Considering AirBNB’ing my house for the Summer only & have questions

[Renee627]

Do I need to register my house with my city in order to do so?  

Do I receive a 1099 at the end of the year to claim as income?

What should I do with all my personal things…clothes,  tools, food (should refrigerator & cabinets be empty of food?) …since I’m only renting for the summer!

I’ll start with those 3 questions!😁

[Mamta12]

@Renee627 Where are you located. I am in John’s creek GA I when to ask if I need to register. They say that there is  no rule tells me that I need to register in order to run an Airbnb. But city requires us to rent my place minimum of 30 days in one booking in order to comply with city guidelines for renting.
My Airbnb unit is in the basement so everything is separate for a guest but I know many people have a room that thanksgiving share with guest while living in the same  house. and utilizing the same fridge, gas stove, living areas etc. but you have to describe it in your listing that evening will be shared except the bedroom or whatever is shared with guest or not shared.

If you are owner of the house and living in the house while doing Airbnb then I don’t have to empty the fridge. 
End of the year if you make $20000 of more and if you have 200 booking then you get 1099 otherwise you don’t as per my understanding.

[Renee627]

@Mamta12 Thank you SO much for responding.  I am in North Olmsted, Ohio.  I’m less than a 10 minute drive to Cleveland  Hopkins Airport & a 5 minute drive to the Lake.  I border 2 highly sought after rural areas & am between 2 major highways.

I planned to sell my house but may have missed the mark to sell it in the historical Sellers Market…therefore I am considering AirBNB’ing for the summer.  Cleveland has really become a great tourist attraction over recent 5 years.  I’d love to speak more.  I have SOOO many questions before I decide what to do.  

I thought about renting the finished basement but there is no kitchen…considered me staying in basement (I’m always on the go) & renting out my upstairs.  I’d probably make a lot more money renting out my entire home though.  I do have a friend I can stay with while renting out.  I just don’t want to run into legal issues.  Do I need to contact my Insurance Company too?  What IF a guest starts a fire, will insurance cover damage after finding out I was renting (AirBNB’ing) but did not ‘officially’ notify them?

Like I said…I have so many concerns!

[Lorna170]

1.  Yes, you need to find out if renting your home on a short term basis requires a permit or license from your municipality.

2.  Yes, you will receive a 1099 from AirBnB (unless they get another pass from the government as they did in 2022 -- so keep your own records!)

3. Your personal possessions and items that you do not wish to share with guests should be packed or put away in a safe location - a locked garage, a storage unit, a room in your house (deadbolt!!!).  You are renting the whole house, not just a shared room with you hanging out too, so your presence  through belongings should be minimized.  

4.  Talk to your insurance agent.  Your homeowner's policy will probably NOT cover you for damages when a renter is in situ.  In fact, renting through AirBnB may cause your policy to be null and void, even if the damage were to occur when no guest was present -- i.e., just listing your property on AirBnB may void the insurance contract.  (And AirCover is NOT replacement insurance for your own policy.)

[Nur785 · Accepted solution]

Hi @Renee627 

You've come to the right place to ask questions, there is always experienced hosts to give good advice. I'll do my best. 

Question 1: This depends on your city ordinance. Most cities in the U.S has ordinances passed on STRs already. Some cities have exceptions (for example you can STR your main residence for 30 days without registering etc) put you probably will need some sort of permit. Check your town ordinance. 

Question 2: You will receive a 1099 Misc if you make more than $600 and 1099-K if you make more than $20k. Here is the article https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/414#section-heading-10-0

Question 3: You are offering the whole house and not just a room in a house, so ideally yes, the fridge should be empty. The pantry is fine, but I wouldn't really leave anything out that the guests are not allowed to use. 

There should definitely be empty closets and dresser in the rooms you are hosting. Alternatively you can put your personal belongings in a room or a walk in closet and clock that space. But as a guest, I don't like when all drawers and closets are filled with hosts stuff. It makes me feel like an intruder. 

I'm sure others will offer a different perspective. 

[Helen3]

Hello @Renee627 

Absolutely if you are offering a whole rental you should remove clothing and personal belongings and empty the food in the fridge/cupboards. Both to protect your personal items and because is that what most guests will want.

You can lock cupboards in the kitchen to store food and use a room in your house to store all your valuables and personal items and put a secure lock on the door.

You will also need a lockable cupboard for bedding, towels and cleaning equipment.

There are some hosts who may not remove personal items but this is becoming rarer.

[Mamta5]

I will also advise you to call Airbnb helpline to clear any doubts you may have.