First time hosting, so many questions.

[Jackie792]

I have just over a month until my first guest arrives and so many questions. I haven't created my home guide yet,  Im working on that. I have questions about security deposits. I fear I undercharged for mine, and who decides what is worthy of keeping a portion of the deposit? What if guests steal things or accidentally take things home w/ them,  from the rental unit? How do I handle it? What if I want to negotiate a price up or down w/ a guest, how do I do that through Airbnb site to keep it legit? The learning curve is FOREVER, so any tips will be appreciated. 

[Gordon0]

That's a cracker of a house you've got there, @Jackie792, and many of the questions you're now asking many of us have had before. The saying 'you've got to crack a few eggs to make a good omelette;' springs to mind, and we've all made a few clangers. 

Ideally, your home guide (because it's quite a beast) should have been ready before pressing 'go', but you'll want to make sure it's there for the first guests. 

It isn't possible to comment on your charges/deposit etc because you don't have any dates open to see what's what.

The vast majority of guests are decent people and won't steal anything. Of course, vetting them/building a rapport is key, and you'll feel better once you've started a conversation. And when you get that 'gut feeling', listen to it. 

You can't negotiate per se, but you can send special offers (some will ask for discounts, and many - including me - see that as a red flag).

Your photos are excellent, alas I believe there are too many!

Oh, and what's with the frame things in pic 4? They look a bit random and/or abandoned.

Good luck with your first guests. 

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Jackie792 Airbnb do not actually collect the so called 'security deposit' or even hold it on a guest's credit card so I wouldn't stress about that issue.

I am not sure what you mean by negotiating a price up or down. The price on your listing is the price the guest pays unless they request a discount which is usually a sign of a bad guest. Hosts should not be upping the price when a guest requests to stay.