All my guests love my house, and me....but hate my neighborhood.

[Invisible0]

So...I have a house in downtown Atlanta. Close to all the main attractions.  Unfortunately, downtown Atlanta means "the hood".  I state in my ad, CLEARLY, that it's a rough area, and it's surrounded by abandonded buildings (housing crisis) and homelessness.  I only started in January as a host, and I'm booked every day through the end of May....but I have no shot of being a superhost...or even maintaining a 4.0.  My reviews are basically, "He's a nice guy and the house is in a great location....BUT...the neighborhood sucks." Then I'm rated a 4...or 3....and even a 2.  AirBNB, emails me telling me to get my rating higher, and even cut my listing 3 times.  Every time I call, they tell me I'm getting great reveiws....but still.....try harder.  WTF am I suppose to do to the 8 mile stretch of properties around me???  My last guest left telling me how much she loved the place and even wanted to extend the rental..... then she gave me a 3 on the ratings...which is kind of like complimenting me, then insulting me.  

So...long story short, is AirBNB just going to terminate me completely?  Because I'm close to publibly replying to these comments with "But...did you die?!?!"

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Invisible0 

I don't know what to say except GUESTS DO NOT READ. They assume. And then blame hosts .

A lot of posts recently have complained about poor star ratings based on things like 'Value' and 'Location' and how unfair it is :

https://community.airbnb.com/t5/forums/searchpage/tab/message?filter=location&q=location+rating&loca...

[Gerry-And-Rashid0]

@Invisible0 @Branka-and-Silvia0 

Location on should never have been included as a rating as it is impossible for a host to mover their property! If you are marked down in any other category you can take steps to fix the problem. It's no consolation but hosts with oroperties in lovely areas suffer because they are not city centre! City centre host can suffer as it's too noisy. It is a completely bikers category 

[Kelly149]

I would get more explicit in your descriptions & pictures. Guests can be less than thorough in their reading, so you'll want to mention it more than once in more than one place. Those who don't book because you've listed this info are the ones who would have torched you in ratings so in a way you're better off if they don't book. I've seen hosts describe how they play up some of the less desirable characteristics of their listing, thereby setting the stage to have the experience turn out better than was expected.

Absolutely everything about real estate has trade offs: so spell out the Pros, spell out the Cons, and let the guests do the evaluation before they book rather than in your review numbers.

[David126]

Not sure it usnfair for a gfuest to rate your location as it is, certainly is unfair for AirBnB to trat the reviews as they do.

[Invisible0]

What's stange is... I never read reveiws stating that the aquarium, or museums or the numerous stadiums around me are in a shady neighborhood.  

[Wendy-and-Frank0]

My friend, take photos of the streets around you and post them.

Refer to your listing as an "urban experience".  There is no shame in having a home in the hood.  Some of the best places I've stayed in were in areas like yours.

Is there a beautiful graffiti spot?  If so, post it.

You're using Instant Booking so you don't have a chance to communicate with guests prior to the reservation about the neighborhood.  You may consider removing IB and specifically asking if they are aware that this is the hood, that you cannot control that this is the hood, and that ABB will ask guests to rate the hood which is impacting your overall business goals.

People don't read worth a squat anymore, but pictures get burned into the brain and direct dialogue solves a multitude of problems.

[Invisible0]

Wow... great suggestions!!! Thank you. I will do this today.  

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Invisible0 @Wendy-and-Frank0 gave you an great idea, urban experience,  show some great graffity, mention some bar with great live music .... or whatever makes your unique and special and why you love it. 

[City-Limits-Ranch0]

Also, prepare a nice poster/signage and post it in your space:  Thank you for booking to stay with me through Airbnb!  I'll do everything in my power to make your stay enjoyable.  In return I'd love it if you did one little thing for me:  since you are here, reading this, you know the neighborhood is 'rough.'  When you rate my listing on Airbnb if you give me less than 4 stars on 'location' Airbnb may deactivate my listing.  Since I can't change my location I would really appreciate it if you would rate it  a bit higher and if you wish to comment negatively on it, do so in the text of your review.  THANK YOU!

[Invisible0]

YES!!! Thank you!!

I've been a guest using AirBnB for 7 years.... I never gave any host less than 5 stars, so I kinda expected the same in return (illogically, of course).  I like this idea... and I going to do it starting this week.  

[Helen3]

Hi @Invisible0

I agree that you should take Instant Book off.

I live in an inner city area and always message guests to make sure they understand it can be a bit scruffy, so they book knowing this is the case.

When they are with me, I do  talk about how the ratings system works and that being marked down on location can affect my status as host.

This does seemed to have helped manage expectations.

[Wendy-and-Frank0]

@Invisible0, if you're going to specifically ASK for the rating (which I have no shame in doing), then ask for FIVE stars.  Not four.  Ask for the whole thing.

Print a little sign that says:

If your stay was worthy of a five-star review, tell Air BNB so they can tell others.

If it wasn't, tell me so that I can fix it.

😉

[Lilian20]

Ask for 5 stars or let me know in private.

Again, very good tip from @Wendy-and-Frank0

[Wendy-and-Frank0]

Let me know when the new photos are up.  I can't wait to see them.

You're in ATLANTA, man!  Home to Ludacris and Arrested Development.  Capitalize on THAT.  You'll get a whole new group, I think, who doesn't care about convention centers as much as they do about ATL's rich hip hop heritage and all the stuff that doesn't put people to sleep.

Do a little research on your city and work it.

Time to put a little swag on this.  You've got this.  😉

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_hip_hop_musicians_from_Atlanta