Newbie: Critique my listing

Michael5611
Level 2
New York, NY

Newbie: Critique my listing

Hello fellow host,

We’re relatively brand new to Airbnb hosting. Started about a year ago and what a year it’s been. I’ve made some updates to our listing, photos and descriptions since we began but mostly out of my own accord.

 

If anyone has a minute to take a look and offer feedback to improve our visibility we’d greatly appropriate it. We’re in a very broad and competitive vacation rental market — so we’re willing to try anything.

Best,

Michael

 

https://www.airbnb.com/h/29watersedge

30 Replies 30
M199
Level 10
South Bruce Peninsula, Canada

@Michael5611 

 

Your place is great.  Keep doing what you are doing.😁

Andrea4731
Level 10
West Palm Beach, FL

Everyone seems to love your home! You have 5 🌟 & I checked your calendar, you look pretty booked up! Why are you asking for feedback at this point? Is something not going as expected for you? I did notice when I don’t input dates, it says your place is $50 a night, then when I input dates it jumps to $1500 a night, so you may want to correct a date somewhere that is listed at $50. Also I think the wording on you “during your stay” could be a little better. Other than that, keep up the good work!

@Andrea4731 @Michael5611  Yes, I noticed that wording as well- the first sentence doesn't make any sense.

 

The listing looks great and you have great reviews. One thing I would do, though, is remove the wording which appears a couple of times that says "perfect for entertaining". This is an invitation, in a lot of guests' minds to think they can invite 15 other people over or throw a party. I doubt you want that.  

Alexandra316
Level 10
Lincoln, Canada

@Michael5611 overall I think your listing is great: nice pics and it looks beautiful. However, there are a number of typos in your description (drying wrack, for example). I would get someone to proof it again or go through it more carefully if you're looking to perfect the listing.

 

I'm also wondering why there are pics of vehicles you don't include with the listing, like the boat and the AMG Merc. The second one is really odd, unless you're giving rides or allowing guests to use it (yes please). I would also be really careful about letting guests use your kayaks etc. Liability on these things can be an issue: check with your insurer if you haven't already. 

M199
Level 10
South Bruce Peninsula, Canada

@Michael5611

 

May I  suggest that you reconsider the kayaks/boat liability with your insurance company.   You may be better off recommending a local service provider who has liability coverage, especially if youngsters are included in the guests rental.  You  may want to search  kayaks  in the "search the community "

 above for another conversation about kayaks.

Dale711
Level 10
Paris, France

Hi @Michael5611,

Interesting! 

 

Q1: the checkout before 12.00 and the checking in after 12.00?

Preparation times? And the  booking advanced noticed?

 

Q2: only one camera at the main entrance?

Be aware of extra guests, cameras should be installed and include all exits. It's essential to indicate in the listing announcement.

 

Q3: additional insurance?

Hosting with any natural frequency is likely to void your current homeowners' policy, and Airbnb's protection is inadequate.

 

Q4: pest control? e.g., Mosquitos, spiders 

 

Q5: someone may knock on the glass door next to the four-person dining area, why’s do you need it’s? Replace a standing lamp next to the living sofa or remove the table lamp. The contemporary table lamp doesn't match the decor. Or else change the living room sofa and living room table to the modern pieces of furniture. The entrance wooden door as well if you decide to upgrade the living room.

         

Q6: the sofa bed has mentioned in the sleeping arrangement? Do add in the photos or prefer not to say it, move away  the glass table and the floor map as  house rules: guest are not allowed to drag the furniture.

 

Q7: price range? Work on the price, compared your listing rate with other 20 listings around the area.

You’ll have to figure out what a good balance between price and bookings means for you.

 

Q8: house rules: no shoes allowed on the new floor....wear socks or bare feet.....do not drag chairs...roll suitcase. It is out of your hand!

 

Q9: reduce the little decorative ornaments on the living room table - take away all the candles and the candle stands -replace one or two beautiful large pieces of warm color of an artwork on the wall, than having many small and medium-sized frames on the walls.

 

Q10: as @M199 has points it out correctly.

 

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/39/what-factors-determine-how-my-listing-shows-in-search-results

 

41B299B6-8CBE-489B-9D27-4429722434EF.jpeg

 

AD8EF43E-CB07-48C3-86BC-DAF34AC649CC.jpeg

 

Happy Hosting!     

 

@Michael5611 Thinking purely in terms of how your home is represented visually, I'd suggest a slight re-ordering of the photos. The first 5 are the most important, as they're the only ones that appear right away when someone clicks on your listing. Rather than 5 similar-looking outdoor shots, this is a chance to highlight the top 5 images from around the property and catch the eye with interesting color contrasts.

 

If you're offering the property year-round, some shots from different seasons would also be attractive.  

 

Your listing states that pets are allowed, but you might want to refine your boundaries on that - with the awareness that Airbnb does not extend any coverage for damage caused by pets.

 

You've obviously put a lot of thought into the wide range of amenities that you offer, which must be a delight for families with kids. Even so, I'd delete the sentence "Just pack a toothbrush," as it kind of overplays your hand.

 

Michael5611
Level 2
New York, NY

Thank you all for the tremendous feedback. This was exactly what I was looking for and so much to digest. If you spot anything not previously mentioned, please feel free to pile it on.

 

Now that we’re coming up on 20 reviews, I’m looking for a way to highlight the guest feedback for marketing.  I started looking into social media for that purpose but no idea how to execute without it coming off as trite. Just open a IG account and start throwing up photos? Seems like it could fall flat.  I’m so bad with the soft skills (décor, marketing).  

Mike-And-Helen0
Level 10
England, United Kingdom

@Michael5611 @Anonymous@Dale711 @M199 @Alexandra316 

 

Stunning listing! What is a Florida room?

Like Dale I would query your noon check in and check out times.

Is there somewhere else you could put your disclaimers? They're a bit long and scary but I see the need for them.

Ute42
Level 10
Germany

.

While @Michael5611  asks for help how to present his listing, he sure needs no help with pricing 😎

 

 

2021-04-13 newbie place 2000 usd night.jpg

 

 

 

 

 

 

@Ute42 oh I could certainly use help with pricing as well if anyone can offer insight on my local market. It is incredibly difficult to price accurately. The range is so large in price and offering. You’re competing on so many channels — real estate brokers, national online vacation sites like abnb, private local co-hosting services, property Managment firms, direct referrals/friend-of-friend. Probably sources I’m not even aware of on the ultra high end. The offerings range from private rooms on Craigslist to fully staffed sprawling multi acre ocean front compounds. I actually think we’re very competitive based on what we are offering. We’re a small fish in huge body of water.


If you have meaningful insight on our market I would be very interested in connecting. Even retaining services on a consulting basis if you can offer value add. Please dm me.

.

@Michael5611   

 

Unfortenately I have no insight in the Hampton market and also I have no insight in the ultra high end vacation rental business.

 

When I rent out my place that sleeps 10 I have 3 criteria in mind:

 

  • Price

  • Security

  • No trouble

 

 

The prices I'm getting on airbnb are very good and higher than on other platforms. On other local german platforms I charge $300 a night, on airbnb $500. The reason I'm getting higher prices on airbnb I think is, that there's just more guest traffic compared to other platforms.

 

The security aspect on airbnb is a problem, bc we cannot charge a real security deposit which I can on other platforms. A real security deposit in the range of $200 to $500 isn't much, but enough to motivate guests to treat the place respectfully.

 

No trouble for me means: I don't want parties with people screaming an yelling all night long and by doing so disturbing the entire neighbourhood. The relationship with my neighbours is very important to me. I'm doing phonecalls with all guests who book my place to get a feel how they come across. In said phonecall I'm explaining the no noise rule in no uncertain words and if I get the feeling the guest doesn't understand what I'm talkling about I reject the reservation on the phone. That's a real surprise to some people but that's just the way I do business.

 

In other words: I'm not looking for the highest possible price, I'm looking for a balanced consideration of the 3 bulletpoints mentioned.

 

-------------

 

FYI: I once read an article from the manager of an agency that does ultra high end Vacationrentals only.

 

The manager descibed how they are doing financial and criminal backgroundchecks and which databases they access to get that information. The mansions they rent obviousely don't belong to the agency, these are privately owned places from rich people who have no interest at all to run that business themselves.

 

Every guest who books a place in the $3000 + / night range gets assigned a dedicated locally based person and his or her cellphonenumer to arrange extra amenities like a chef or a butler, the guests are being picked up from the airport and shuffled back. Whenever guests have a problem they have someone to talk to to solve the problem and that's not only during business hours.

 

If Mick Jagger wanted to rent Your place You would not get an inquiry from Mick. You would get an inquiry from a high-end travel agency. There are travel agencies out there who have high end customers in certain fields like Musik, Baseball, Socker, certain Industries and what have You. These travel agencies personally know all their customers and it really is a word of mouth business. These agencies require an extra commission and all that.

 

Also the manager said, that his agency has contracts with security companies in certain areas. So if he has the unfortunate experiance that a party is completaly going out of hand, they would call the security company and said company would then send 5 guys big as a rock to „talk“ to the guests.

 

Unfortenately I cannot retrieve the article I'm talking about but You may search on google with refering keywords.

 

Good luck with Your hosting and hopefully noone will damage Your great place.

 

 

 

The place is very cozy, but the fact that the first pictures of the lawn come are not very good. Most people want to see a place in which they will live, and not a lawn nearby.

Helen3
Level 10
Bristol, United Kingdom

You say your objective is to improve visibility for your listing . Who is your target market and what channels are you using to drive traffic to your STR @Michael5611