Outside appearance

[Tiffany578]

I need some help. I've received a couple of reviews about how the outside of my apartment building is less than desirable. I totally agree with the comments and I've tried to spruce it up a little but I'm not sure how I can explain this to guest before/after booking or how else to make it appear more nice. Any suggestions are welcome!!!

airbnb.com/h/poconos-retreat

[Tiffany578]

That's my thoughts exactly.  I've added mums,  fall wreath lattice  . If I still get complaints it's something wrong with them.  The rest of the guests love the place.  Thank you for your input.  I appreciate it. 

[Stephanie1933]

@Tiffany578  I find if I screenshot the pic it uploads as the file becomes smaller. 

[Tiffany578]

 

[Tiffany578]

That worked tysm

[Helen3]

You need to take the photo on a lower resolution or resize it once you have taken it @Tiffany578 

[Inna22]

@Tiffany578 What about adding something to the listing: think of my place as a sea shell- plain on the outside, pearl on the inside. Maybe even make it into your title?

Or something plain: I have put a lot of thought into decoration the apartment. I wish I could do the same with the common areas but it is an apartment building. Or something along those line

Whenever I put disclosures like these, complaints stop.

Setting expectations is probably more important than having an ideal set up

[Tiffany578]

That's a perfect idea.  Where would I put something like that? There's only a certain amount of space for the listing.  The screen shot idea worked.  

[Sarah977]

@Tiffany578  That looks very welcoming. I like how the color of the flowers you chose pick up the color of the door trim and go well with the wooden stairs.

[Tiffany578]

Thanks Sarah that was the update I did.  I added the lattice on the side to cover the neighbors toys it wasn't bolted on that picture but it's now attached.  I'm thinking about staining the stairs or do you think it's fine the way it is?

[Sarah977]

@Tiffany578  I personally like the color of natural wood. When people stain wood it usually looks fake to me. But that's just my preference.

[Tiffany578]

That's the only thing I could think of that people would complain about other than that the everything else is picturesque with the deers and wildlife.  But what do I know. 

[Kelcee0]

I'm shocked that ppl complained about it. You should've seen what my building looked like for the first year.   This looks like a resort in comparison. My trick was to put in the check in instructions that the outside isn't pretty and is in need of work, but not to worry, we wouldn't be doing work during their stay. That stayed like that for almost a year until the siding got updated.  No one mentioned it in the reviews so I guess that worked for me. It's funny that it's only after the exterior was updated and we removed that warning that we got comments from guests who looked up our address on Google Maps and saw the old pics.. Lol. One guest actually called Airbnb on me saying I was a scam. 🙄 Fun times.

So I guess my advice for you would be to either add a pic or let them know before check in what to expect.  Hope that helps! 

[Tiffany578]

That's a good piece of advice to take away. I was trying to think of ways to let people know it's a common area that I have no control over but that's another way where they'd have to acknowledge that it's not the Ritz outside of the place.  Cuz gee whiz it says apartment on the listing not a private luxurious home.  

[Mei-Yu0]

It is lovely, neat and clean outside.  Don't understand why the 2 guests complained. 

The outside of the building where one of my rental apartments is located is very damaged.  There is a family holding the majority of apartments in the building and it votes no every year to the façade renovation.

So I put on my listing:

<<The apartment has been refurbised, but the builidng remains old, modest and not well maintained.>>   Have never received any complaints.

[Inna22]

@Tiffany578 you can either put it right on the picture or in your description. You get almost unlimited amount of space in your actual description. I organize mine by categories: description, sleeping arrangements, etc