@Erin443
I agree with all of the above, but I mostly agree with @Sarah977
for me, it's all about communication. I can take no profile pic, I can take a neg review ( within reason) I''ve never asked for a social media link and a request for a discount definitely gets up my nose ( i usually send a special offer with the price INcreased). I also get edgy when they book for one and go on to say 6 people are staying. However I know they'll probalby cancel on their own accord when i point out the extra fees that will be incurred adjusting the booking to reflect the actual number of guests.
For me it's the message - either initially - or the response ( or lack of) to questions I then feel I might need to ask ( I have IB)
I have a few pre bookings messages - they ask why the guest is staying, who else is coming, their approximiate arrival time how they want the rooms set up and , what is the code word. ( I have a code word hidden in the house rules)
If the guest says "hey my family and i are looking forward to a beach holiday. we agree to the house rules" I am immediately on alert, because this tells me that they haven't even READ the house rules that they've just said they agreed to, much less the scant pre booking message. ( and almost certainly not the listing description)
If however they say something like
"Hi Rowena we are new to airbnb and we really love the look of your home. We are a family of 5 - myself and my wife, my mother in law and son and daughter, adn if it is Ok with you, we will also bring our budgie. We are just looking to relax before the years starts up and we hope to arrive around 2 pm. Could we have all the beds set up as queens please ( no singles). The code word is gotcha ( very funny btw) Can't wait to stay , regards...."
Then for me that is enough. Of course there's always a chance they could be charming bastards, and I suppose if I got a message like that form a guest with DIRE reviews I'd look further, but whenever I"ve received that type of brooking message, the guests have been stellar. Some have been brand new with no profile pic, some have been really old hands. Soem of my best guests have been last minute request but they took the trouble to explain WHY it was last minute which made sense to me. My gut has been right 100% of the time so far...