[Festival] Renovations and renting in Rabat: expectations vs. reality

Miloud0
Level 10
Rabat, Morocco

[Festival] Renovations and renting in Rabat: expectations vs. reality

morocco 2.jpg

Hello,

 

« I like hosting because it allows me to meet nice people from all over the world, with different cultures, costumes, traditions… in our house. »

 

At New Year this year, I decided to embark on a new hosting project, which would involve me developing my hosting experience and abilities by renting an apartment... and adding it as a new listing with Airbnb. I still have this aim, but it's not been as easy as I thought because of internal and external reasons which are linked both to me and to the environment in which I live. I can summarize them as doing renovations and the reality of renting an apartment in Rabat to make a new holiday rental. 

Miloud 4.jpg

 

This year we have been doing renovations on our house. This has become an internal obstacle to my hosting project, in terms of the time it has taken to do this work. The delays have impacted my idea of transferring my hosting experience, however small, to another apartment or house… The problem was simply that I did not know when exactly the workers could finish the renovations in our house and so didn’t have a clear idea of when I could look for another place.

 

The manager did not tell us the exact time they would do the work. Or rather, he told us an exact time, but in reality they came at a different time. When you speak with him, for example, he says, I will start at this time, for this price and I need these building materials. For me it was ok and so I told Airbnb that I wanted to block my calendar because we needed to do work to our house and so I blocked it according to the time that we had decided with the manager.  

 

He (or rather they) did not come at the time that we decided with him. He came about 10 days later, which meant that they could not finish at the arranged time, not just because of the 10 day delay, but also because some days he simply did not come, or he needed some more building materials........and so on. I had to consider how I would solve this problem, and because of the work, there was lots of dust and many things had to be cleaned. 

 

I did not wait for them to finish, I decided to solve the problem myself. So I stayed at home, and started to clean the furniture and dye the door which was closed in order to protect the rest of the house from the dust. I did about 80% and a woman and my sisters did the other 20%. So when there were guests I told them that we were doing some work on the stairs and it is normal if they found them (stairs…) like that.

 

Miloud 6.JPG

 

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The external reason for the delay of my hosting project was: when I went to rent a house or apartment in Rabat, I faced this reality : 

_ Some are not in suitable places for guests. 

_ Some are in suitable places ( normal), but they need some renovation work.  

_ Some are good but expensive. 

_ Some are really good but really expensive.

_ The way the house rental system works here (and has done for a long time) is that about 90 to 95 of apartments or houses are rented unfurnished. 

 

 

So, as you can see, there are various obstacles to renting any of these houses or apartments.

 

The past few months have taught me a lot. For example I can see that it is important to factor in that there may be some difficulties when doing renovations. As you know, doing work to improve your home or rented apartment is good, but, from my personal experience, I think a host needs to consider that it is possible that some things may go wrong or it may be delayed and you need to be prepared.   

 

I’ve also learned that renting out an apartment or a house etc. in order to put it on Airbnb also has constraints, such as a lack of viable options, and a host needs to consider this before proceeding.  

 

I am sure that the renovations work and finding somewhere to rent out could have been easier for me if I had better anticipated the potential problems. 

 

Many thanks, 

Miloud

 

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16 Replies 16
Noriko
Former Community Manager
Former Community Manager
Tokyo, Japan

Thank you for sharing your experience @Miloud0 ! 

I like your photos, each of them are so beautiful.

 

 

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つながろう、拡げよう。
Airbnbコミュニティセンターチーム Noriko
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Lizzie
Former Community Manager
Former Community Manager
London, United Kingdom

Hello @Miloud0,

 

Thank you so much for sharing your experience here. As @Noriko, said, your photos are wonderful and I feel like I am transported to Morocco. 🙂 

 

It sounds like you have had quite a journey, but now that you are settled with all the renovation sorted, do you take time to look around at the beautiful place you have created? 

 

Do you guest often comment on your decor?

 

Thank you again,

Lizzie

 

 


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Miloud0
Level 10
Rabat, Morocco

Salute, 

 

Also, Thank you 

 

Thanks, 

Milooud

Miloud0
Level 10
Rabat, Morocco

Salute @Lizzie , 

 

Thank you too.

 

Yes, i want to make photos but i do not find my friend, who make good photos. I am waiting for him to come. 

 

If my guests asked me about decor, i explain to them because some decorations, in house, are from our traditional culture. 

 

Thanks, 

Miloud

Helen427
Level 10
Auckland, New Zealand

@Miloud0 

 

You have so much patience,  I grew up with builders  in the family home so there was always something going on.

I now have an intolerance to them!!

 

Your home is beautiful.

 

I so love all the fine details, features & warmth you have as a person to go with it.

 

Enjoy having a dust free and builder free home & some peaceful times ahead.

Morocco is an amazing country I would love to visit some time.

All the best

Miloud0
Level 10
Rabat, Morocco

Salute, 

 

I think you @Helen427 for the message and  for your good words. 

 

You are so welcome in Morocco. 

 

Thanks, 

Miloud

Quincy
Community Manager
Community Manager
London, United Kingdom

Lovely post @Miloud0! So much hard work but things are looking great! 

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Cathie19
Level 10
Darwin, Australia

You are to be congratulated @Miloud0, along with your sisters and the other lady, for your patience.

 

Renovations are always an obstacle wherever you live; with some places more difficult than others. Adding the hosting factor into the equation, can make it a stressful nightmare.

 

When I arrived from southern Australia to the  Northern Territory, 23 years ago, getting reliable tradesman to turn up when they had agreed to do so, was the hardest thing. There was a sad joke that the Northern Territory (N.T.) stood for: “ Not Today”, “Not Tomorrow”,  not “Next Tuesday”,  but maybe, “Next Thursday”!!!!

 

Things have improved greatly, but I can deeply empathise with your predicament.

In Australia, most of the time, the rental properties are without furniture. But may I say, your fixtures and fittings are just beautiful.... they carry us away to iconic Moroccan images, which are beautiful and innately infused with your culture. 

 

Thank you @Miloud0 for your post.

🙂

 

 

 

 

Nutth0
Host Advisory Board Member
Chiang Mai, Thailand

@Miloud0 I facing a same situation last winter when they repaired a road to my house. It say like 30 days finish but turn to be 3 months. Lucky that I still pass it. What you doing is remind me a quote I like “จุดเทียนดีกว่าก่นด่าความมืด” “ Lighting a candle is better that blame the darkness“

Miloud0
Level 10
Rabat, Morocco

Salute,

 

Thank you @Quincy 

 

Thanks, 

Miloud

Branka-and-Silvia0
Level 10
Zagreb, Croatia

@Miloud0 

oh yes, same here....1 year to renovate 75 m2 apartment... when everything is finally over I feel and look like chopped meat... 😞

Miloud0
Level 10
Rabat, Morocco

Salute @Cathie19

 

Many thanks @Cathie19 for your words. 

 

We had the same problems with the renovations. Really, it was stressful, aspecially when one is a host and need to finish repairs as soon as possible.  

 

About the rental properties without furniturs, also we have the same case and it is easier for coultries, who do not have like our rentel sytem. 

 

I am, really, glad that you liked our house. 

 

Thanks, 

Miloud

 

 

Miloud0
Level 10
Rabat, Morocco

Salute @Nutth0

 

Thank you for your message. Yes, i understand you, we had the same problem about repairs. I like you quote. Many thanks 

 

Thanks, 

Miloud

Miloud0
Level 10
Rabat, Morocco

Salute,

 

Thank you @Branka-and-Silvia0 . Yes, renovation, sometimes, takes more and more time than it is expected 

 

Thanks, 

Miloud