Critique my listing-Karen from NWA

[Karen3172]

We have hosted 2 different week-ends already.  One guest did leave good feedback.  What might I be missing to help boost bookings.  Thanks.

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/53216369

[Emiel1]

@Karen3172 

You do not offer a weekly discount, but the monthly discount is more then 50%

Result (example): Staying for 15 nights costs more then staying for 28 nights....

So the booking form shows this:

[Karen3172]

Emiel,  Thanks for that insight.  I have been looking for how to change the monthly rate under the new way to set a monthly rate, but I cannot seem to find it.  Any insight?  I originally set the monthly rate under the Insights section.

[Sarah977]

@Karen3172  Your place looks cozy and comfortable. 

A bed for 2 people needs a reading lamp on both sides of the bed, so I would put one on that piece of furniture that looks like a fold down desk. Just because people share a bed doesn't mean they have the same sleep habits- sometimes one likes to read in bed, while the other just crashes out. Also handy if someone needs to get up to go to the bathroom at night. 

Your kitchen photos are redundant- there are 4 that are all essentially the same. Remove 3. But it looks like you have a seating area outside on a patio, so I would make that look nice and welcoming and have a photo of that. I realize it's winter now, but people might still enjoy sitting outside.

I assume you live in the downstairs. You should mention that in your listing description. Guests need to be informed of the living situation. You can word it something like "This is an owner-occupied property. We live downstairs, so are available should you need any assistance. The suite is self-contained and we fully respect our guests' privacy."

If there are shared areas, like the yard, you should mention that. 

I wouldn't advise you to take monthly bookings. That's a long time to put up with someone above you if they prove to be objectionable. New hosts, especially, should start out with shorter bookings while they get the hang of things and get experienced dealiing with guests. 2 weeks is really the max you should set, IMO.

[Anonymous]

@Karen3172   I agree with all of @Sarah977 's suggestions.  A wall-mounted reading lamp and little shelf with a charging port can also work in lieu of a night stand.

Monthly bookings are bad news for a new listing - you're best off starting with a lower maximum stay (say, 2 weeks), building up a firewall of good reviews, and adjusting as you go along to see what works. How to change the discounts is explained here:  https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/1233/longterm-pricing

Your description says "message for details." I don't recommend going about anything like that; instead, the listing and settings should be so transparent that guests can go confidently go straight to the part where they enter their payment method and commit.

The space itself looks nicely set up, and the kitchen appropriately stocked for 1 or 2 guests, and the base price is a good value without any big discounts. It might help to have a more detailed description of the area - what's special about West Fork, what kind of attractions and food/shopping are immediately nearby - with first-time visitors in mind as the audience. You'll probably show up in some searches for Fayetteville or Devil's Den, so it's worth making a persuasive case for staying a bit farther afield from the target location.