Anyone Else hosting in Las Vegas?

[Joanna85]

I am trying to find a thread where hosts in Las Vegas connect and I don't see anything really that I thought I would!

Anyone out there in Las Vegas?  Are you doing this for investment reasons or for the fun of it?  I"m curious to know what others think about being hosts in Las Vegas and if others have been doing Air BNB longer than a year if they find slower times of the year or a specfic 'season' or if it's just hit or miss.  Any tips or funny stories or nightmares or anyone else looking other Las Vegas hosts to just share with?

[Joanna85]

@Robin-And-Dimitri0

I started Airbnb as an experiment- I had no idea I'd be booked like I am or that it would be pretty easy as it is--we've had great luck.  However, I live in my home and rent out a mother-in-law quarters.  I am always on the fence about the laws regarding vacation rentals.  In my neighborhood...there are TONS of vacation rentals and they are certainly kept up and never problematic but my neighbors HATE HATE HATE vacation rentals- all screaming they are bringing the area down.  I don't see that- there is no Section 8 in our neigbhorhood and barely any vacant homes.  I"ll take a vacation rental any day next to me over a regular rental where the tenant takes awful care of the place.  The city is just trying to get as much money out of us as possible and scare us all out of doing it so the million hotel rooms get all the business.  I don't mind getting a license (but for $500?!!!), but me paying hotel tax and all that  will not make my space worth the price I would have to charge.  

I say- keep doing what you do.  If the city ever decides to slap you on the wrist for not doing what you are supposed to do, they will post a notice on your door and tell you to knock it off..then you can decide what you want to do.  And seriously...they have no idea how many people are operating vacation rentals in town--they just estimate it--there is no way they can get enough man power to properly oversee it.  Look at Lyft and Uber...how many of those folks actually have both licenses in their vehicle like they are supPosed to--and there is absolutely no oversight of those drivers, like it is now with Airbnb. I would venture to guess that 75% of the vehicles driving around town for Uber and Lyft do not have the proper licensing that is required...they over see that, then there would hardly be any ride sharing in town....I know my husband wishes there was someone trolling around 'catching' Lyft drivers not following the rules so he wouldn't have to compete with so many other Lyft and Uber drivers...lol...but you get my point, now that all of us are here and doing it, they are going to have to just figure out how to either roll with it or contain it without these out of towners who have homes here bailing--if people like you bail, we will have the problem we had in the recession all over again--empty neighborhoods and so many homes available but nobody locally with money to snatch these homes up and live in these neighborhoods like in a normal city.  People like you are needed to save the neighborhoods, regardless of what my snobby, out- of- touch neighbors think.  Don't get me started.....lmao!

[Manuela132]

@Joanna85

Sorry for budding in here. I was a a host for about 6 weeks and the city shut me down pronto. A neighbor ratted me out. I had 2 travel trailers installed in my back yard. Didn't bother anybody. People loved it. I loved being a host. But a 2, not one, but 2 codeinforcment officers showed up at my place and send me a citation as thick as my thumb. It's been a nightmore. Granted, 2 travel trailers in the back is easier to spot then when you rent a room out in your house, but knowing I have a neighbor watching me that closely I am even to scared to do that now. 

I wish you much luck. I see you are close to my neighborhood and  its true, this neighborhood as much as I love it, is full of haters. The amount of hatred spewed on the neighborhood website is just astounding. 

[Zacharias0]

You can still host but the reservation can't be less than 30 days per reservation. By the meaning of this rule you can honestly host 1 reservation per room every 30 days. Cheers.

[Misheal0]

@Zacharias0 hello, I have a few questions? Are you allow to host in a 1 bd condo close to the strip? Also what license do you need to host in Las Vegas? 

[Ludivina0]

This exact thing just happened to me. I just tried airbnb for 3 weeks now and already got a notice saying to stop... most of my neighbors didn't have problem except one..  I was given until Oct 3rd to shut it down. I tried getting my license but it takes 4 to 6 weeks just to get the SUP and it's not even guarantee.

I feel bad for my guests from Hawaii that will be checking in next weekend, I know how hard to find a place and very expensive. I sent a letter to the code enforcement email just couple hours ago asking them to please give me until next weekend. 

I'm so worried... any thoughts...

[Geoff44]

I host my guest house on airBnB and its been rather easy for the last month. 

We dont need a license since the new law passed that owner operators with a 3bedroom house are exempt. Thats a nic relief!

My biggest complaint is the competition, in the last 8 months... it feels like the amount of listings has doubled which has me wondering how anybody is making money doing it. 

Im usually booked 20 days a month but the going rates in July/August are around $60/night which I feel is too low for what we are offering.  There is nothing that cheap anywhere in town. 

[Joanna85]

I cannot seem to get my space rented above a certain price...I"m fully booked at $30, usually $35 and sometimes on weekends at $40.  I've been 100% booked up until this month since February bouncing around between 30-40 a day, so we'll see...maybe the heat scares off tourists in August.

Remember, Airbnb is for econo travellers, which is why I think the price thing is a big to-do for me. And it's all the add-on stuff that makes me crazy--people wanting to check in super early or stay late because their flights are not leaving until night time...I charge extra for EVERYTHING.  Hotels charge for ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING here, so why should I give it away for free?  Regardless, staying with me is cheaper at $40 a night during the week, even if Circus Circus is charging $20 a day because of the resort fees and add-on taxes they have to charge.

[Zacharias0]

Hey Joanna,

Just a thought to help you out, but have you looked at your pictures and profile lately? If you really sell your listing you'll get a higher price per night. People buy with their eyes as thats all they have to go on. Your pictures are blurry, some aren't oriented incorrectly ie upside down or sideways and the lighting is bad. Look at some of the listings getting higher prices and you'll see it doesn't require much to get a higher price. Yes, Airbnb is for econo travelers, but they still want a deal as no one wants to pay dirt cheap prices for a dump. They could get that at a hostel.

Good luck.

[Zacharias0]

Depends on what your end goal is. If you are living on site youd have to pay rent/mortgage anyway so any new money should be considered a welcome surprise. If youre an off site host Las Vegas is definitely a hard market unless you're in a condo tower and even then you'd have to pay housekeeping, HOA, mortgage, utilities, property insurance and property taxes and then some. Youd have to be clearing a pretty penny every month to make it work and some hosts do otherwise they wouldnt be doing it.

The Vegas market for short terms stays ebbs and flows but the price pretty much stays the same regardless of how many hosts enter the market. We are less than 1% of the rooms offered in Vegas and the rooms on the Strip have an effect of keeping the majority of our prices in check. For those that are commanding a higher price they are offering a whole house, can accomadate a larger group or offer an experience that is unique to that house.

Also, you still need a license to operate. If you offer anything over 3 bedrooms you have to apply for a special use permit.

[Keeta0]

Hey could you expound on the 3bedroom owner operator rule? 

[Joseph276]

Hello fellow Las Vegas Hosts.

[Joanna85]

@Zacharias0

Hey- don't worry about being so darn blunt, there, Zacharias...should I maybe hide my ugly face, too?! I"m kidding.  My pics definately do not do my place justice....I got a new special lens to make the view wider...can you tell any difference?  Can you look at my pics now and tell me if it the pics now are an improvement?! I see Airbnb no longer provides free photography...I should have snatched that up.  I"m going to have to break down and pay for pro pics and have them edit and futz with the lighting a bit.

[Zacharias0]

Much better on the pics yes you can tell the difference on the wide angle. Also, try opening the curtains in the room to bring in more natural light and turning on all the lamps then take the picture. It'll look much more welcoming. A few throw pillows will add a touch of color and a focal point for the picture. You can get them from a thrift store and wash em. It's all about staging. In the pic of the microwave and the fridge you can unplug the appliances from the wall while you take the pic so it doesn't look so haphazard. Then just plug em back in.

If you ever see pics of hotel rooms you'll never see wires anywhere. Its the oddest thing. Just a trick I've read about and apply where necessary.

Best of Luck. 🙂

[Angel108]

Hi Joanna, 

I have been a professional photographer for 20 years. The photos of my listing where taken really fast in-between guest. 

If you would like me to come photograph the room let me know. I could do something inexpensive like what you see in my listing or for a bit more set up lights & stage the room more. 

[Joanna85]

@Zacharias0

Thanks for looking!  I really appreciate the tips and input!!!