Packed up the Airbnb This Week

[Tracey---Bryan0]

Well, we had our last guests this week.

Los Angeles has made it illegal to have an Airbnb out of any space that is not your primary residence. It's such a HUGE loss for travellers and hosts alike (in one of the top tourist destinations in the world). It's been a great two years with pretty wonderful guests for the most part. I've learned a ton from you all here, so thank you! I have such deep respect for all it takes to be a host and provide a wonderful experience for people.

Hope to return to hosting at a later date in a place more STR-friendly. 

Cheers!

- Tracey

[Clary2]

Growing trend.  South Lake Tahoe....Los Angeles....

[Mike-And-Helen0]

@Tracey---Bryan0 so sorry. Is it because there has been a lot of trouble, bad press, nimbyism?

[Michael3577]

It's because rich real estate investors have flooded Airbnb to make bank on ghetto neighborhoods. 

[Susan1028]

Things are getting dicey all over for STR's,  especially in areas where local LTR's are being shut out by us.  It's a great opportunity for those who own property, but not a sustainable community model. 

Airbnb has not been known to do much community PR other or clean up their act, than campaign contributions and the occasional volunteer day...mostly based on host volunteerism...and often forgets to pay out taxes they collect on our behalf, so ultimately, Airbnb isn't a sustainable community member either.

The issues with scammers, bad guests, and criminals taking advantage of relaxed  (and publicized) guest policies here they're literally capitalizing on (see you tube videos on how to get away with it and the FB group about bad guests...), many hosts are shouldering the fallout and aren't too pleased with airbnb's choices around safety, accountability, and neighborhood relations either.

HOSTS  are ultimately held responsible for everything and get blamed for all of the fallout.

Without hosts...there can be no airbnb, and yes "the original/classic home share" airbnb IS sustainable, because it does not compete with separate LT rentals. 

Yes, we need to screen our guests...and have the tools made available to do so if Airbnb isn't willing to vet them with even a basic background check (which should be included in the fees).

So, yes, the honeymoon is over, and LA is not the first or the last to ban the multi-property moguls and limit it to...what airbnb was originally, and what indie hosts  have been asking to be designated with our own category as the "original airbnb homeshare" platform.

I'm hosting my last guest this weekend because the overt bias of airbnb against  "the original" hosts has tarnished my joy for listing here enough to want to end the relationship.  As stated in many threads...airbnb is shooting itself in the foot, and the current practices are not sustainable.

[Linda482]

You’ve expressed my exact reasons for feeling burned out. 

[Cecilia-and-John0]

STR and LTR?? Explain please!

[Cathie19]

@Cecilia-and-John0 

STR = short term rental > most Airbnb dwelling spaces

LTR = Long term rental   > depends on the hosts preferences and location and by laws

---

[Linda482]

Short term rental; Long term rental

[David427]

Short term Rental/Long term rental

[Kris230]

short term rental & long term rental (a traditional rental home)

[Ann489]

@Susan1028   well said, Susan.  We are also throwing in the towel after our last guest--at least with Airbnb.  I'm done with the psych and control games they are playing with us hosts--not to mention the inability to properly vet your guests and lack of host support.  We are onsite hosts with a little guesthouse above our garage that is mainly used for visiting friends and family.

Our city is also mulling legislation to limit Airbnbs-and frankly, I'm all for it.  The Airbnb properties that cause problems are usually those owned by multi-property/investment hosts who don't care what goes on in those places.    Not to mention the fact that this buying up of affordable homes, therefore taking them off the LTR market is, at least in part, to blame for the shortage of affordable houses in those communities.

[Jackie475]

I have been a host for 4 years! Airbnb Super-host at that and held that status for 4 years, I could not of stated this better myself. I rented out a Airbnb nature room,  (roomshare) which is what Airbnb was intended for. Community and we’ve lost all of that! I am burnt out, my guests are worse and worse every time I host. I occasionally have the “yes I LOVE to be a host” guests arrive. Not enough for it to be worth it.

it all started during the Super Bowl here in ATL 2019, Airbnb super hosts were pushed out of the equation when couch and chair rentals for $20

bucks a night were flooding the market. Airbnb supported this and the algorithm supported it as well.

Airbnb was intended to be a community based organization that allowed people from all over the world to learn and grow inside of environments they have never been apart of. Now it’s become so huge that nobody uses it for that anymore. Millionaires buyout cheap homes make them look like hotels and rent those homes for the asking prices of room rentals and have shut out the room share all together. It’s become a thing “why would you stay with someone when you can have the whole house to yourself”

Airbnb ATL,  I have to flight for my room to be featured on Airbnb algorithms, I have to fight against scammers and guests who treat me like I’m an object not a person.

I get bullied into hosting people because of Airbnb’s laws on discrimination and changed model of reviews that are able to Be left if you don’t want to host someone for reasons pertaining to your lifestyle! I have people who have tried to throw a parties here  and realized they rented out a room rental not entire home rental. 

They try to cancel at 11 pm, never step foot on my property and Airbnb let’s them give me a 1 Star review for everything (and write a ridiculous review )  Things like this happen too frequently. 

I won’t be doing Airbnb for long. It’s so difficult and so unrewarding now. 

I had a guests come aggressively bang on my door and wake me up out of my sleep at 1:39 am to scrub Chilly pepper stains out of his white T-shirt. Being a super host I did what I could to help him. He leaves me a 3 star review and said my amenities and value lacked. I have Never received a 3 star review from anyone not in over 600 guests I have hosted! All 5 stars and maybe 10 4 star reviews. CRAZY stuff like this keep happening. 

 If that doesn’t show you the kinda of stuff hosts deal with now, I don’t know what will. 

[Christine1765]

I can see why LA did that. If people are buying homes to rent out short term (at higher rates) then people who can’t afford to buy, won’t be able to find housing at long term rental prices.  This is happening around the world at places that already have housing shortages (ie popular destinations).  But they are fair in letting you rent out your primary residence. 

[Susan1028]

Yes, I think it's very fair as well.  There are way too many homeless , and they're not all mentally ill.  There are homeless working people and families with children, and people who are bankrupted by medical bills...and that cannot continue. 

People deserve to enjoy their business endeavors, but there needs to be balance.  Many people also lost their homes due to corruption in the banking and loan industries...which flooded the market with foreclosures, many of which have become STR's.

It's time to look beyond personal profit to the larger picture to create realistic, balanced solutions to undo the corruption, and we cannot depend on the feds to do it all. 

We are fortunate to have places to live...and many are even more fortunate to have investment properties. Ultimately, these are our communities, and everyone needs a place to live and work, so I feel a responsibility to help re-create that balance, especially when there are also properties sitting empty.

Winter is coming to the Northern Hemisphere and I can't abide  another death due to exposure for lack of safe, warm shelter. 

THIS is an area the where Billions of profit Airbnb generates could be put to good use to help recreate balance in the communities in which they've so handsomely profited...and repair the negative PR that's become so damaging not just to corporate...it effects us as well because we are the faces of airbnb in our communities.  There are many corporations that have set up foundations, trusts, and charities to heal damage their industries have created so the future can be different.

From where I'm sitting, a real and substantial gesture like this from airbnb would do a lot to restore good will in cities like LA and NY in the US, and other areas globally where airbnb has contributed to the housing crisis...and hosts on the ground could be part of the effort.