It’s not a big secret.
San Francisco recently defeated Proposition F, which would have placed severe restrictions on airbnb rentals. One of the primary groups supporting the initiative was ShareBetterSF, and this comes from the front page of their web site:
“ShareBetter SF, Yes on F – A coalition with major funding proudly
provided by the hotel and restaurant workers’ union, UNITE HERE, and the
San Francisco Apartment Association PAC,…”
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Wow, I could see this getting dicey. You pay the host, then debit the booking amount from the person’s account when the guest checks in plus a $45 fee. I just don’t know. if someone needs an advance that badly I just wonder if they are really a responsible host. It’s kind of like a payday lender for Airbnb. Just when you thought you saw everything!
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I’m reminded of that scene from The Wizzard of Oz: “Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain!!!”
Airbnb is worth in the billions. They are the largest supplier of hotel/motel accommodation yet they don’t own one hotel. They are a bank of telemarketers in an industrial park somewhere.
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No kidding. And I would have thought under most circumstances a regular loan would make much more sense, as well as being cheaper. Or so one would hope.
I used to see those payday lender ads (and I think their shops too) when I lived in the US. Dreadful concept, but I suppose they must have a market.
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What @Daniela_Payfully is offering is like ‘factoring’ offered also in many industries: in essence ‘borrow’ against future potential earnings, for a fee.
As to the subject at hand: In many ways these types of businesses, like Airbnb, are highly dependent on a new angle, ease of use, perceptions, funding, trends, timing, competitors (and adversaries), etc. Think Amazon, they never made a product per se, heck they never gave much thought to a profit for years, but certainly were geared toward that IPO. By virtue of momentum, Airbnb will probably keep growing till 2020 (or beyond). I would recommend to enjoy the ride while it lasts, especially its 3% host fee, with an eye toward the reality that nothing lasts forever.
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I’ve had the same experience with our desert condo that a man rented for 3 months. I kept looking in my PayPal account for a deposit, then after searching the public forums I finally go through to someone by email and then got a partial payment; but it was a couple of weeks after the guy had moved in. A month or so later I again got another payment. I ended up getting it all. I guess that’s typical to not pay all at once?
Yeah they pay you monthly for long term, but i feel like they hold the money past the determined release dates. It’s either shady or bad coding.
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They break up payments on long term guests. Be careful and get a traditional lease signed for long term guests! If they stay longer than 30 days, their status is converted to tenant and hey afford all the rights that entails. Plenty of threads here about nightmare squatters.
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Thanks for the tip, but it may be too late for it now. I’m not too worried about this guy. He’s chief financial office for the Marriott Villas in Palm Desert, although you never know 
Since I live 75 miles away I never see the people using the place so it’s a little nerve wracking, especially around Coachella Fest time. So far I’ve haven’t had any problems.
As many people here would suggest, get external (outside facing) CCTV cameras for your listing, if you don’t already.
Interesting that he wouldn’t stay at a Marriott property, no?
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Exactly,…why wouldn’t he stay at the villa where he is CEO? Just be careful. Google that story of the Palm Springs squatter.
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How do you know this? Did you check his ID? Did you verify his employment? Just curious.
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Hmm. I’ve worked as an independent contractor (designer) for Marriott and I was always comped a room or suite.
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I thought of that too. And he’s not the CEO of the Desert Springs Marriott, which is that huge hotel next door with the flamingoes in the lobby pool. He’s a bookkeeper, a CPA, for the VIllas, which are time share things I think. In any case, He’s already paid us close o $7,000 and then we went off the Airbnb books for an extra month that he sent a check for immediately that cleared immediately. He’s sold his house on Long Island and is in escrow for a place in La Quinta.
This guy isn’t a contractor. He’s a full time employee. Most companies don’t offer employees housing as a perk.
Hi @Mearns,
Thanks for your comment. That is exactly what Payfully.co offers, a factoring service for Airbnb hosts. We only advance to the host the amount of money we know he will receive in the future.
It’s ingenious and makes perfect sense in any industry with any form of ‘accounts receivables’. It’s a choice, nothing more. You could only imagine what a cash reserve Airbnb has for certain pricey listings booked way, way in advance. 
Imagine if Airbnb itself would offer this service (option). Now there is a wild idea!