How to avoid a lack of bookings?

[Yasmin477]

Hi All, I am looking to get into the space of becoming a Host and want to know if anyone faces challenges with not getting bookings? Is this a high risk, how do you mitigate this risk and how do you make your place attractive?

Also, does anyone outsource their cleaners and other businesses to manage bookings and keys? Do you find this easier? Any additional advice/information would be great!

Thanks in advance!!

[Helen3]

Start by doing market research into supply and demand for the type of property you have in your location @Yasmin477 

Then look at what other hosts are charging for similar properties.

You can then put together a profit and loss budget with your start up and ongoing costs. And an estimate of how many days a year you are likely to let it out at what cost. This will give you likely profit levels.

Many markets are oversaturated so worth you doing you doing this research to inform your decision.

presume you've already checked to see if there are STR regulations in your location and whether you can comply with them 

and yes some hosts use local cohosts to help manage things on the ground and manage bookings if you don't live locally 

[John6049]

Hi Helen,

Everyones airbnb experience is different but you might want to consider the following.

1- We dont charge a cleaning fee, I have seen that if people are paying for cleaning then they are more likely to leave the place in a mess. In the four years we have been doing airbnb nearly all of our guests leave the house very clean, we have only had 2 bookings leave the house in a poor state. 

2- Don't expect to be successful overnight, it takes time to build something up and people really do read the reviews. The more positive history you have the better you will do. We have consistently improved our income year on year by 50% even in 2024 which I know has been tough for a lot of people.

3- Local knowledge. Know your area, go and eat in the restaurants don't just go by the online reviews. For example, I have visited all the best reviewed restaurants around us, I have also visited the bathrooms and even been in the disabled bathroom with a tape measure to check the turning space. Don't go by what people say online, go and check it yourself. The same goes for markets, beaches, shops and transport. Being able to give people accurate information is really really important. 

4- Predicability, in high season people who come in and do our cleaning and laundry need to know weeks in advance as they are covering lots of other properties. Saying to them I need a full set of clean sheets and towels tomorrow is just not going to happen, so we only do saturday to saturday which means any one working with us knows exactly which day they will be with us and how long they have to turn round the laundry. We only use people we know, not laundry and cleaning services. They may be easier to deal with but the quality of work in my experience is no where near as good.

5- I always make sure somone is there to greet people when they arrive and show them around, and that someone is there when they leave and that they don't just turn up with the key then disappear, they show people around, how to do laundry and how things work. And they are there when they leave, to say goodbye and wave them off. Its the little touches that are important and it makes people feel special and looked after, which they should do, Airbnb's are not cheap anymore.

6-Give people space as well, don't bombard them with offers of help and information. I can see that I was over keen in the beginning, it takes time to get the balance right.

Sorry for rambling a bit, hope you find that useful.

Cheers

John

[John6049]

Hi Helen sorry replyed to the wrong message. ooops