@Catherine516, well, I'm gonna chime in as well 🙂
Welcome to hosting, it is fun and enjoyable ( when done "right"...)
so, I'd like to make a few suggestions:
1.) Immediately change your pricing, on both listings. The Airbnb "smart" pricing is actually pretty stupid.
2.) Take off the Instant book, at least at the very beginning. You do want a bit more control over who comes, especially in the home where you will be also. Message back and forth a bit with guests, you then get a good feel who you'd want in your house and who not. decline the ones you don't want. in instant book, anybody is in.....
about Breckenridge:
I see you only have it available for that one week in September, so set your time frame to cover all those days, 7 nights minimum, so that you rent it for that whole week, not increments of 4 people for one nighters. $44 for 4 people per night is totally unacceptable. who would change the linens? it would cost you more than you make! The price should be at least $100 per night for 4.
about your home:
so yes, because of the "too cheap"pricing you got all these bookings.
you are starting with a base price of $30. how about $50? and then leave the extra $15 per extra person in place.
You might want to limit the stay to no more than 7 days: if you get difficult people, you'd want them out sooner than later, right?
I limit my place to 4 nights max - gives me a chance to then come in, do the sheets, make sure all is okay, etc.. get people out, get a break.. etc.
hardly anybody offers breakfast these days. Be also very clear with shared space: do you really want people in your living room, sharing kitchen, etc?? careful! If you don't clearly specify, it all opens you up to problems and isssues. In ther words, refine your listing, protect yurself - tighten up your house rules, and then hosting will be fun!
ps : your cataract guy coming in, bite the bullet, don't cancel, learn the rules, see what penalties you'd get for cancelling.
anyhow, my two bits. 🙂