, and as a host in general. It seems clear from reading the many posts from unhappy hosts that things were going along relatively well until 2015, when many changes occurred that seemed to favor guests and seemed unfair, unpalatable, or even intolerable to hosts sharing their spaces / rental properties on a short term basis - to the point where several hosts stated they were fed up, angry, have had enough, and are removing their listings all together from Airbnb. The main issues presented by host forum contributors that concern me are:

1) A buggy software system that causes hosts to receive double or triple bookings; when hosts try and cancel the later bookings they are 'penalized' by Airbnb for 'cancelling'.

2) Customer service seems impossible to reach. Emails are not responded to; a live human being is difficult to access. When one is reached (a miracle, it seems), the host allegedly hears vapid and meaningless responses such as, "Oh, I have never heard about that before. I'll talk to a manager about it and get back to you." And (you guessed it) the host never hears back from any support staff  of any kind at Airbnb.

3) When a guest damages property, claims are denied, even when the host follows the claims instructions down to the letter. I have only seen two cases on these forums where a claim was successfully and expediently resolved. The fact that the Host Protection Insurance policy itself is unavailable for hosts to review (or for most anyone to review, for that matter, although I have come across one insurance agent who has an actual copy of it - It is about 180 pages long, with a lot of exclusions, reportedly) does not add to my sense of confidence were an issue of damaged property to arise in relation to one of my Airbnb guests.

4) InstaBooking: Is this something a new host should avoid at first, even though it seems we are, in a sense, penalized for not signing up for this feature (listing not prominent in searches; harsher cancellation penalties, etc) as it could "overwhelm" us in relation to where we are as first-time hosts on the Airbnb learning curve? 

And so I am ultimately wondering, are there any happy hosts out there, including newer hosts that have listed properties since 2015? Am I likely to have a positive experience with Airbnb, if I do my best to follow all of the recommendations on how to offer a good housing experience for guests? Or is the host experience on Airbnb deteriorating to the point where new people like me should think twice before joining this particular sharing community? I really would love to meet people from all over the world, from all walks of life, as I cannot travel these days much for various reasons, and I value the 'sharing' mindset, so this is why I was hoping to find most of my guests through Airbnb (my listing is in a much-sought-after beach vacation rental area).

Thank you all so much in advance for any insights, experiences, or words of wisdom you may have for me!

Rebecca

[Rebecca181]

Hi Karen,

Your note made my day. I sometimes wonder if I research TOO much - I nearly researched my way out of Airbnb before even giving it a try. Again, I feel so reassured by all of the positive and encouraging replies I am receiving - And I thank you for your acknowledging my attempts to learn as much as I can before posting my listing here. One question I still have: Would you recommend that I do NOT use Instant Book during my first few months as a host? It does seem that one is penalized a bit ('your listing will not be highlighted in searches' - and other warnings like this from Airbnb) - But I also hear it can be too much for a new host just ramping up. Do you have any thoughts or suggestions for me on that?

Thanks again,

Rebecca

[Karen-and-Brian0]

Hi @Rebecca181 You can't research too much when it comes to Airbnb, believe me. 😄 I found there is SO much to learn in the beginning, and I've continued to learn more & more as I've gone along.  Reading the posts here from other hosts more often than not gives me the "there but for the grace of God, go I" feeling - and I know it was just luck, and not good managment has kept us relatively unscathed when we were "newbies".

To answer your question - yes, Airbnb does push the Instant Book feature and you may want to try it out later on, but like @Andrea9, I'd advise you to get some bookings under your belt and then reassess. You may or may not want to "go there'. I will never allow Instant Book (as long as it's an option) simply because I want to know who is staying at our place - a party of 8 could be 8 adults (and eight 21 year olds are a somewhat different demographic than eight 50-60 year olds), or could be 2 adults and 6 children ages 1-7 (children tend to be rather a lot of work!!) etc. etc. It could be anyone and anything. I don't like to leave that up to chance. I like to know a little bit about the people staying in our cherished recreational property, and really try to get a sense of what they are like before I approve a booking. I really think this is why we haven't run into any of the disaster guests you read about here - oh boy! knock on wood with that statement!!

Being a new listing gives you a bump up in the beginning and I think if you do small edits to your listing every day or 2, that also helps keep it up in the search results. So no worries there yet. It becomes more of a challenge if you are in an area with a very high concentration of Airbnb listings (and I'm sorry I haven't checked to see if you are) and maybe Instant Book is the key to survival in those areas, I can't speak to that - we're a small fish but we're in a small pond, so that helps.  Karen

[Rebecca181]

Hi again @Karen-and-Brian0 - Okay, I think I will not do the Instant Book when I start out - I had the same concerns that you point out here, and I don't have that much competition in that most of my 'competitors' list on VRBO and not Airbnb and are property managed. And my property set up and the specific higher end amenities I plan to offer make my suite unique as well. I am seeking more discerning, 'high end' clients that appreciate quality amenities. I basically am making the kind of place I would want to stay in if I stayed in a vacation rental. I've stayed in quite a few and so I finally have the chance to create my 'fantasy' suite. I may charge a bit more and that may lower my bookings but the clientele I get may be just perfect for me. I do have an age restriction also (28 or older) as my suite is really only suitable for single adults and couples. Once I get my listing published I will share it here to get more feedback. Hope to have it up soon. Just decided on a name and am making up business cards, yard signs, and banners right now.

Best,

Rebecca

[Rhonda11]

I would recommend that you do NOT allow instant book until you are comfortable.  Especially if, like me, this is your primary residence and you're nervous opening up your home to strangers.  Allow yourself to have strict policies to start.  I have relaxed over the course of the last 1-1/2 years hosting but have stuck to a few things where I feel that my gut instincts have proven to be valid! Here are a couple things I've learned for my home and my hosting experience:

1) The guest's skin color or national origin are no indication of how they will be as a guest!  (just as I thought!) 

2) Younger groups of guests are rowdier than families.

3) Communication is key.  If someone doesn't have the time or inclination to answer any and all of your questions prior to accepting their request to book, and gives you little information about their trip, they seem to respect and appreciate your home less... resulting in lack luster reviews too.

4) Guests with less experience through Airbnb (new members with no reviews) will require more hand-holding.  They tend to contact you at 10 PM asking for a restaurant recomendation or some other non-urgent matter 🙂

Just my observations, of course others may have different experiences!

[Zoe34]

@Rhonda11 Just curious, what questions do you ask them before you allow them to book?  I Host an apartment above my own personal home as well, and it is a little nervewracking at times.  I had one first-timer leave me a terrible review after not even checking in.  However, isn't it a Superhost requirement to allow to instant book?  I am working towards a Superhost status at the moment.

[Rhonda11]

Hi @Zoe34

My 2 main concerns have been noise (to keep my neighbors happy) and location (to make sure I don't get slammed with the review afterwards!)

Many guests tend to say why they are coming and with whom... gives me a clue about any potential disconnects. "My wife and I are attending a wedding in Cambridge...." I say "Hi (potential guest), thank you for the request.  Please make sure that my location works for you - as stated in my description, there is plenty of street parking and the subway is about a 15 minute walk.  Cambridge is right next door but a cab or Uber would be best if you do not have a car."

Or they say "My husband and I are coming with our 2 small children to see Boston for the first time."  I point out that the house is not deleaded or baby proofed in case it's a concern, and again that it's a 15 minute walk to the subway which can be a lot for small kids...

Or they request for 4 guests (my preferred max) and mention that they are 2 couples with kids... um, the math doesn't work... I don't charge extra for kids but 4 adults with 4 kids is too many people and too much noise!

Or if I know I have a reservation immediately before or after their stay: "thanks for the request.... can you please give me an idea of your travel plans?  I do have guests checking out that day at 12:00 noon and I want to ensure that everything is ready for your 4:00 PM check in."

If they give me no info at all, I come right out and ask about their plans "thanks for the request... I hope my place works well for you, would you mind giving me more info about your plans so I can make sure you have a great stay"

I haven't been concerned about superhost status, I seem to have as many reservations as i want without it.  What do you think would be the benefit?

[Rebecca181]

Hi Rhonda,

I found your initial reply and then your response to Zoe to be extraordinarily informative and helpful. I have decided that I definitely will not use the Instant Booking feature while I am ramping up as a new host. I also really love how you sensitively and diplomatically handle initial inquiries to ensure that you are hosting guests who are well suited and well matched to your property. This is very important to me as well. So thanks for the 'real life' examples you shared with Zoe and all of us here. Much appreciated!

Best,

Rebecca

[Nutth0]

Thank you all @Rebecca181 @Branka-and-Silvia0 .... I am newbie to airbnb this's very good topic and answer.

[Rebecca181]

Hi Nutth,

So glad you found my post helpful. Best of luck with your new hosting experiences!

Rebecca

[Andrea9]

@Rebecca181

Congratulations to you for doing the necessary research before hanging up your 'Open for Business' sign! You'll see how much this helps you ongoing when issues pop up that that you didn't expect, because you'll have the manual with your possibilities and how to handle them right there in your back pocket!  And from what you write, I'd alo wager that the phone # for your area is already on speed dial too!

It's true that Airbnb has major shortcomings in that there are often decisions that favor guests and not the host. And that what you see on the forums here are usually the drama and problems and not the reports of how Airbnb solved something really well.

Important is to vet guests as well as possible in advance through message conversation, which is more difficult when IB is on (at least for beginning hosts). Remembering that like in a company, keeping a record as proof is important, thus keeping exchanges on the message page, or at least to use it to repeat or confirm any agreements on it. 

The hosting and feeling like a local Kumbaja Koolaid is a nice PR tool, but to use a comparison - even difficult or bad people, scammers, thieves, the mafia even, can be found in the best restaurants eating and drinking the same as wonderful people sitting a table away. So learning to detect what's off about a prospective guest and asking questions is vital.

With that in mind it's up to us to implement the tools we get and use them in a circumspect and sometimes out-of-the-box way.

Not just expecting people to follow one's rules, but having some inobtrusive way to check they do, esp. for off-site hosts.

Just remember that as soon as your ad goes live, you're like the new intern at a hotel that is suddenly pushed into the hospitality business. Know your options, learn to say No as quickly as possible with a smile on your face while being a charming and generous host on the other side. And if your experiences are any like mine, you'll get loads of extremely nice guests. Some might be new to Airbnb and have no clue as to what it's about, but it's always possible to insert the "You're new to Airbnb? You may not be aware of how it's different to hotel booking sites......." and that way set expectations right from the get-go.

With the room I rent out in my home (not ideal for many)  Airbnb is still the best site for me to do it on. Would I additionally use another site that gave me comparable options? I'd sign up in a flash!

Happy hosting! Andrea

[Rebecca181]

Hi Andrea,

Your reply to my questions and concerns is extraordinarily helpful. I am sure I will refer back to it again and again, as with most of the other insightful responses I have received to my original post thus far. I'm getting the sense that Instant Booking might be something I should wait on until I get a better sense of my responsibilities and challenges as a (new) host. I imagine people will still find my listing - I do not have a ton of competition in my area, although it is a very popular area - but most owners / property managers list on VRBO and not Airbnb. I am fortunate in one respect in that, like you, I live on the property, but in the main house, separated from the rental suite by a courtyard. So I will be able to tell what's up without being obviously intrusive. It is a great set-up. I can even stay in the suite and rent out the very large main (beach) house if I really needed to increase my cash flow. I love having those kinds of options. Although I will likely also list on other short term rental sites, for some reason I like the community and international and 'share' aspects of Airbnb, and so I hope that most of my business comes from this site. I do wonder if Airbnb guests are willing to pay more for high quality accomodations and amenities - or are they looking for a much cheaper, less thoughtful accomodation, in general - because I plan to have many thoughtful, unexpected amenities. I guess soon I shall see! 

Thanks again for your lovely, warm, and informative response. I'd list my property right now if I had better photos - Non-stop rain here and am waiting for a clear day to take better photos of the beautiful, flowering, lush grounds. I'm on over a third of an acre right near the beach. It is truly spectacular, which is why I want to share it with others. I'm calling it 'Serenity-by-the-Sea'...

Best, 

Rebecca

[John-and-Heather0]

Welcome to Oregon!

I think other hosts have given you some good advice. Planning is a plus; be sure to check on licensing and zoning in your City or County (very hot topic on the Oregon Coast, and often rules change every 6 months and election). Get your tax account before you start renting (AirBNB does state, but you have to collect local tax and you have to report to the state even where AirBNB pays). You can check out our listings to see how to separately collect the local tax on the Central Coast.

There are 2 theories for guest damages; if the guest gives a true cash deposit that you control (VRBO), you can offer better rates to everyone knowing that only those who damage things pay more. With the AirBNB "only if the guest agrees" system, the worst guests will damage your stuff and then lie about it, and the system does work in your favor.  So that is theory 2--raise your rates slightly to cover eventual damages that AirBNB doesn't back you up on.  Either way, its all just a math problem.

AirBNB is really excelling at expanding the market for smaller, budget-friendly but unique accommodations (6 guests or less) to the traditional vacation rental market (large homes). Stay involved in the community politics; hotel owners losing market share are out there convincing elected officials that there is a "problem" to solve, and some communities have banned AirBNBs entirely.  Hope that helps!

[Rebecca181]

@John-and-Heather0 Thanks so much! Do you mind providing me a link to your listing? Glad you mentioned something, as I thought Airbnb had an arrangement with Lane County and paid the Transient Lodge Tax. Do you think it varies from county to county? I am in an Urban Growth Boundary  (UGB) area and so I do not have to pay city taxes (already called them) and am not governed by them at all. Called Lane County and they present as very easy and cool with airbnb and short term rentals in general, especially if you are in the UGB - Brings a lot of business to Florence and their often are no vacancies at hotels during events and peak season. Thanks again and look forward to looking at your listing!

Best,

Rebecca

[John-and-Heather0]

@Rebecca181click on us, then click "view AirBNB profile" and you can see both of our properties. Note we have the tax as a rule, then collect it through resolution center (click "report a problem") after the guest books.

Call your county to check; some counties have had vacation rentals for decades and so there are probably some laws on the books that apply to you. Lincoln County used to exempt vacation rentals from the tax, but changed that with their licensing.

[Dee9]

@Rebecca181

Hello...ive always said that these forums are more of complaint forums. unfortunately prople log on here to vent and not enough people post happy experiences.

try this link, maybe it will make you feel better....

https://community.airbnb.com/t5/Hosts/SHARE-A-POSITIVE-EXPERIENCE/m-p/340499#M77614