First-time host looking for suggestions

[Brandon195]

Forgive me if this has been mentioned before, as I've never hosted. I am still weighing a couple of options.

Right now, I have two potential bedrooms that I could rent out. In the first room, I'm putting a full-sized bed with a memory foam mattress.

The second room currently serves as my den, with a TV and sectional sofa. However, I'm thinking about adding an air mattress to that room as well, but I'm afraid it would make the room feel cluttered. I wouldn't mind having just the sectional by itself, but it's not the most comfortable night's sleep.

What do the veteran hosts recommend for the den? Sectional by itself, sectional and air mattress, or don't use the den at all?

Thank you!

[Sarah977]

@Brandon195  When you say you are going to put a full size bed in the bedroom, does that mean a double bed?  If you have the space, a queen will be much more attractive to guests. 

As far as the den goes, maybe you should just leave that be for now until you have some experience hosting. Dealing with one set of guests at a time in the beginning is a good and manageable start. You can always add it later.

Think about the type of guests you want to attract- probably only young folks are going to be okay with sleeping on a sectional or air mattress in your den. More mature guests are generally easier to deal with.

[Brandon195]

@Sarah977thank you!

It would be a double, but I do have enough room for a queen plus a nightstand.  Like you mentioned, I think starting small with one room would be the easiest route until I get a feel for this. I live close to a college campus, and I'm thinking about football season/Homecoming, but I think mature alums would be easier here.

Thanks again.

[Lois-and-Darryl0]

@Brandon195:  I agree with Sarah's wise suggestion to stick with one room as a new Host.  You will learn much in the first few months - so much that you may change your plan for the future.  An idea after a few months:  I recently stayed at a home that has two private, but side-by-side bedrooms (both with Queen beds).  The Host alternated renting the rooms, as these two bedrooms shared one bathroom.  This way you could book back-to-back and have plenty of time to clean the rented room up to the checkin time of the other room.  I'm grateful for the Community Center and the months I took to read everything in it.  The lessons and advice  from experienced Hosts was the best help!!

Good luck!

Lois

[Sarah977]

@Brandon195  Football season/ Homecoming, huh? Sounds like noisy drunken guests coming home at all hours and making a mess. I think appealing to mature alums, visiting lecturers, etc. sounds like a way better plan 🙂

[Jessica-and-Henry0]

@Brandon195

Like @Sarah977 says, a lot depends on the type of guest you want to & will actually attract.

If you want to target couples I agree that a Q-bed is better and you'd want to have a base price for 2 people. If you want to target solo guests (with the option for couples) then a double would be okay with a base price for 1 and an additional guest fee for the 2nd guest.

When I started out as a host I couldn't decide between a single bed (targeting solo travellers) or a double. (Q-bed would take up too much floor space so it was not an option.) I decided I didn't want to host couples because of a lot of things that MIGHT make me uncomfortable. I went with the single bed to host only solo guests, and I found myself popular with exchange students! (totally unexpected but better for us as hosts.)

If I were in your shoes, I'd keep the den as an option for a larger group rather than having 2 separate sets of guests. So......base price for 2 people sharing the main bedroom. You'd have to explain (very clearly in your listing and thru listing photos) that for guests #3 (and/or #4) they will be expected to sleep on the sectional or an air mattress, then set your additional guest fee accordingly.

Good luck~

[Brandon195]

@Jessica-and-Henry0Thank you again!

[Rachel0]

@Brandon195 Just like so many of the other experienced  hosts on here have already suggested, start small and see how you get on.  I would advise against appealing to the football season crowd as what you don't want, when you start out, is a load of drunk students throwing up all over the place!  Start with a double bed, good quality bedding and towels and a decent bedside reading lamp.   You don't mention what bathroom arrangements you have.  Would the guests be sharing your bathroom or do you have a separate one for them?  

[Brandon195]

Hi Rachel...it's a separate hall bath, but they would have it all to themselves. Thank you for your advice as well! 🙂

[Rachel0]

That's a massive advantage so make sure you mention that they have a private bathroom in the heading of your listing.  Having said that, I am not too sure what a hall bath is - I assume it is not actually in the middle of the entrance hall!

[Brandon195]

The best way I can describe my house is, go in the front door, and the bedrooms are straight down the hall (about a 15 foot walk). The bathroom is along that hall, across from the bedroom.

[Sally221]

Hi Brandon,  we are also college town hosts (Cal Berkeley)  & altho' we've only been hosting 1 year it's been pretty great over all: here's what I have learned so far- Memory foam is great, queen sized is better for sure- we bought a used temperpedic from a visiting scholar going back to Europe - colleges generate all sorts of vistors, once you are ready to have 2 rooms going you will be able to host parents touring schools with kid in tow, parents bringing kids back at the beginning of term, parents & relatives coming for graduation, associate profs coming to interview for jobs & alumni coming for all sorts of reasons.

Don't use instant book for folks without any reviews unless you are brave/foolhardy like me. If you can curtain off the "Guest wing" it might be easier for everyone's privacy.  The question "Will you be on premises is a yellow caution (didn't read listing thoroughly) or red flag (Paarty) If the person inquiring is from your area code and asks if you will be there- do your best to sound like a homebody who will  practically breathe down their neck "being helpful". You want them to cancel/not book as turning them down will be a negative for you. I should have raised prices a bit for May as it's crazy busy with graduation,  it may be the same in Norfolk? Don't be too quick to lower prices if you get automatic prompts from airbnb, I'm sorry I did & won't do it again, us locals with a bit of research will know our own markets best.  If you make things cute & comfy and have a welcoming spirit I'll bet you will have a grand time! Best of luck, Sally

[Brandon195]

Hi Sally. Thank you for the advice...it's making this a lot easier on how to handle being home.

Norfolk is more of a military town than anything, but ODU and NSU still bring in a lot of people for Homecoming weekends. Right now I'm touching up a few things in the kitchen, but also contemplating just making it off limits. I'm afraid of getting down voted for the cabinets needing a little TLC. 😛