I am new to hosting...help

[Taniesha0]

I have my listing up for a few weeks now and nothing. I live in a well popular area for airbnb and the price is in accordance to the suggested pricing. Is there something is am not doing that is obvious to others but not me? Let me know guys.

Thank you

[Fiona2]

Hi T.

I don't know about obvious but here are a couple of things I'd recommend: 1) What's your name? I wouldn't want to stay with a letter, seems impersonal unless you live on Sesame Street. 2) Fill out your profile description of yourself/your space a little bit. Give people a little bit more to see if you are likeable or if they have anything in common. 3) Take advantage of the free Airbnb photographer, your photographs could be a lot better and give you the "verified" label and a boost in the search rankings. 4) You have a two-night minimum. Maybe you have your reasons for that but when you are just getting started I'd keep it a one-night minimum to open yourself up to more people searching for a place to stay.

Hang in there, the first review is the hardest one to get but after that it should get a bit easier. We are headed in to the busy season so hopefully you will start getting some bites.

[Taniesha0]

Hey Fiona, How's it going. Thank you for the response and duly noted. I will make the adjustment. As for the name people do tend to call me T alot. But I hear you.  Also Photographs will be up the next few weeks, fingers crossed. Hope your doing well in Cali. Thanks again. 

[Fiona2]

@Taniesha0 You are welcome, anytime! I took a look and well done! You've changed the T. to Tee, the minimum stay to 1-night instead of 2-nights for now and have beautifully filled out your profile. And I agree with @Raymond-and-Elaine0 about finding something other than "gorgeous" as the title. Your profile pic is gorgeous though! Happy hosting!

[Taniesha0]

Hey and thanks again for the help and same to you. Happy hosting!

[Shadley0]

HI @Taniesha0

Your listing looks good, you could try taking better pictures, the ones on the listing look quite dark. Your security deposit also looks quite steep, Im not sure if thats normal for your area

[Taniesha0]

Hey Shadley thanks for replaying. So a professional phographer was here last week I should be getting the pictures up in a few weeks. In the area that I live my rate is actually quite low but as a first timer I thought I should start low. I was thinking about the security but I checked around and it seemed pretty standard. I should look a little more into it though. Other than that I should hope for it to start picking up. Spring is coming and it's quite nice here during the spring with the cherry blossoms and I live close to (3) three parks. That should be interesting. Fingers crossed. Thanks again!

[Raymond-and-Elaine0]

@Taniesha0 Hi , It's good that you're asking fellow hosts to look at your listing because we  see things others don't or won't tell you. Your friends will say everything is good and although that will make you feel nice it won't help to bring guests in. So Here are a few things I noticed: The price is ideal and the location seems good via public transport to Lower Manhatten so Fiona and Shadley are right about the photos . I'd like to see more photos of the area as being a stranger I need to know what it looks like and is it safe. The main photo showing the clim and a crulmpled bed is not enticeing. The bed looks slept in, so either could you iron the sheets or put a cover over them? The stores at the window look too small so you may need to change them or provide sleep masks. Untill the official photographer comes and it could take some time, could you change the main photo around, it hurts your listing.  I'd change the title too. Maybe "great situation" Spacious bedroom, cosy, safe, budget, but it's not gorgeous. People who are looking for a gorgeous rooms will go somewhere else and pay three times your price. If you have access to a rooftop, for 'chilling' show a photo also BBQ's. I think guests will enjoy the New York experience with you but you need to sell it and most guests look at the photos first and might not even go to your texts. You can't compete with other bnbs in the gorgeous room competition but you can in the New York Experience  . I'd change " everyday grind of New York" in your house rules because guests are coming to visit New York and it sounds sad and negative. Change it to "exciting, busy New York."You profile photo of you is lovely  and the text is friendly so well done you have already changed a few things suggested by Fiona. Your job sounds interesting. Good luck and Happy Hosting. In the meantime read up on the FAQ and prepare yourself. see tips for new-hosts‏ here

[Taniesha0]

Thank you guys are responding.  Funny I agree with you on "the grind" I thought it too but people told me to leave it. 'Change the stores or sleep mask'?  I am a little confused, not quite sure how to change the stores. or Is it the pictures I should change? Thanks for pointing out the main photo. I will change that asap. I don't have access to a roof top and barbeques for my guest so I thought that would be a lie if I showed that in pictures also the neighborhood is very suburban not sure how to highlight that in pictures. Unless you were talking about videos? The 'map' highlights the neighborhood or is that too limited.. I was just listing some of the things 'I' like to do when I am not working or if I have a down time. These are good points and thank you for the help. Happy airbnbing and you guys take care!

[Raymond-and-Elaine0]

@Taniesha0 For clarity: When I said change the stores, I mean the blinds look too small for the window so would let the early morning sun in and wake the guests up. If this is too expensive, you can buy eye masks to offer guests if they haven't already thought to bring their own. The number of airbnb listings in the New York area is enormous so once you get the new photos up, it's just a question of "are their enough visitors to go around?"  If you are not the owner of the apartment , I hope you have his agreement to sublet. I don't know all the local rules and taxes in your area but get as much information as you can. You don't want to face eviction or a large unpaid tax bill. Take care of yourself too Tee.

[Taniesha0]

Oh cool, yea I have that part down. No joke about taxes here and the rules of living in the city. But thank you for stating that, good looking out. I do have the option of a sublet as well in the mean time. I live accross the street from a university too. Once again thanks so much for all the helpful advice and take care!

[Dave-and-Deb0]

Hi @Taniesha0,

I saw this message from the moment you posted it.  I had a lot of feedback to provide to you but as you can see @Raymond-and-Elaine0, @Bekah-And-Brian0, @Fiona2, @Shadley0 have provided great advice.  I just wanted to pop in and say how proud I am of you for first of all taking a risk in asking for feedback but more importantly you took the advice graciously, without judgement, and actually implemented or are in the process of implementing those changes.  I can tell that you are extremely positive and I am sure you will probably be a Superhost in no time.  I did not provide feedback because there have been many times, as some of the hosts who have provided help can probably agree, that a host has asked for feedback and has either bitten back or simply not taken any of the advice and wasted the helpful advice.  I wish you the best of luck and I can't wait to see the end result!

Great job @Taniesha0!

Dave

[Taniesha0]

Hey Dave,

Hope all is well in Edmonton. Thanks for the kind words. I am really gracious for the help I was given from everyone's responses. I really didnt know how to approach this so I asked for help. I am still at work so some of the changes will have to wait until I get home, i.e., the pictures. But I am excited to see where this will go. And all the best to you and once again thanks for the kind words. 

Have a good evening!

Tee

[Bekah-And-Brian0]

Hey Tee, 

lifelong New Yorker, here. That's a great price for that location and I would TOTALLY consider staying there next time I go home to see my mother! Three issues stand out:

1) you refer to it as a three bedroom apt and that up to two people can rent the room. But there's no picture of the room! You have to

show a pic of the bedroom, if the sun shines as brightly through it as the LR window, I hope there's a curtain or shade on it. 

2) If you're in one bedroom, and this is a listing for one other, then who's in the third bedroom? A roommate? Another renter? That is something anyone renting a private room will want to know.

3) a couple of snapshots of very nearby restaurants wouldn't hurt, definitely add a shot of Citibike rack (preferably when it's full of bikes) and ABSOLUTELY name the subways that the apartment is close to, and if they're express, say so. 

Good luck!

[Taniesha0]

Hey @Bekah-And-Brian0,

Somehow this one did not show up in my email so I missed it. Sorry. But I am happy @Dave-and-Deb0 pointed it out. Crazy, because you know the neighborhood so that's a big plus and good heads up on the Citibike picture. There is a bike rack literally right behind the supermarket and the supermaket is right accross the street. 

About the bedroom pictures, I took them down this morning in hopes of going home after work and refresh the bedroom. I do have another roommate but he is accross the livingroom and he is never home. He travels alot for work. I was also planning on telling my guest about him before making the final aggreements. He is really chilled though.

Curtains are going in this weekend!

G train. Checked!

See I am super happy that I posted my question last night. It's a lot easier to write about my 'hood when I know what the questions are. And yes you can definately stay here. I hope you like nature wine? We can have a glass.

I have been meaning to get out to New Orleans so now I know where to stay.

Thank you so much and please do enjoy! 

Tee