Please help - new host

[Georgi702]

I don’t know what to do. I’m new to hosting, it’s been like three weeks. I am renting out my deceased fathers house in order to save it from back debts. I’m making no money whatsoever.  So it is a little bit of a different situation than most.

The house is dated and I am doing what smaller renovations I can, but I don’t really have money to invest and make everything perfect. So I made it one of the cheapest in the area. $100 a night for the whole house. There are literally a tent, yurt, and camper in my town that are asking more than me, so I would think my price was fair. It’s been a learning curve, but every time I fix something someone comes up with something new to complain about. I’ve gotten some good reviews but two bad star ratings.

One person gave me a three for communication even though I responded to him literally within a minute every time he asked me something. Low stars on accuracy when the property is exactly what it is, should I say it needs renovation in the descriptions? There are many pictures. But what really making me crazy right now is I just got a 2 star for cleanliness because of dirty sheets when they were literally brand new out of the package never used even once.

How do people just lie? And why? If this doesn’t work I’m going to lose my fathers home. I just understand why people can’t just be fair. How can I fix problems that don’t even exist?

[Colleen253]

Sorry @Georgi702 I forgot to tag you, per my comment above.

[Brian2036]

@Georgi702 

A couple of tips:

Try to have the house at a comfortable temperature when guests arrive.

A small gift of homemade baked goods placed where they will see it when they enter the kitchen is worthwhile. 

If short of time you can buy day-old pastries at the supermarket and arrange them on a covered plate.

This tends to create a sense of gratitude in guests who are not immune to acts of kindness.

If you do have time it’s nice to bake something in the house that will come out of the oven shortly before guests arrive.

It doesn’t have to be anything fancy. My mother used to sprinkle extra pie crust with cinnamon and brown sugar and bake it for a few minutes.

 We all loved eating it and it makes the house smell nice and homelike.

This sort of thing helps create an atmosphere reminiscent of a visit to Grandma’s house.

[Georgi702]

When I can afford I’m goin to get a smart thermostat I can control with my phone but until then I have to turn the thermostat down because it can be days between people.

i work full time so I cant usually even be there right before people check in. So I can’t really bake things.

I do leave out a goody basket for everyone that has granola bars, Candy, oatmeal and popcorn, and sometimes chips. And a personal note welcoming them.

[Mark116]

@Georgi702  In our area PSEG is always offering major discounts on smart thermostats, I get their emails all the time and the discounts are very large.  Your local utility company may do the same, just get on their email list.

[Georgi702]

Pictures are updated, do you guys think they are better, I took a lot of your suggestions.

[Sean1234]

@Georgi702  i just saw your profile and i loved what you said about your dad and the house being full of love and laughter in your childhood.  Made me wanna stay there.  I think i like it retro.  ive stayed at some mountain cabins like that and i swear i can feel the history and get sentimental when i leave.  That being said... maybe get a nice 50 or 60 inch tv as they are so affordable now 😉  retro aint bad with a splash of tech.  id say its the cheapest and easiest upgrades you can make. 

[Mark116]

@Georgi702  They're a little better, but there isn't much you can do with the space/furniture at this point.

You might add something to the listing like:  'The best match for this listing would be guests who are in the area to relax, enjoy nature, the privacy of our large yard, XXX else, and who are comfortable with the retro vibe of the house and furniture'..something like that.

One of my most prized/favorite possessions...an antique hand carved soapstone Chinese lacquer screen was picked up off the sidewalk minutes before the garbage truck came.  Nothing wrong with saving worthy items from the landfill.  @Laura2592  is right, I think it was her, who suggested trolling through affluent areas on their bulk pick up day.  That is another option for getting free stuff.  I have a friend who  has a house in a gated beach community, and I've been there a couple of times for their bulk pick up and I always find something.

Maybe you could set aside a weekend here and there for marketplace and craigslist searches.

I know people have talked about clutter, but I'm wondering if, since there are no deer antlers:) maybe you could add some baskets or beer steins or something on top of the kitchen cabinets that would warm up the space and add some color? That could be my own personal taste as a decorating maximalist, but the kitchen feels like it needs something to warm it up and give a little color.

[Georgi702]

I’m trying to walk a fine line people knowing what Thier getting ( which I think is evident in the photos) and scaring them away. I really need people. I had almost full booking before the bad reviews, now I only have weekends. I NEED people during the week for this to work. At least some.

small stuff I can get on market place but furniture is another matter, because like I said all my weekends are booked so it’s hard to get things in there when there aren’t people. And all trucks to transport large items.

too be fair I don’t think it’s cluttered at all. I get the busyness, I think the comforters might be reversible. But I don’t really want to remove the few decorations I have. I thinking of leaning into the outdoors camp feel and getting some more stuff that goes with that. 

it’s funny you say that about the tops of the cabinets, you should have seen them when my dad lived there. I’ll try to find a picture.

[Brian2036]

@Georgi702 

Don’t be overwhelmed and don’t lose hope.

 I think you will make a success of this.

It takes time and I know you have to stay ahead of the bank, but keep in mind that they really don’t want your house.

They’re in the money business, not the house business.

You’re making a sincere effort which will keep them away for awhile.

There are huge opportunities at the end of each semester in Boston and if at all possible you should beg or borrow a pickup truck to go scavenging.

My sister was a professor at, um, shall we say, a well-known academic institution in Boston and she furnished her grotesquely overpriced house with things the irresponsible  spawn of the unconscionably wealthy put out for the garbage collectors when they graduated.

Or were asked to leave.

Just don’t give up. You can do this.

[Georgi702]

If anyone wants to share my link it would be very appreciated right now.

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

[Brian2036]

@Georgi702 

That’s much more appealing.

 I would stay there.

You might try some extra advertising on websites such as Craigslist, supermarket bulletin boards, Pennysaver newspapers, etc.

 I would think that you would see a lot of demand from skiers.