Phoenix/Scottsdale airbnb

[Kelly291]

I am looking to turn a stand alone home I own into an AirBnB. I have previously used this home as a rental and the tenant just moved out so I am debating on getting another tenant or turning to the short term rental market. The home is about a mile from old town Scottsdale and is convienient to spring training.  Do any other hosts in these areas have problems keeping them rented on a semi regular basis?  I'm not looking to make a fortune, basically I just want it to pay for itself.   Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

[Cathy172]

Hi @Kelly291 I don't know about the Scottsdale area, but I am in a seasonal vacation area (Cape Cod) going into the off-season. In four months my revenue as a short-term rental was greater than it would have been for year-round, without the wear and tear of a year-round tenant.  I charge for cleaning, so once or twice a week the whole unit gets top-to-bottom cleaning, and because I do my own cleaning, additional income for me. I plan to stay "open" year-round, keeping the heat low and attacking some projects I didn't get to last year (painting, etc.) If I get some lodgers, that will be a bonus and I will re-evaluate staying open year-round in the Spring. (A lot of folks "drain down" their cottages and shut off the heat over the winter.)

[Becky101]

Hi @Kelly291, I live in Old Town Scottsdale and I had a property here and in Tempe that I had listed during Spring Training. I was booked back to back and made 5 times what I made during the other seasons. You will have no problem keeping your home booked during season.

[Michelle755]

Hi Kelly, I am an Airbnb host in North Phoenix. Do you know of any cleaning lady reccomendations or how to find a reasonably priced individual?

[Vanessa749]

Hello Kelly, i am Vanessa Espinoza an individual who maintenances a Airbnb property. I am very trustworthy, dependable, and affordable.  Heres my number ****. Thank you! 

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[Daniel-and-Heather0]

Michelle, I had this trouble for quite some time being in the area, they are in high demand. I suggest paying extra for a good cleaning lady. For example I pay $120 for a 3bed/2bath. Even when the guests barely use the place I pay the full amount.

[Katia330]

Hello Michelle,

We are a cleaning provider for Phoenix/Scottsdale. Please, check us  at Home Advisor for rates and reviews. 

We are a proud Airbnb cleaning provider, a family owned and operated business and will be glad to assist you on recurring cleaning based on occupancy.

My personal phone is *sensitive information hidden*, anytime.

Katia

[Share-The-Hedge-LLC0]

i can suggest turnoverbnb.com

its an app that allows you to choose from vetted cleaners and managers.  you aren't tied into just one cleaner that way...so if one doesn't do what you like, you can w/out hard feelings move on to the next one.  i've found 3 very good cleaners with the app.  it also lets me get  photos before and after the job.  harder for a guest to claim the damage or loss was from the previous guest when you have photos of the day the last guest checked out and after it was cleaned for their check in vs. their own photos on check out day.

i used a single company for a while...but as they grew, my single  house wasn't really on their radar as it had been.  i'm sold on turnover bnb now, and i doubt i'll ever go back to just a single cleaner.

[Sarah977]

While of course most people want to have the opportunity to make as much $ as possible, I sometimes wonder if anyone has a social conscience anymore (Kelly, I am NOT directing this at you, it is a general observation).

A lot of cities are trying to either ban airbnbs or severely limit them, as locals, who live and work and are trying to support their families, are finding it harder and harder to find a place to rent since all these whole house, or whole apartment airbnbs have popped up.

The original airbnb model was geared towards hosts who had extra space in the homes where they live, were interested in interacting with guests from all over the world, and generally have a new experience in their lives, which was also financially rewarding. Or be able to generate income from their own home while they themselves were away on vacation. I know this original vision has changed, but personally I wish it hadn't.

Sometimes a good long-term hassle free tenant is preferrable to short term bookings in whole houses with off-site hosts, where you can actually have nightmare guest scenarios, as you can read about extensively on this forum.

Just my 2 cents.

[Kelly291]

I know This is an old post but I have to say I totally agree with you! This house was originally my and my familys home until we got transferred out of the area. Airbnb allows me to use the home on occasion and avoid the scenario of nightmare long-term renters that I have had to deal with in a the past. My last two long term (yearly) renters caused a combined 8k in damages. As I intend on living in this house again one day I find that while yes, Airbnb provides a smaller income than a long-term renter but definitely less wear and tear. 

[Jackie570]

Where I live, if long term tenants (not AirBnb renters) damage a property, move a bunch of extra people in, or stop paying rent, the process to evict them is lengthy and expensive. It takes several months, during which the tenants know they are being evicted and generally do tens of thousands of dollars worth of damage to the property on top of the court costs and fees for the eviction itself. The laws here do not protect landlords at all and there is no reliable system in place for a landlord to be reimbursed for damages done by tenants that are evicted. Until these laws change, it is much more beneficial for us to use our rental properties as short-term tourist rentals than to have long-term tenants.  A lot of property owners are figuring this out and that's why we are choosing this way. If cities need more permanent rentals, they need to change the laws to protect the owners of those properties. 

I own a duplex that has been in my family for five generations (it was converted into a duplex in the mid-1900s). I would rather let the half I don't live in sit empty than risk the damage that bad tenants can do. Airbnb is the perfect way for me to still get some income from the property without risking damage done by tenants that I can't legally remove.

[George283]

Hi Kelly!

I am a Superhost and currently have 13 active listings in the Scottsdale market. I can tell you this, you are strategically located in one of the most attractive areas of Scottsdale. Old Town is a gem, and my units do very well in this market.

I specialize in turning properties into successful short term rental properties. Some key questions I have are how many bedrooms? Does the house have a private pool? What are the upgrades like? What is your budget for furnishing? I use my wholesalers and design team and turn my 2 bed condos and townhouses into beautiful turn key AIRBNB properties for roughly 5k. For the single family four bedroom homes, it can be north of 10k to furnish it right. However, the return is definitely there ( I average 22-40% annual cash on cash returns).

Scottsdale has 8 months of perfect weather, and this definitely works to our advantage. As previously mentioned, you can take advantage of the peak spring season as well as maintain an over 80% occupancy during slower months ( June-Sep) with the right strategy. I maintain roughly an 89% occupancy on average for my properties and think we are more then just a "seasonal" hit.

Now nothing good comes easy, it is definitely a very high level of hospitality, customer service, strong communication, and most important passion to make this venture work. I am more then happy to answer any questions or give some recommendations if you want to reach out! Hope this helps.

[Scott577]

Hi I am Scott.  I did the Airbnb two months last year and I’m doing it this season, I find the smart pricing is ineffective for the season here. I have a complete house that’s furnished rental bill or an acre next to Kierland. with a pool I live on the part of the property not near the rental I’m trying to figure out the pricing. Is there a consultation firm or an individual, or are you? That will advise on season prices etc. Or two question still trying to figure out Pricing for parties per person or event? Any help in this matter or direction would be greatly appreciated thank you Scott

[Kelly291]

I don’t do smart pricing. I find that at the low summer prices they suggest basically anyone can rent it as their party pad. Last summer I used smart pricing and it suggested $100 a night. So of course a contractor snapped it up and put 8 adult men in it over the summer. While it made money over the summer due to these renters it was definitely a little worse for the wear after and my neighbors weren’t very happy with lots of strange men coming in and out. I generally try to only rent to families so it definitely wasn’t ideal. Even if it means getting less renters this summer, I probably won’t go below $125-$150 a night.  I just see what even else is pricing theirs at and keep it in the general area or slightly lower if in prime season. 

[Jesse162]

Hi George,

I’m in the process of completing a remodel in old town and I’d love to talk with you. Any chance you can give me a call at *

Jesse 

****

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