I live here in Vermont. It’s very affordable in places. I’m in the country and house are way below the National average.
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I think that’s true everywhere. The big gap in the US is between rural and urban on a wide variety of things.
Headed to New England today to Providence then friend and I driving up to the Ma/Vt border and meeting my friend from Burlington.
I’ve been looking at real estate there for a few weeks now most of it is way beyond me and those that aren’t wouldn’t be possible to do an Air, houses in bad shape or the houses aren’t in the right sized town or a town that I’m not interested in.
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I’m about 25 minutes outside of Burlington and I thought there was no way I could make a go of it. But I am. And the house I have here is twice the size of the one I had in Burlington for the same price. It’s definitely possible to do it. But as you suggest, it has to be the right place for what you intend
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I’ve moved a bunch in the last 7 years and sell one and buy one for less money, no mortgage involved.
Burlington area is expensive, plus very high heating bills and real estate taxes.
Spent some of my youth in Bolton Valley skiing and that’s where I fell in love with the state, but know it’s dramatically changed in 40+ years.
True. But it’s a lot less true about 25 minutes outside of Burlington. Anyway, that’s my experience and I’ve lived here for over 40 years. I wish you luck in finding what you want.
Maybe try West Virginia if Vermont prices are higher than you like. Real estate is cheap here—at least in my county (Wood County) and property taxes fairly low.
Median home price statewide is 120k. Median home price is my town in September 2021 was 130k according to Realtor dot com.
My youngest brother lives in Ludlow Vermont. He thinks it’s only worth living there in the fall and winter (if you like skiing). He leaves during the spring and summer. He hates what Vermonters call “Stick season” and “mud season.”
I read an article recently about the continuing ability to work from home has inspired/enabled people to move from crowded urban areas to embrace “Green Acres” living and is pushing prices up.
If I only had a crystal ball—Dad sold his 58 acre farm two years ago. It’s 40 minutes from a desirable golf area.
At the time, he received a fair price. Now it would sell for much more…oh well.
I absolutely agree with this and think more hosts should follow it. Just because something happened once, or even twice, doesn’t mean it has to go in the rules. Because we all know guests aren’t reading them anyway. You’ll have better luck with a shorter list.
There used to be a host on here that bragged about her 30+ page pdf that she sent to guests after they booked. And fully expected them to read it. Then would blast them if they did something that was on her list.
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Our best story has to do with our lockbox. It’s “old school:” you put in the code and open it to extract the key which opens the sliding door. We had a guest who couldn’t figure out why the door didn’t just open when she put in the code
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Or they think they are being “told what to do” as we had a complaint about our signs which we put out to be helpful!
My sister was out visiting and started her stay at one of my houses, which has a combination entry. She then moved to one of my co-host’s rentals, and he has those little combo boxes with a key inside. It was dark by the time she got there, and the combo was above eye level! But it was the same box and combo as our owners cabinet, so I could do it in the dark above my head 
. Got her in without making a call.
As a thank you she bought him a combo door lock, but he returned it. Said his renters don’t need those fancy locks…
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The reason I add to my house rules is not for FUTURE guests, it’s to cover myself for Airbnb not giving refunds.
I break my house rules into the basics and the take a lighthearted approach with a header explaining why these common sense rules are added.
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Has that worked?
…
LOL, I haven’t had the specific issues come up except for the time when I didn’t have in in my rules but the one thing that has helped is that I state that in most cases Airbnb lets the host resolve issues when notified and that we will not accept a complaint and request for compensation unless we have had the opportunity to rectify the problem and that they need to message use via the Airbnb app.
Since I added that both in my rules and in my welcome message, I haven’t had any complaints or problems that were claimed after the guests left.
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I just had a thought, and this isn’t directed at anyone in particular.
Are guests getting stupider? What about the other side of the coin: Are hosts capable of handling demanding or challenging guests?
Being a host isn’t easy. Knowing how to handle customers doesn’t come automatically to everyone who ends up hosting.
We see examples of people who are out of control in just about every public situation: stores, airlines, public gatherings, bars, and parties of all types. There seems to be a new type of “permission“ for people to get loud and rude and demanding.
I’m not here to discuss why I believe that has happened, but I think it has happened to a great degree.
It does take a special type of host to handle people who will willfully misbehave because they think they are entitled to something.
For me, the solution to this kind of problem (if we were hosting right now) would be to learn more about handling difficult clients.
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Would you mind sharing the “lighthearted header” bit that you use?
Nothing too clever but designed to let people know that it’s not really them.
"The rest of the rules are just common-sense that unfortunately guests have done in the past in the suite so now I have rules against these. "
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When you booked you clicked that you had already read and agreed to the House Rules…all of my negative reviews come from people that do not actually read them until I have to remind them of things in the House Rules. That is when I find out that they have not actually read them.
That said, one time I booked an Airbnb that was pet friendly. I specifically looked in the entire listing and HR for any fees or requirements for the pets and there were none. AFTER I booked the host sent a stock email with a whole list of things, including requirements about only allowing one pet and only of a certain poundage and a pet fee. This is not a good way to handle it.
So, how much did you fine him?
Asking for a friend…
JF
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