I have a 10 bedroom 4 baths house. Is 10/4 better than 3 units 3 bedrooms each?should I divide it?

[Jorge762]

Hi. I have a 10/4 house on Miami (Coral Gables) area. Would be more profitable to divide it on three separate units 3 bedrooms each? Or such a big house would be an advantage because not many houses can host over 20 people at the same house?

Any suggestion or experience would be appreciated. Thanks

[Robin4]

@Jorge762

Hi Jorge, statistically the greatest risk of damage to a hosts property comes from parties! And there is a pool of potential guests out there who search out properties that can accommodate a considerable number of guests for that specific reason....they want to have a party.

Your chances of getting a booking from a guest who simply wants to find some where he/she and the nineteen + others with them just want to relax, read and quietly unwind is ZERO!

Forget all about catering for large groups! There are plenty of venues who have the required licencing and security facilities to make sure things don't get out of hand. Jorge, the wrong group can destroy you!

Large numbers of people get together to drink, brag and outdo each other....we see it here so often! And as soon as they leave they shut down their payment method so the poor unfortunate host cannot access funds to compensate for the damage they invariably cause!

If it is feasible to section your property into 3 seperate listings this would be a preferable path to go down Jorge. I would not even offer the option that more than one of the listings could be rented by the same guest!

If you do decide you will list the property as an entire space, adhere to one golden rule.....DO NOT RENT TO LOCALS! People who want to have a good time getogether are not going to jump state borders to do it, they will be locals ever time!

Good luck Jorge, I am glad I am not in your position having to make a decision like this!

Cheers......Rob

[Jorge762]

Thanks for your reply Robin. I really appreciate it. 

How do I restrict locals to rent it? What if they rent right away? Is there a criteria to fill on my listing that avoid local guests?

[Robin4]

@Jorge762

Sorry Jorge, only just saw your response!

You don't have to rent to someone you do not feel comfortable with,.If you feel threatened in any any way, or feel the guests intention is to break your house rules you can contact Airbnb and explain to CX that the guests intention is to break your house rules in which you would state very prominently....'No Parties'!

I don't have that situation here because I will only host a maximum of 4 guests and I live in the main house on the property....nobody is ever going to book this place to have a party. Although having said that I have had a request from some Asian guests to return and be married here in the garden, but I have been invited to be part of that and I do feel comfortable I can keep a reign on things! 

But Jorge, your house as a single listing capable of hosting 20+ guests will be an absolute party magnet and I don't feel you will benefit from that! I understand that you host delligate groups  for conferences and specialized groups but it may pay to market yourself in other ways to cater for those groups, but I really don't believe Airbnb is the place for that!

If you go down the three listing path you almost remove this risk and will probably be better off in terms of what you can charge! Larger groups invariably want a discount which you will not have to fight with when dealing with smaller numbers.

There is not a mechanism in the Airbnb platform that will allow you to exclude locals from booking though Jorge.

Cheers......Rob

[Paul154]

3 is better than 1  big one.

Easier to rent smaller units than a huge unit.

Less risk also. Easier to have a trickly cash stream by renting 1 of 3, 2 of 3 or 3 of 3 instead of a huge Flood and nothing. Turn-overs are more managable too.