How do I know if there is demand in my area?

[Jeff217]

Read an article in Mr Money Mustache about airbnb and it got me to thinking.  I have three rentals in the California Central Valley that I was going to be selling next year when I retire.  This article got me to thinking about furnishing one of these homes and offering it on Airbnb.

Is there anyway to know what the demand is in my particular area?

My homes are in a town called Ripon, near Modesto Ca.

[Knut8]

Thank you for this question: I would love to know the answer. I'm in a similar situation.

[Rene-and-Zac0]

@Jeff217 @Knut8 Do a search on Airbnb in your area of interest. Then when you get your results, go through the listings and find some that are similar to your ideal listing that you want to create. Then identify the listings with the most reviews. After you identify your potential competitors, look at their calendars and get a look at how busy they are by their bookings. You can then sorta gauge what they are making by figuring their daily rate multiplied by 30. I doubt anyone is %100 booked all the time, so I use %60 as an occupancy rate. In this business, you always have to be observant of the competition because things move so quickly and the windows of opportunity are smaller and smaller. I started in April 2017 and I do this daily to keep on track of my game. ‘You know it’s hard out here for a Host’.