Possible new Airbnb Host program for top hosts

[konacoconutz]

I get it. After a busy season, I am feeling the burnout. Just May to go and I get a break.

Where are you job hunting? Universities?

[Zandra]

Nope. It’s hard not to as that’s where I can command the highest salary. Sticking to the food industry.

[Helsi]

Me Or at least I think I am …what makes for a budget property?

https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/7942002?

[Zandra]

I’d say you have far too much space to be considered budget.

For me a budget property is going to comprise of a mix of the following limitations;

Size
Privacy
Location
Amenities available
Modernity (in relation to the interior and fittings)

Any combination of above will result in a lower price.

As such your place doesn’t look budget to me. The places listed in your area for £20ish are budget.

Don’t get me wrong you’re very competitively priced !

[Eberhard_Blocher]

@Zandra

I think @Eberhard_Blocher might be with me at the cheaper end.

That’s true. And I get lots of criticism from friends who are saying that I should be raising prices. Well - €29 for a single room and €48 for the double certainly is pretty inexpensive, with free breakfast on top of that, too. I might try to up the price this summer, but then, I would have to buy new mattresses and stuff, since I don’t want to feel I am ripping off guests.

[sylvainbg]

I feel sometimes that I am ripping off guests like 400 dollars for one night but what’s wrong?.

I am not forcing guests to book my place…

[cabinhost]

@cooperjto

It sounds like they’re thinking of creating a separate, curated directory of “premium listings” that feature a higher standard of interior design, professional photography and cleanliness. One of the survey questions asked me if I’d be likely to participate if Airbnb provided an incentive like free design services or access to a professional cleaning service. Does anyone have more info about this?

I don’t have any info on it. But Airbnb and all the listing sites are about what will make their bottom line better. They won’t be able to get in a cleaning crew who can clean better than you can. There’s always a catch and I no longer take any surveys to help all the listing sites gather more data on how to exploit the little guy.

[EllenN]

I took the survey. It looks like what Airbnb is trying to do is make money by having hosts hire specific housecleaners and decorators. These decorators will make specific suggestions about painting, furniture and linen purchases, etc. I assume that hosts will be encouraged to use painters recommended by Airbnb and buy products via retailers who have partnered with Airbnb. Obviously, Airbnb will profit from each of these transactions. According to the survey; hosts will get paid as soon as the reservation is booked if they are part of this program.

[jaquo]

@cabinhost

They won’t be able to get in a cleaning crew who can clean better than you can.

I agree with that. However if any cleaning crew was looking after our rental (I do it myself now) I’d be standing over them and checking their work. If it wasn’t up to my standards they’d be instantly reported to Airbnb as being unacceptable.

@EllenN

According to the survey; hosts will get paid as soon as the reservation is booked if they are part of this program.

That, I like

[EllenN]

I would not want to be paid as soon as the reservation is made. If the guest cancels, I would owe Airbnb money.

[jaquo]

@EllenN

I would not want to be paid as soon as the reservation is made. If the guest cancels, I would owe Airbnb money.

I suppose it could be seen as an interest-free loan?

[EllenN]

Yep, I prefer to not borrow money regardless of the interest rate except for my mortgage and my car payment.

[jaquo]

Me too. Apart from the usual utility bills I have worked hard to be debt-free. No mortgage, no car payments - totally liberating!

[Sarah_Warren]

@Zandra

Calling all budget hosts we want to know who you are !

I’m definitely a budget host! www.airbnb.com/rooms/13780291 I offer a full apartment above my garage. It’s clean and furnished nicely but since you have to go up wooden steps and the kitchen and bathroom are basically original other than minor updates I charge a base rate of $55/night for the first 2 people with adjustments for more people, weekends and seasonality.

[Sarah_Warren]

@jaquo

Me too. Apart from the usual utility bills I have worked hard to be debt-free. No mortgage, no car payments - totally liberating!

Way to go! We have about 15 months left until we’re consumer debt free, and then it’s on to the mortgage. AirBnB has definitely helped us speed the process up. But I want to be the one making the money, not be exploited like others have mentioned. Reading these thread have definitely kept me from making unnecessary purchases.

And like @Zandra has done, maybe I need to forgo providing food. I’ll keep the coffee-maker and all the supplies (as I just stocked up for the summer), but maybe I’ll phase out a lot of the food items as I run out and remove the food from my listing.

[konacoconutz]

@jaquo

Me too. Apart from the usual utility bills I have worked hard to be debt-free. No mortgage, no car payments - totally liberating!

Well I am a slave to Bank of America until I am 92, and feel lucky to be one. It’s a long story but unless I win the lottery or my sons get rich I will die in debt.

[J_Wang]

@konacoconutz

He doesn’t offer any kitchen use

I do say “Please no cooking, but feel free to heat something in the microwave, make tea or coffee. You are welcome to store food items in the fridge.”

I am SO glad I stopped the cooking because it drove me crazy.

[alirich]

Budget listing here on the South Coast of England… basic, comfortable and compact but in a lovely part of the world :sunglasses…
:/www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/12392716
/www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/12393028

[Zandra]

Oh gosh I’m so glad there’s a budget crew in here. We’re still the minority but I love to hear people openly say that’s how they’re positioning their listing! Maybe one day Airbnb will curate the best budget listings !

[Zandra]

That’s exactly how I felt about cooking @J_Wang. Dirt, grease, odd cooking times it all proved awfully stressful.