Critique my listing - Tamara, Fort Worth TX, US

[Tamara630]

https://www.airbnb.com/h/abcspace

thanks! I’m just trying to increase bookings at the highest rate. Will add photos of my patio and backyard today. Any other tips are greatly appreciated 

[Anonymous]

@Tamara630 I can tell you've put a lot of thought into making the home comfortable and welcoming for your guests, so I bet the photos don't do it justice. To be horribly blunt, the house has been photographed more like a crime scene than a holiday home. If you can put aside a bit of a budget for a pro photographer, it's money well spent. But if you want to keep it DIY, there's still a lot you can do - open up the curtains and shoot at peak natural light, use a wide angle lens if you have one, keep a level horizon (the slanted shots are distracting), and choose a lead photo that best captures the element of the home that will stand out for people scrolling through search results. 

[Tamara630]

I appreciate the honesty !! Definitely photos taken on my cell phone. I’ll work on this ASAP. Thank you so much 

[Sarah977]

@Tamara630  Some cell phones take fine photos. Pro photos taken with expensive cameras are nice if you can afford it, but aren't really necessary -some people are just better at knowing how to take good photos. Taking good indoor shots of a home requires a different level of photography prowess than snapping a selfie.

Use the search feature on this forum- I know there's a tutorial somewhere about how to take good Airbnb photos with your phone camera.

You might even have a friend or relative who is good at this, who you could barter something with for their time.

[Tamara630]

Genius !!! Im researching. And I do have a cousin that dabbles in photography, just reached out to him. Thank you !

[Colleen28]

I think you are way too low on your price vs what you offer.  How does your price compare to a local extended stay hotel? 

[Tamara630]

The extended stay hotels near my property range from 110-157/night for 3 rooms. I wanted to be competitive since I don’t have any reviews yet. Where should I aim as this is a private home? 

I went just above what Airbnb suggested 

[Colleen253 · Accepted solution]

@Tamara630 First of all, please disregard anything Airbnb tells you to do. ANYTHING. All Airbnb cares about is getting bookings, so they can collect their service fee. So, lower prices attract more bookings for Airbnb, but more headache and cost for the host. It's fine to go a little lower to attract your first guests and reviews, but you are WAY too low. Lots of factors to consider. What do you offer amenity wise? Look at what other similar listing around you are charging. What are your base costs? Don't pay people to stay at your place.

[Colleen28]

How about $105.00 and no breakfast supplies. You will never be able to please everyone with your selection.

[Colleen253]

@Tamara630 I have to agree with Andrew on your photos. 

Having a quick look at the rest, one thing that jumps out at me is nowhere on your listing does it mention no parties or events. In fact, you mention that your place is great for a “Palooza”. I admit I had to look up what a palooza is, lol. The Urban Dictionary says it’s “The art of throwing a very drunken extravagent party with a plethora of friends.”

Inviting people to throw a Palooza at your place is asking for major trouble. Airbnb announced a global ban on parties, and even if they hadn’t, allowing them is opening the door to heartache and grief.

[Tamara630]

Updating now!! 

[Mark116]

@Tamara630   I agree w/the other posts, that the strange angles in some of the photos are off putting.  I would also redo the photos when there is more natural light.  Other suggestions:  add some beside table lamps for the bedrooms, and if you are close enough to the unit to manage the landscaping/watering yourself I would add some flowers/shrubs.  

Without knowing who your target market is, what people would choose your neighborhood for, I don't have any other suggestions.

[Tamara630]

I’m in a great family neighborhood but about 10 minutes from Dallas Cowboys and Texas Rangers Stadiums. Fans will probably be most of my fall traffic 

[Mark116]

@Tamara630  I def think you can raise your price if that is the market.  If you don't have cameras you might want to consider that, since football fans might be inclined to be a little more rowdy than a regular tourist or someone traveling for business.  

[Anonymous]

@Tamara630  If you're angling for the fan market, that means a lot of one-night bookings. Consider the several hours of cleaning it takes to turn over a 3-bedroom home with that "enhanced cleaning protocol" you were forced to agree to - doing that several times a week would be a full-time job. If you add a cleaning fee, at least you can get paid enough to make those short bookings worthwhile, but when you've got a few of them scattered around in your calendar they block the more profitable longer stays. Meanwhile, you burn out pretty quickly on doing a full house's worth of laundry every day.

Personally, my comfort zone is a 3-night minimum and a 2-week maximum stay. I'd suggest keeping only a limited date range open on your calendar until you find your own comfort zone.