Critique my listing - Tracy in Bellevue, WA

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Tracy792
Level 3
Bellevue, WA

Critique my listing - Tracy in Bellevue, WA

Hello, I am new to hosting and would love feedback about my listing.  I have had one guest and great reviews, but I'm worried about the category which says, "entire place" and "you'll have the place to yourselves" since it is the entire upper level of a home with an ADU unit downstairs for the caretaker.  Hopefully I've explained this in my listing after the initial description.  Besides that, I would love any feedback about the listing or photos.  Thank you so much!

 

https//:airbnb.com/h/enatai-lakefront-colonial

 

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3 Best Answers
Huma0
Level 10
London, United Kingdom

@Tracy792 

 

Your place looks lovely and the photos are good quality and look professional. I would maybe edit them down a bit though as there are a lot. Also, a couple are a bit dark. Personally I think daylight photos are preferable, even in a dining space that you imagine people using more in the evening. Try to take them on a nice bright day and let in as much light as you can.

 

RE the entire space thing, I think you need to make this information more visible as a lot of guests don't read everything. Perhaps you could specify 'entire top level' or 'entire upper level' of house in your opening description so that guests get from the start that it's not all levels of the house. I think this is a really important point as some people may find it off putting to have someone else there in the building, whilst others might be terrified of dogs.

 

Another suggestion would to be to always reiterate this point to guests when they request to book (or as soon as they instant book + ask in your pre-booking questions if they have understood this). This gives them a chance to change their minds if they had not noticed/understood that point. Even if they have already booked, they usually have 48 hours to change their minds penalty free. I would certainly make sure guests are crystal clear on this as early as possible to avoid any misunderstandings once they arrive.

 

You have a lovey listing. Best of luck!

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Huma0
Level 10
London, United Kingdom

@Tracy792 

 

Glad to be of help! 

 

Don't stress too much about the darker photos. Your photos are not bad and most of them are very good.

 

Here also in London we have the least amount of daylight these days and very rare flashes of sunshine. Just use the photos you have for now and update them when you've had a chance to take them in brighter conditions.

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Stephen1308
Level 2
England, United Kingdom

That's a great asset you've got looking over the water! 

There's a couple of things that could be better. The first being professional photos. 

However, before you look into doing that... 

I always stress to people the importance of interior design and how it attracts far more bookings, the stronger that it is. 

I'd look at each room and ask yourself... "What would i do differently to this room to increase its appearance by 10-15%" and work your way through. 

THEN have it professionally photographed! 🙂 

That's unless you want to bring in an interior designer of course. 

Doing those two things are the best way to secure yourself consistent bookings, month on month for the long-term.

Best
Stephen
thestrconsultant.com 


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10 Replies 10
Huma0
Level 10
London, United Kingdom

@Tracy792 

 

Your place looks lovely and the photos are good quality and look professional. I would maybe edit them down a bit though as there are a lot. Also, a couple are a bit dark. Personally I think daylight photos are preferable, even in a dining space that you imagine people using more in the evening. Try to take them on a nice bright day and let in as much light as you can.

 

RE the entire space thing, I think you need to make this information more visible as a lot of guests don't read everything. Perhaps you could specify 'entire top level' or 'entire upper level' of house in your opening description so that guests get from the start that it's not all levels of the house. I think this is a really important point as some people may find it off putting to have someone else there in the building, whilst others might be terrified of dogs.

 

Another suggestion would to be to always reiterate this point to guests when they request to book (or as soon as they instant book + ask in your pre-booking questions if they have understood this). This gives them a chance to change their minds if they had not noticed/understood that point. Even if they have already booked, they usually have 48 hours to change their minds penalty free. I would certainly make sure guests are crystal clear on this as early as possible to avoid any misunderstandings once they arrive.

 

You have a lovey listing. Best of luck!

Great ideas to help clarify the shared property.  I'll highlight the information about the shared space and add it in different ways throughout the listing.  And add it to the pre-booking and after-booking messages.  Thank you so much.  And the daylight photos idea has made me anxious to be ready for the next bright day (scarce here in Seattle lately) to take more listing photos in natural light.  I've heard that photo tip before and now I need to apply it.  These suggestions and support are so helpful to me.   

Huma0
Level 10
London, United Kingdom

@Tracy792 

 

Glad to be of help! 

 

Don't stress too much about the darker photos. Your photos are not bad and most of them are very good.

 

Here also in London we have the least amount of daylight these days and very rare flashes of sunshine. Just use the photos you have for now and update them when you've had a chance to take them in brighter conditions.

Tracy792
Level 3
Bellevue, WA

Perfect.  Some spring weather will be worth the wait for a good photo shoot in between guests!

Lisa723
Level 10
Quilcene, WA

@Tracy792 beautiful place! Personally I probably would not list it with property type "residential home", but "apartment" -- it's a difficult choice,  because the former oversells and the latter undersells, but eventually you are going to get somebody who doesn't read and is upset when they get there. However if you choose to leave it as-is that's also understandable and @Huma0 's advice is good.

Thank you for that thought, @Lisa723 .  I actually read a review of a similar waterfront home nearby that said the property was "misrepresented" and they recognized that there were people living in the lower level after they arrived.  And I did think about calling it an apartment, too.  You're so right, I don't want to overstate it like the similar one was called out for.  But I might miss out on bookings from folks looking for the residential home.  I think I'm going to stick with the private home for now and make the sharing part more punctuated in the listing and reiterate it in the messaging as @Huma0 suggested.  I really want that to be the way to go at this, but I'll be ready for the guest who doesn't understand and faults the description, and then I will probably downgrade to private room or apartment.  I honestly wish there was a category called "private home with shared spaces".  TBC...thanks for your thoughtful considerations!

Mark116
Level 10
Jersey City, NJ

@Tracy792  Why not change the title, instead of Entire Home say Entire Floor in Private Home or Private Wing in Residential Home, something along those lines?  You will definitely get someone who didn't ready anything and is unhappy it isn't the entire house eventually.

Thankyou, @Mark116 .  Yes, I want to list Mum's as 'Entire Floor in Private Home' but I can't get that combination from the listing options.  Is there a way to get that?  I just went back to edit the property and rooms.  If I call it a secondary unit my next options don't describe the space.  There's also a box for number of floors and which floor the listing is on.  It's a split level home on a slope so where you enter is the top floor.  The 1st floor is a daylight basement.  But if I say the listing is on the 2nd floor and there are 2 floors it sounds like the listing is for an upper level space.  I decided to leave that part blank because it might just add to the confusion.  Hopefully folks will read through the description to correct/explain the main floor is floor2 and the house has a basement apartment.  Yikes!  Let me know if you have a way to circumnavigate the limited multiple choice answers, please.  And I will brace for the guest who doesn't read it and is unhappy, but I keep trying to think of ways to avoid that before it happens:-). Thanks so much for your thoughts and wisdom!

Stephen1308
Level 2
England, United Kingdom

That's a great asset you've got looking over the water! 

There's a couple of things that could be better. The first being professional photos. 

However, before you look into doing that... 

I always stress to people the importance of interior design and how it attracts far more bookings, the stronger that it is. 

I'd look at each room and ask yourself... "What would i do differently to this room to increase its appearance by 10-15%" and work your way through. 

THEN have it professionally photographed! 🙂 

That's unless you want to bring in an interior designer of course. 

Doing those two things are the best way to secure yourself consistent bookings, month on month for the long-term.

Best
Stephen
thestrconsultant.com 


Great feedback @Stephen1308 .  I was thinking that Mum's has looked the same with the furniture and placement for the last 50 years.  I could definitely use a set of fresh eyes to update the layout and replace some of the shabby (original) furniture.  I just splurged on a cream leather sleeper sofa getting delivered Monday.  I want to upgrade the sleeping arrangements first and then yes, room by room until it is 'deserving' of professional photography.  I'm lining up my small goals for success by learning what the guests want most and so having these great ideas and suggestions are super helpful.  Thank you so much!