What are the most common mistakes starting out as a host?

[Stephanie]

Hello everyone,

When starting out as a host there is always a lot to take in and learn. From manoeuvring the platform and encouraging your first few bookings, to welcoming your guests in your home.

What would you say are common mistakes to make? Or things you didn’t think of in your early years as a host.

Thanks,

Stephanie

[Julie143]

- Accepting a long term booking, instead of taking advantage of the new host boost in the search rankings. It’s better to accumulate multiple reviews at the beginning.

-Being so eager to have guests that they forget to properly vet people and becoming the victim of huge parties that seek out new, inexperienced hosts.

-Responding to the private feedback part of the review in public  so everyone can read about issues that would have been only between the host and guest

-Saying yes to unreasonable guest requests and bending rules.

-Not having clear rules spelled out in the listing.

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

Having your calendar open to infinity without setting the higher price and minimum stay (at least 3 nights) for a  New year eve

[Emilia42]

Believing in the 1 million dollar host guarantee 

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

LOL @Emilia42  😄

[Susie111]

A fantastic marketing ploy, I fell for it sadly....

But now thanks to this great CC I know better.

[Jessica-and-Henry0]

Thinking that Airbnb would follow and respect their own rules and policies.

[Ann489]

Believing that Airbn supports its hosts. 

[Susan17]

Most common mistake - and one I made myself - believing that hard work, dedication, loyalty and a glowing 5* track record counts for anything with Airbnb. It doesn't. 

Best advice to new hosts - list on all the competitor sites too, don't fall for the hype, and never trust that Airbnb will support you or have your back. They won't. 

[Sally221]

Don't start out with Instant book activated - it's the default setting when you go live and you will need to figure out how to screen guests & what constitutes a red flag - some things are a universal warning other things may be a particular issue for your area/ listing.

Don't pay much attention to the price suggestions- do your own comparable research when setting prices and don't go too low- the ultra bargain places seem to attract the pickiest & most problematic guests.

Keep all your communications on the airbnb site so you have a record, it might be helpful if you are lucky enough to get good support from airbnb. If you need to give a poor review keep it short & impersonal. Your intended audience is the person considering your listing, not the rude moron  who just left a shambles. Vent your spleen here instead.

If you do short term bookings (and asJulie wisely said, it's a better choice for those starting out) make sure you have enough linens etc to completely remake every bed and stock the bathroom if someone spills or otherwise messes up the space without doing multi loads of laundry. I change the duvet covers & mattress protecters every time and waiting for that last load to dry whilst getting ready for a back to back booking was hella stressful. I'm glad about the 2 identical duvet covers on ebay- it makes it easier for my spouse to know which covers go where and the on sale mattress protecters made my life much easier.

A clever contributer from Paris, I'm senior momenting her name, advised making one's listing pix and description as warm and personal as possible, it sets a tone that attracts the kind of guests you want to welcome into your space.

Don't count on yourairbnb  income as any random thing could happen to spoil the whole endeavor- if there are other platforms you can use, do it! Sally

[Sandra126]

Not understanding how Airbnb works: cancellations, various policies, setting up your listing right etc.

I disagree with listing on multiple sites. I used to, but decided after the first year on all eggs in one basket. If something was to go pearshaped on Airbnb, I would relist elsewhere. It was too stressful to juggle for me, and this way I get all my reviews in one place, a chance to get higher ranking etc. As I am fully booked, it works for me. But I am aware that it is a precarious thing to do as we have seen a few times here on the forum. I like low stress, one listing site only is lower stress than multiple!

You could say that I am dedicated to Airbnb but aware.

[Sarah977]

Believing the caring and sharing, live like a local rhetoric when all the company seems to be about these days is squeezing out small-time traditional home-sharing hosts and systematically removing all the tools necessary to ensure a good host/guest fit.

[Emily352]

When you start hosting people, making tremendous mistakes is a normal thing, it’s part of the journey.

Well, that’s my first mistake, thinking I could do it myself.

Next mistake: thinking that making friends with the world was easy.

It was a mistake to assume that everyone was like me.

It was also a mistake to believe that my perception of my city and the guests’ perception of my city was the same.

One mistake was to believe that it was all about wind sprints and speed, while to achieve this task one must become a long distance runner.

Another mistake was to believe that the bonds that keep a story together could not be broken.

But the biggest mistake was to believe that things would never change and that I would never fall out of love with AIRBNB.

I was able to survive the high school in the nineties and AIRBNB’s instant booking in 2010. I’m changing my name to Emily352, and I am made of fire.

[Donna240]

One of the most common mistakes is to set a low minimum number of nights and a high maximum number of guests. The hosts with the least trouble usually have fewer guests. A host who sets up the criteria to please himself will not attract all guests, just those who fit the criteria. If your accommodation is comfortable, clean and shows a personal style you should have no trouble attracting guests, so you don't need to creat stress for yourself by offering more. like last minute bookings, one night stays, or bending any of your house rules.

[Ange2]

My experience for the most part has been positive, a bit of a learning curve but nothing catastrophic.   Most common mistakes are assumption, and not realizing you are a 'franchisee' of sorts. Airbnb is a platform/brand that acts as a conduit to sell hospitality—subject to its own discretion. A host is responsible for educating themself on how it works,  absorbing the risk and loss, having their own back, keeping up with changes to the ToS, rules, policies, etc.

- Not doing your homework

- Not having commonsense

- Thinking it will be a breeze

- Relying on Airbnb to sort problems: Have your own plan of action worked out

- Assuming common courtesy, respect and responsibilty are the norm: Write rules assuming they are not

- Assuming guests read the description, amenities and rules:  Remind them

- Assuming your culture is the rule of thumb globally:  It is not

- Assuming everyone sees the world  as you do: They do not

- Suffering a bad guest because you are scared of kick-back, petty reviews or Airbnb penalizing you:   Don't. Address infractions as they happen in a neutral fashion. Most guests are willing to oblige. If they are not, stick to your rules and limits, and if need be ask them to leave or have them removed.

- Getting upset because you receive an unwarranted bad review: It happens to the best of hosts

- Getting upset when Airbnb reprimands you: If you're doing your best, ignore it, you can only do your best

- Assuming you will get a fair hearing in event of a dispute: Not guaranteed

- Feeling obliged to accept guests you are uncomfortable with:  It's your call and your consequence

- Assuming the million dollar insurance package will cover damage: Read it. Do your own risk analysis and make sure you have your own back

- Assuming the security deposit is a security deposit:  It is not, in the commonly understood definition

- Assuming discounts, give-away pricing and bending over backwards has its reward: More often it encourages bad behavior rather than gratitude and respect