Considering becoming a host

[Laura7255]

Hi,

I'm considering purchasing property in the Frederick, MD / Harpers Ferry, WV area and am wondering if there are hosts on here in that general area willing to provide some advice and insight on the market.  Looking for information on occupancy rate, expectations for when someone first starts out, pros & cons, and/or any other information that may help someone trying to make an investment decision. Thanks in advance!

[Helen3]

Hi @Laura7255 

This is a community for hosts and guests who use Airbnb.

If you are looking to make a commercial investment decision on an STR then I would suggest the following

1. Look on Airdna and similar channels and buy in local tourist board footfall reports to get an idea of local demand for the sort of property you want to buy

2. Do your market research looking at similar listings in your area on the STR platforms to see what amenities they offer/what prices they charge/how they photograph and describe their properties. The expectation is that your listing is as described, that it is clean and that your provide great customer service.

3. Obviously you need a profit and loss budget with set up, ongoing costs and likely income to decide whether it might be profitable.

[Laura7255]

Thank you.  I've been a guest of several AirBnBs, but am just now starting to think of being a host.  I had not heard of Airdna but will  definitely check that out.  I've done market research on the AirBnBs in the area I'm looking at and was trying to get some thoughts and advice from hosts themselves.  I apologize if that's not what this community is for.

[Rebecca]

It's great to hear you're considering hosting with Airbnb @Laura7255. 🎉

The Community Center is packed full of Hosts who have asked lots of questions about their listings. If you've got some questions, it's always worth popping into the search bar to see what comes up. 

On top of this community, we've also got the Help Center where you can find support on how to set up your listing and things to consider before you get started! 

We're really excited that you came here to get advice, don't forget to pop back and share your journey and your with us! 😍