Day 3 - If you build it they will come??

Kelly149
Level 10
Austin, TX

Day 3 - If you build it they will come??

I wasn't sure what I would have to share about hosting (that wasn't a rules suggestion or a dire warning), but the other day I was thinking about our most recent guest who came to us for quite possibly my favorite reason yet. And I wondered what I would find if I looked back upon why guests had come to us over our last 14 months of hosting. Here is what I found...

 

Summer Vacation x6
Working in Austin x5 (beauty consultant, movers, pastor, musicians)
Attend a Wedding x4
Music festival x4
Visit family for holidays x4
Get out of the city weekend x3
Bachelorette weekend x3
Cross-country friends meet up x3
Bachelor weekend x2

Avoiding home after a breakup
Family Reunion
Birthday celebration
Escaping far north winter
Hurricane Evacuation
Moto GP Races
ComicCon
Brewery Tours
RV traveling pitstop

Golf Tournament
Golf outing

Mother/Daughter Sorority weekend
University Parent’s Weekend

College Roommates Reunion
College Graduation
College Football game - their team beat the local team!

Week in Texas and a Wedding on the Barn Porch
**Meet a new grand baby

 

We built the barn for our family to enjoy together. And we've hosted some really fun celebrations of our own up there in the last 14 months, but it was also enjoyable to see that our out of the way, funky backyard space has also become a part of so many other families' memories as well. It makes me smile to know that when those grandparents think back on meeting their new grandbaby, our Big Red Texas Barn will be a part of that.

 

Best wishes for happy travels & hosting for you all, Kelly

 

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18 Replies 18
Bobbie8
Level 1
Redding, CA

I love your space And your enthusiasm 🙂 I'd consider the same If I had the space to build. I'm considering adding a locking door to separate my living space from the two guest bedrooms. I would add a counter, a sink, an apt size refrigerator, a microwave,and a small table to accompany the existing futon sofa (guests could sleep there as well).  The other bedroom would remain as is- a comfortable sleeping space. Thereby i can offer a mini kitchen, private bath (existing) and a spare bedroom to my home. It is possible to replace a window with a locking french door that leads to my side yard, and a gate out to the driveway. 

 

I'd have to ask more for the space though, and wonder if I'd get as many listings?

@Bobbie8 Yes, I’ve considered the same for future projects. Hard to say what the potential is but I think there are probably more people interested in an “entire place” listing. 

The opposite of what you’re proposing is to put yourself in the smaller space & rent the master/kitchen/living. That would command more rent but you would still have the space when you didn’t have guests. 

@Bobbie8, I thought similar to @Kelly149, when I looked up your listing. It’s a place that calls to me with its artistic charm. Do you have water in your studio? If not, it may be a practical thing to have a sink there, if it’s feasable. I can’t imagine the whole layout from your photos, but I suppose the studio would be in your part of the house?

I have a tiny space, the guest part is over kitchen and bathroom, which made sharing sometimes a logistic problem, between guests, who wish to be asleep at 9:30 pm and others, who would love to sleep in till noon, even if checkout is 10 am. 

I added a lock , when I had an accidental double booking, a girl in one room, a guy in the other (and me squatting somewhere else). In the meantime, I got a water kettle for my living room, then an espresso machine and now a sink. That adds quite a lot of comfort for me and refuces stress. If the guest blocks the bathroom an eternity, if it’s a person I do not really want to cross before my first coffee, I leave them be and enjoy a leisurely breakfast on my side. Or I may head out by my door, in proper shape. 

On the same time, even if it’s still a shared room listing, it’s more like a private suite, if the guest prefers privacy and that is visible in the price too. 

 

You coulf install things like Kelly suggests, create a way to seperate your space and have it functional and raise prices slowly. (I get a crazy price for your room, more like for a tent) 

 

you can also create a second listing, the room with pricate amenities, especially for short stays. I supose you could take a shower at your kids’ place, if you rent a bigger part of the house for two days and only have a sink in your part. That lets you test the demand before you make investments. 

Joanne-Flynn0
Level 9
Phoenicia, NY

What a great list @Kelly149

 

We've had:

3 anniversarys

2 honeymoons

1 author with a week away to finish her book

lots of guests of weddings in the area

but mostly "need to get away from the madness of New York City"

 

We're a small cabin surrounded by mountains