How do you keep track of the state of your home when you live far away?

[Rohan139]

My airbnb is far from where I live and I wanted to keep track of the condition and what is happening. Have others found anything to do this?

[Elisa]

Hi @Rohan139 😊, 

Thank you for bringing up this topic in the Community Center, it’s really interesting.

How far do you live from your rental property?

I’m tagging a few experienced hosts to see what advice they can share with you: @Guy991, @Patricia2526 and @Shelley159.

Thank you in advance, everyone!

Warm regards🌻,

[Guy991]

Hello @Elisa ,

I’m probably the last person to ask. I live nearby and manage everything myself. It’s still a lot of work if you want to maintain 5-star standards. Just today, for example, I went over to clear a blocked drain, delivered extra pillows late last night for a guest who checked in at 11 p.m., and cleaned and refilled the coffee machine this morning.

Hello @Rohan139 ,

If you’re far away, trust is the most important thing. Since you can’t use internal CCTV, you’ll need someone reliable on the ground, whether that’s a co-host or a management company. Hosting on Airbnb is not a 9-to-5 job in my experience. The hospitality business is 24 hours a day.

With a co-host, you can keep all communication in the Airbnb chat so you’re always in the loop about any issues or guest requests. That’s a big advantage, and you can also support your co-host if they need to make tough decisions. You can even ask guests for private feedback before they leave a review. Sending them a message the day before checkout gives you time to address any issues in advance.

With a management company, you’ll usually get financial reports and occupancy data, but you may have less visibility into daily problems unless they choose to tell you. Often, you only find out through guest reviews, which is too late to fix the problem for that guest.

You really need someone you trust who won’t just keep your property booked, but will also protect your reputation and take good care of the place. If you do find someone like that, consider yourself lucky.

I’d really love to hear more from others who manage with a co-host from afar.

[Patricia2526]

Hi @Rohan139 & @Elisa 

Having a strong reliable on site team helps. Co-host with checklists and report photos after each turnover. I ask cleaners to take timestamped photos of key areas after each turnover.

I don’t usually encounter issues with unregistered guests because I host in a condominium where all guests and visitors are required to register at the front desk or security upon entry. This protocol is strictly enforced by the building management, adding an extra layer of security and accountability.

Additionally, I’ve clearly stated in my House Rules that only registered guests are allowed access to the property. I also include reminders in my pre-arrival messages to reinforce this policy. This helps set expectations early and avoid misunderstandings.

I suggest to add a specific clause in your House Rules about penalties or consequences for bringing in unregistered guests.

Install a smart lock, It monitors guest entry/exit times.

[Rohan139 · Accepted solution]

Thank so much for the advice guys. I was also asking on a reddit forum and got recommended the following company which is helping do long-distance property inspections for airbnb owners. *

*[Link removed in line with the Community Center Guidelines]

[Guy991]

Hello @Rohan139 ,

Sure, let me guess. Your cleaner will go around the house with a video camera every time after checkout? For stays of 2 or 3 nights each, that is about 10 times a month. Good luck with that.

Oh, and one more thing. If you do not trust your cleaners to report properly, then change your cleaners!