A legit posting with no reviews

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Naomi353
Level 2
New York, NY

A legit posting with no reviews

I've booked with a host that looks legitimate in all ways - no outside emails, pictures of the hostess, full description.  She even has positive reviews as a traveler herself.  The only problem is that there are no reviews on her site, and she's been a member for years!  Is this a red flag?

1 Best Answer
Mike-And-Jane0
Level 10
England, United Kingdom

@Naomi353 It is likely she has travelled with Airbnb for years and has now decided to start hosting. 

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10 Replies 10
Mike-And-Jane0
Level 10
England, United Kingdom

@Naomi353 It is likely she has travelled with Airbnb for years and has now decided to start hosting. 

Possible, except her calendar for past bookings shows a lot of crossed out dates indicating she was hosting, and a few open spots.

Helen3
Level 10
Bristol, United Kingdom

Why don't you message the host and ask @Naomi353 

I did, when I booked (I didn't realize you could contact the host before booking.)  I didn't hear back, so I messaged again this morning @Helen3

 

@Naomi353 Once a date has passed the calendar automatically is crossed out so there is no way to tell if a host had previously bookings. Why is it so odd that this listing could just be "New" and your reservation is one of her first?

@Emilia42: The calendar show numerous crossed out dates - and many not!  So it's not showing merely time passed.

@Naomi353 

Then the host has existing bookings or she has blocked out dates because of many reasons that we will never know. If she posted her listing recently, then naturally, her calendar is filling up with reservations. She could be currently hosting as we speak. Once those reservations are complete, hopefully, guests will write reviews. It takes time for new listings to accumulate reviews. 

Colleen253
Level 10
Alberta, Canada

@Naomi353 One other thing to consider is that this host is getting bookings via other platforms or directly. Your best bet is talking to the host, as suggested. 

Sarah977
Level 10
Sayulita, Mexico

@Naomi353  There is no way to know why dates are blocked or open on a calendar. I have had guests who showed they had been members for years, yet had no reviews on their profiles. There were perfectly legitimate reasons for this and they were all great guests.

 

Also not all hosts or guests bother to leave reviews, so she could already have hosted a couple of guests who didn't review.

 

What is a bigger red flag is a host who doesn't respond to your messages. So give her a bit of time to answer, if you don't get a message back, try texting to her phone number that you've sent her an Airbnb message and to please answer. Airbnb is rife with tech glitches and there have been many posts here over time where either hosts or guests said that messages they sent were not going through.

 

Sometimes someone can be where they have no cell or internet reception, or as with one of my guests who wasn't answering, who was at a meditation retreat where they weren't allowed to use any devices. Someone could be ill or have some other crisis going on in their lives that prevents them from answering right away.

 

We tend to assume that the other party is simply ignoring our messages, but that's not always the case. And if you can't get an answer from her, you can ask Airbnb to try to reach her.

 

 

 

Thanks for the advice, and yes she did finally respond!  She's just starting her bookings and won't get a review (if any) until mid-may.  Explains the calendar and the lack of reviews.