Budget Hosts, assemble!

It’s the same thing here, Zandra. The area has just been closed in with some light construction and probably some screens.

The space is weird, honestly, and might be unique to the area. Local realtors call them “Florida rooms”, but since that means nothing to anyone outside our neighborhood, it seems safest to undersell it as an enclosed porch - it has brick/ exterior quality walls on all 4 sides. It looks like an addition, except every house with our floor plan has them and they are all the same. The house is about 90 years old, so no original architect designs were submitted to the city.
Maybe it’s a glorified vestibule? Sometimes we call it the airlock. :wink:
Our outside porch is maybe 3x4, hardly big enough to balance the stroller on while I fumble with the keys, so it’s not the gracious entrance with room for a swing that I imagine when people talk about sprucing up their porches. :slight_smile:

Honestly, if someone knows what to call it besides an interior porch I’d love to be more accurate in my description. (Does “Florida room” mean something to anyone else?)

An internet search shows that many people know what a Florida room is. I’m sure many, especially foreigners will not. Maybe it’s what’s called a mud room in some places. Not a vestibule but a room to put wet boots and coats when you come in? So you can add that into the description but I wouldn’t put it as the title. You have no pictures with the curtains open, maybe that would help reassure anyone who thinks its an outdoor porch?

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When I was a new host, in about 2010, the Air photographer came to take photos. He said, wow this is really nice! You should see some of the dumps people are renting out. And a lot are just hammocks on their lanai! Mind you this was when I considered my place sparse and budget. :laughing:

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Yep. In houses I’ve had with Florida rooms, they’ve been general dumping grounds! Although they have always been open to the air with bug screen. No windows. The idea is that you can sit out getting the healthy fresh air without getting fried by the sun or bitten to bits by mosquitos :slight_smile:

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That’s the first thing that popped into my mind…mud room.

@Alia_Gee - Having some photos with the curtains open should make the space more appealing. (Tidying up the storage area for the photo shoot would also be a plus.)

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I definitely consider myself budget. I offer a full apartment, but it’s up a flight of wooden steps, the floors need an update, and the kitchen and bathroom haven’t had more than basic updates in 40 years. But I stayed in a lovely cottage this weekend that inspired me with ideas to make it look updated without spending more than $50 or so.

But I keep it very clean, have new mattresses, and provide a stocked pantry with basic snacks and breakfast. But then I also have used furniture, basic linens and towels, and it’s above a garage. So my base price is equal to the local motel (usually $70/night) for 2, and I’ll take up to 4 at $10/additional person. I have a $25 cleaning fee. I’m saving up to redo the bathroom, then the floors, then enclosing the entry way and updating the stairs so not as steep (this is my 2-3 year plan). Hoping to move up to high-end budget instead of lower due to things I just can’t afford to fix right now.

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Thanks, SandyToes. We had not been blessed with good weather, but this morning I was able to take new photos with the morning sun streaming in. (That would be a plus for me, but my husband and sister cringe from the day star.)

Accuracy in all things, even the East facing windows. :wink:

Much better, much more inviting! My only thought left is, can you store your personal things somewhere else and make it 90% guest only space. I understand it’s a walk through, but I would be hesitant to stay if my host’s winter gear was above me feet hanging out of a basket :slight_smile:

I agree those pictures are much better. And while your stuff there isn’t too appealing maybe full disclosure is best. For $45 I wouldn’t hesitate.

Haha, and that’s how I know I’m budget for my area. If I price above $60/night off season I barely get booked!

If I price above 45$ I don’t get booked at all. Then I become on of the 300+ . 2 years ago my price was 60$. A year ago 50$, now 45$ and I still have problem renting weekdays despite over 90 5* reviews

That’s rather unfortunate. Do you think this is an outcome of increased competition? Could there be any other reason?

Of course it’s competition. If there are over 300 rooms like
Mine only in my small town.

And we are both in a real tourist area with good weather year round. There are also conferences, cultural events and festivals. So it’s hardly surprising that just about everyone with a spare room is thinking ‘hey, Airbnb is a great way to make money with no extra work involved’. (Ha!) And Airbnb encourages them to have totally stupid prices to begin with.

But they’ll soon find that it isn’t quite as easy as that. I’d love to know the Airbnb hosts drop-out rate - I bet it’s huge.

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Probably only equal to the guest drop out rate.

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I am
Not sure that new hosts drop out. This is the easiest job by far I ever had. I am sure many think that too. Plus investment is close to none. You just spend few minutes listing your house and you are in business. Something that was just sitting there pretty much useless ( spare room) now paying for mortgage .

That’s why I switched to longer terms. My minimum stay is one week. I am booked on all 3 rooms 50 weeks a year, so pretty good . But if I did 1-2 days minimum I would have to work too hard for the money .

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They certainly do around here. Many of my fellow new hosts are long gone. And then there are those, like me, who understood that it was a job and like me, they are still going strong. I can’t count the number of “new” listing that are gone.

I’m sure that you’re working your listing to its best advantage :slight_smile: You’re an experienced host,

But truly, I have seen so many hosts come and go on our short 0.6 mile street. So many people try it out and then decide it’s not for them.

I agree. But I also spent a lot of money to make it easy. You changed to longer stays to make it easy. Many people can’t do either of the things we are doing.

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