New Airbnb Host Would Like Advice!

[Chastity3]

Hello:

I am new to airbnb as a host. I decided to jump in because I enjoy hosting. I will go above and beyond to make any of my non-paying guests to have a fantastic stay. So to get my feet wet, I'm starting small by hosting a room in my home. I know I'm at the bottom of the barrel, meaning no ratings yet and my nightly rates are pretty cheap as compared to others in my area. I know I have to be patient but I would like to hear from the successful superhosts in the community. How long did it take for your confidence to build up? How many times did you have to tell yourself to hang in there when you don't see any bookings? Did you also start off by renting a room? If you could go back and give yourself valuable advice that has made you successful today, please share!

[Sarah977]

@Chastity3  I've been listing  private room with private bath in my home since I started hosting almost 3 years ago. I don't have any aspirations to do more than that- I get lovely guests and it's worked well for me so far.

I don't stress about how many bookings I get because I don't do this as a major source of income. The quality of guests I get is far more important to me than the quantity.

You're not exactly in the bottom of the barrel since Airbnb gives new hosts search priority, so you'll have that going for you for awhile.

You say your nightly rates are pretty cheap compared to your competition- I wouldn't do this- it will bring you less desirable guests. It can burn you out real quick if you're basically hosting for nothing once you find out the guest took hour long hot showers, cranked the AC up to high while out all day, etc.

I suggest that new hosts don't use Instant Book until you feel comfortable with hosting and learn the red flags of potential guests. Better to have them send Inquiries and Booking Requests so you can get a feel for them through messaging communication, ask questions if they haven't voluntered any information about themselves or the purpose of their trip, etc.

Try not to accept locals- they are often just looking for a hook-up place, or somewhere to deal drugs or party. 

Don't be afraid to be firm about House Rules and personal boundaries and don't bend over backwards for demanding guests- they won't appreciate it, but will just be emboldened to be more demanding, and after you've tried to do everything you can for them, they'll still leave a bad review.

Good guests are appreciative, don't make unreasonable demands, don't treat you like their mommy or a concierge, and leave nice reviews. Those are the ones you want to do a little extra for.

Don't take long term reservations- you can run into all kinds of problems with tenancy laws if a guest stays longer than a month and they are terrible and you want them out. You might also want to set a 2 night minimum, which can eliminate a lot of those types I mentioned- those up to no good.

I was very lucky to get a wonderful first guest when I started- she told me she would leave a great review to get me started and she did.

Just try to enjoy hosting, don't fret over the small stuff or that bookings aren't rolling in fast and furious- it will all fall into place.

And make it a habit to read through a couple pages of the hosting and help forums here on a daily basis if you can- it's a really supportive place and we all learn so much from each other that can save you from learning it the hard way.

[Chastity3]

I appreciate your invaluable advice. I didn't set my listing to instant booking for the reasons you listed so I'm glad at least I'm on the right track. Thank you for your honesty regarding nightly rates. I never considered the potential major monthly bill increase due to some guests who would leave the water running or leave the lights on all night. I wouldn't want to lose money in the end for hosting so that is a potential mistake I need to re-evaluate to avoid as much as possible. 

I enjoy hosting for free with my friends and family and want to continue that enjoyment with paid guests and do want to turn it into a potential successful side business for the future. However, quality over quantity is important to me and I keep that in mind throughout my experience.

[Rachel0]

@Chastity3Your listing looks lovely and you have obviously taken a great deal of care with the photos.  However, in the sleeping arrangements section you say that you have one single bed - for me that means a bed that will accommodate only one person, so perhaps you should change that to a double bed, which would sleep two.  It may just be an English thing, not sure.

I agree with everything that @Sarah977  has said too, she makes a lot of sense as usual.  

The most important thing is to stick to your house rules.  You have put them there for a reason so don't allow entitled guests to bully you into making exceptions.  

My only other concern is the kitchen.  I allow guests to come into the kitchen to make a cup of tea or coffee and store cold snacks in the fridge. I also allow use of the microwave to heat up a ready meal but that has to be eaten in the kitchen diner as well, I don't allow food to be  taken upstairs to the bedroom.  It seems to me from the posts I have read on this CC that a lot of the problems encountered by hosts involve dirty dishes, overflowing rubbish bins and other kitchen related issues.  Think really carefully about whether you want to come home after a long day, desperate to make a quick meal, eat and relax only to find that the guest is in there using all your pots and pans and making a horrible mess.  I suppose I am fortunate in that where I live there are loads of cafes, bars and restaurants where the guests can go and eat, but do think hard about whether you want to offer that facility or not.

I really hope it goes well for you!

[Chastity3]

Thank you for your advice and taking the time to look through my listing to give me pointers to improve! I immediately fixed the single to double bed issue I overlooked and have modified my house rules based off of your advice and experience. I live in a suburban area, which means small businesses, coffee shops, local restaurants, movie theaters, which I should speak about more on my listing. My area is filled with cyclists, joggers, a very family-oriented environment but 20 minutes away, guests can experience the night life: bars/clubs, high end restaurants, fine art center, etc. Thanks for sharing!

[Linda-And-Richard0]

Hi @Chastity3   Welcome to hosting with Airbnb.  You have received some great advice from Rachel and Sarah.  I agree you should increase your nightly rate.  You would be wise to stay away from Instant Booking and Smart Pricing.  Avoid renting to locals and same day bookings.  If possible, avoid one night bookings.   When my husband and I first started booking guests, it took a few months to get use to having strangers stay at our property.  We live next door to the listing so we were always on hand to meet and greet guests for check-in.  We have met some wonderful people and have several families that are repeat guests.   Our neighbors have referred their relatives to our listing. There has been only one group that we would not welcome for a return visit.  Good luck with hosting.  I'm sure you will do great!

[Amy-and-Brian0]

@Chastity3 - being from Orlando, make sure your listing includes something about Disney, Universal and Sea World, I-drive, etc. in it as those are keywords people look for in Orlando listings. (Unless you don't want people who are going to the attractions to stay with you). Conventioners would be a good target audience for you too, so make sure your listing is "Business friendly". 

And after your first bookings, make sure to get the guest to give you a review, and review them. Once you build up several reviews, you can then start to raise prices and attract more guests.

Good luck fellow Orlando-ian!

[Chastity3]

Thanks for the advice my fellow Orlando-ian 🙂

I updated my listing to include distances from attractions as I realized I was missing those important areas. I'm not located a stones throw away from Disney, Universal, etc. (about 25+ mins drive) but at least potential guests can make that decision based on the information provided in my listing. I had forgotten about the Conventioners, thanks for that! I will include distances from a few centers too.

Currently, my first guest is coming toward the end of next month so I plan to request her review and I will make sure to review her as well. I'm trying to establish and build up my experience first as I have bigger goals for the future.