@Roger68 Please please read my post.
There was no way I was going to ignore this post of yours. And I certainly wasn't going to let it go that you continously told @Jennifer178 she was wrong. Sir....YOU are the one who is wrong. I am beyond flabbergasted that you would brag about being a REALTOR for 30+ years and think that every company operates the same. I know a Real Estate company that charges a Flat Rate commission here in Hawaii and not the 6% commission that other companies do....is that company wrong too!?! No Sir they are not. They just decided to do real estate a bit different to attact customers. Just as Airbnb has done with their company in providing hospitality different from hotels. And they have succeeded too!!!
1. The reason you are so frustrated is that you have proven to myself, Jennifer and everyone else reading this that you did NOT do your due diligence in reading the "ins and outs" of becoming an Airbnb host. I am a Superhost, and have been for 18 months now.
I can assure you that I read EVERYTHING I could for 6 months before creating my listing and taking on booking requests. I absorbed what everyone wrote here, read every article on the Airbnb website as well as read their Contractual Terms and Conditions. Something that is also required by every realtor to do when conducting the sale or purchase of any home no matter where you work. And you and I both know that not every sale or purchase of a home is the same. SO READING IS KEY!
2. Had you read the many articles and helpful tips on how to get started as a host, you would have been a lot less frustrated. Clearly you are needing more business or you wouldn't have ventured onto a new site. Would your clients buy a house without seeing it, walking in it, reading the Home Inspection report, reading the contract, or escrow papers? NO THEY WOULD NOT. This is no different.
3. One of the many reasons mistakes are made by hosts every day is the lack of learning how it works. There are so many things to read and understand before you start hosting including "What is Instant Booking?" Clearly you didn't do that either.
4. It is your responsibility to decide on your settings within your account and understand how it all works by using the many helpful tools that Airbnb provides. No one held my hand when I started in July 2015, and I sure as heck didn't post on the community wall that Airbnb is awful. Quite the contrary, its actually the BEST COMPANY I HAVE EVER PARTNERED WITH....and I have had many many business partners in my life working in law. Airbnb cares alot! And their Customer Service is beyond superior! I speak from experience of working with Airbnb for the last 18 months.
5. I personally hope you apologize to Jennifer for the simple fact that she was pointing out the obvious to you which I would have done as well had I seen your post first. I dont' think she was out of line at all. Heck you may even attack me too, but know this, I am much more thick skinned. A good idea would be to humble out and act like the mature responsible realtor you keep bragging about that you are.
6. Please feel free to contact Airbnb 24/7 customer service (they even work on Christmas Day, gasp!) as they can hold your hand and walk you through the process to help you understand a bit more of how this works....because believe you me when I say...IT WORKS and it works fabulously!!! I love Airbnb and enjoy helping other hosts on a dailly basis with advice they may need on how to best reply to a guests who has strange requests, or to offer my loving support to a host having a bad day like the awesome SUPERHOST today who got a bummer of a review saying her 3 year old was too loud outside during the day. Imagine that, a 3 year old being too loud while playing outside in the yard of HER HOME!?!? If I could meet that guest, I would be reminding them they rented a room in a beautiful house WHERE A FAMILY LIVES.....and choose a hotel next time.
7. I truly hope you can take a deep breath and realize that YOU are the one who made the mistake....actually a few of them, and close your listing temporaliy until you learn everything you can from the very helpful website that Airbnb provides to every host. And when I say everything, that includes the policy about what is allowable in your listing....since you chose to violate those policies by adding your phone number and payment system to your guests. Major No No. And you can't claim ignorance because its YOUR responsility to read EVERYTHING prior to becoming a HOST....not a REALTOR.....this community is made up of actual hosts..in all kinds of capacities. Some more personal like me who host guests from all over the world in my home....that's right...IN MY HOME. And yes, I come across many guests who have not read the Airbnb policy on being a respectful guests who should follow House Rules but I can promise you they get a huge education from me. The first one being....READ READ READ. 🙂 (many have thanked me for taking the time to walk them through learning how to use Airbnb to book a home or how to follow simple House Rules)
8. If you need the phone number for Airbnb, go to the search bar at the top of this page and type in HOW TO CONTACT AIRBNB. Trust me when I say.....the numbers are all there! That's how I got it back in May 2015 when I decided to call and ask a few questions. They were incredibly helpful.
9. And as far as the Real World goes, I can assure you that I have lived in it for 51 years as a wife, mother, lawyer, Airbnb Superhost, great friend, Award winning Businesswoman, mentor and yes, including working on real estate transactions.
10. Something that just occured to me.....is that you might not actually read all of this even though I took great care to help you and share some helpful tips....but just in case you skimmed my post, like so many of my guests do by skimming my House Rules, and not read all 12, I am going to take this opportunty to repeat myself in #10 here by saying.....Do yourself a favor, and educate yourself on "How to be a Great Host" on the Airbnb platform by READING READING and more READING. Knowledge is Power....it certainly isn't by putting other hosts down who were just merely pointing out the obvious. And I chimed in to say THEY WERE ACTUALLY RIGHT!
Wishing you all the best, but maybe this Airbnb platform isn't for you.....that can be said about a few other hosts too. But the majority of us do know how Airbnb works and we partner with Airbnb to make money, provide for our families and open our homes to meet all the wonderful people around the world! Airbnb actually helped make my Dream come True. I get to spend more quality time with my precious daughter teaching her that in the REAL WORLD.....one should always take the time to read what is in front of them. 🙂
oops....almost forgot to mention.... Yes, I too am one of those people who actually does travel with her own sheets.....why....because I just love my 1000 thread Cotton sheets and most places don't have them. Even travel with my own pillow. haha
If you feel that me or another host have helped you, feel free to click on the "thumbs up" button at the end of any post. Thank you so much.
Aloha, Momi
Great way to contact Airbnb or via Twitter at AirbnbHelp / Facebook