Hi @Christine2987 welcome to hosting. As a relatively new host, we rely on our local mentor (a neighbour who has been hosting several years) for advice, guidance and hands on experience.
When we started we were advised the following;
a) you will figure out your minimum stay and what you are comfortable with. We have set a 3 night minimum stay and lucky us our average stay is 9 nights
b) we have a moderate cancellation policy and to date (other than when covid hit) we haven’t had cancellations
c) never use Instant book (our mentors had immediate problems/issues) especially a new host.
d) never accept third party bookings (asking for problems)
e) screen newbies (first time AirBnb guests with no reviews) and ask lots questions of them
f) don’t accept “locals” or be very careful to screen out potential parties
g) offer a great product at a fair price and you will find yourself on top with of the search results
Have fun and enjoy, my main advice and takeaway from our mentor is to be cautious and always trust your gut or intuition when pre-screening potential guests.
Glenn & Andrea
Mill Bay Cottage, Mill Bay, BC, Canada
#millbaycottagerental