I don’t drop my price as I know it’s already reasonable.
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Darn! I’ve been invited to a wedding May 2018, was just about to hit you up for a discount he he
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Sorry the delay in answering… By tiny repairs, I always ask 1st, and items such as loose door handles; a loose handle scratches the door paint. Swinging doors; I remove the hinge pin, bend it and reinstall, it stops a bedroom or bathroom door from swinging open or shut. Loose electrical receptacles; I am an experienced Electrician and have been remodelling apartments and houses for over 25 years. I am detail oriented to the extreme, and notice that very very few newer contruction has securely installed receptacles. Try this: push on a receptacle wherever you see one, it shouldn’t budge. It’s a matter of installing the device box securely to the wall stud and making sure the box is installed at the exact depth of the to be installed sheetrock. The cover plate isn’t meant to hold the receptacle sturdy. Sometimes I’ll adjust a door lock striker, or align a window lock. Sometimes the building has shifted slightly, sometimes the construction is poor. If there’s a broom by the front door I’ll sweep gravel and such away from the door to prevent it from being tracked in. I’ve removed and cleaned bathroom fan vents. In a recent stay I noticed the fan wasn’t clearing the steam. Inspection revealed a $15 cheapo fan, and poor fan housing design was blowing the air back into the bathroom instead of out via pipe. I showed this to the homeowner and she was aggravated. She had just had an extension built on her house at great expense, and then had the roof cut open to install a proper vent pipe, instead of venting thru the wall as the contractor had done. I showed her by demonstrating the air was blowing through huge gaps in the fan housing, and then it would either have to siliconed to death, which would make it impossible to service in the future, or rip it out and install a $100 much quieter, properly built fan.
As far as why I am on this forum when I don’t host, once I’m through with my divorce, I will be investing in other revenue property, and have considered renting a room in the house I plan to buy in the near future. I was curious to see how the bnb business looked from the other side, and here I am.
I hope I havn’t broken any “rules”, and feel I have alot to learn, and hopefully alot to contribute. If there’s a private message button, shoot me a pm, I’d be happy to chat, but I would appreciate keeping my anonimity. Anononimity??? Sweet Dreams…
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I always ask 1st, see my answer below 
My girlfriend and I are usually last minute bargain hunters, and I would like to think we’re nice folks to have over
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See my long answer below, and I always ask 1st
Thanks for the clarification… Just a word to the wise, and also you will know if you read here. Don’t ask outright for a discount! You may get quickly declined!
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Have tools, will travel…
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I’m the repair guy, see post 84, I always ask 1st
Kona… I’m not sure if I answered you directly yet, I’ve lost track as the forum scrolls to the newest post, then one has to scroll all the way back to the place were we were… Sheesh… Anyhow, I always ask 1st, and refer to post 84, I clarifyed, and I have tools will travel lol
Mag… Read post 84. I’m currently out of commission after minor surgery, but I’m getting a divorce, therefore my sweet girlfriend and I like to travel…
Good luck on divorce, best thing I ever did.
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I deleted my post, I meant it to be a private message, oopsy
How is that in anyway relevant to this forum 
See above… I deleted my post
I just declined a bargain hunter who wrote this message:
Greetings,
I’m a teacher and writer, visiting L.A. for a few days.
I clicked on your listing, which said “$55 per day”, but with taxes and fees it’s $78 per night—a bit above my budget as a teacher. Would you consider a base price for this WED / THURS of $45 per night? I think AirBNB has a way for you to send me an offer.
Thanks,
TJ
I wrote back (and declined him):
Hi Tom,
I’m sorry, but I believe that my price is very fair.
Yours,
Ellen
Then I read his reviews and realized that I’d dodged a bullet. He left one place early because someone was smoking outside. Our neighbors smoke in their driveway. He left another place early because the mattress wasn’t firm enough for his taste. The host gave him an air mattress, but that was also too soft for his taste.
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You did dodge a bullet. If people are willing to pay Airbnb service fees, then they should call Airbnb to see if they will waive their fees. It really rubs me the wrong way when someone asks me to discount, yet they are willing to throw all this money at Airbnb for nothing.
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Ugh. So this guy goes from Airbnb to Airbnb and leaves early due to little things? Were those reviews that the host left or that he left? Cheapskate.
Your decline message was super nice.
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The reviews were the reviews that the hosts left. Check this out. I sent him another message in case he decided to try and book with us after all:
Hi Tom,
I read the reviews that previous hosts have left and I now realize that our listing is not a good fit for you regardless of price.
You had a problem with people smoking outside at a previous listing. Our neighbors smoke in their driveway which is adjacent to the guest room.
You were awakened by a host’s roommate working out in the morning. Our neighbors often start their truck in their driveway early in the morning. Also, my husband does yoga at 5:00 A.M.
You had a problem with a host’s mattress being too soft. Our mattresses are pretty soft.
Yours,
Ellen
Here’s his response. Bear in mind that the hosts’ reviews of him were polite. In each case they didn’t blame him:
Yes, I’ve learned if you make any comments to your host, they tend to leave a scathing review and twist your words. The points you raised were all legitimate problems for me—A house filled with smoke, aerobics outside my door at 4 am, and a cheap, flimsy mattress. As for your place, why aren’t the issues you mentioned in your listing? Obviously because they’re not a really problem—as I’m sure they wouldn’t have been for me. And as I said, your BASE price of $55 is indeed fair, but all the taxes and fees are ridiculous.
Lordy, this person is teaching our children?!!
He sounds like he’s got quite the hostile attitude. I’m glad you didn’t take him Ellen. I am sure would have found something wrong with your wonderful hospitality.
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