Having a law is nothing bad, as far as it is intelligently designed. This one is a very clumsy law. It doesn’t address the diverse reality of hosting and particularly doesn’t get home-sharing. I think it goes against the new logic and flexibility that new technologies have fostered. For instance, host that list on on-line platforms are required to provide a tourist service (for free) even when they don’t host tourist at all. 24h availability is amust, and so is reporting passport number to the police in less than 48h after guest’s arrival. If you don’t, the fine you can get is serious, up to 200.000€. I won’t go into more detail because it would be off-topic, but believe me: many of the regulations are absolutely ridiculous, even impossible to apply. The law is pushing us to turn into a old-school tourist service, or just quit. The new reality of home-sharing is not understood nor represented at all. I must say that Airbnb seems to be very concerned about this. They are convening many meetings with hosts who home-share (who do live in their listing) and is encouraging us to join. Their advice is that we create a platform that defends our interests, because otherwise they won’t be represented. In my opinion, there should be different rules for different kinds of hosting, as they have different logics and needs. Law should be as complex as the reality it is trying to regulate, instead of pushing new phenomena to fit in out-dated obsolete rules.
This is a honeymoon period and it just doesn’t last. Even if you had kept it at the low expectation price point, you would still encounter the burnout factor. As guests get more and more comfortable on the platform, they start expecting more out of us. Then you would begin to feel resentful while making less money. Try to work out the costs per hour and make sure you are getting paid fairly. The mortgage company doesn’t give you a discount, you know? It’s not free for you to live in your house. Why should you give away what you have to sell?
Don’t be afraid to charge what you are worth! When I first started out as a freelance advertising copywriter working agency direct, I sheepishly charged a super low hourly rate, even less than a proofreader, thinking I’d get more business. But my friend and mentor told me: “why are you charging such a low rate? Everyone will think you are an amateur.”
I’ve never forgotten that advice and rarely negotiate. If would be clients want a low rate, I decline because that tells me THEY are the amateur.
Bottom line? Ask for what you are worth! You will be respected more!
I have heard about this. I wonder what the police do with your passport number if you are caught misbehaving! It must have gotten bad to have to resort to this!
So true. I get quite a few veteran AirBnB hosts as guests, and they all say the exact same thing: do your best with your place and it will show, but above all do not be afraid to charge; better to have less guests at a fair price than full at an unfair price to you (us).
Now this is getting into the philosophical, or shall we say religious side of the argument.
Poor people should be shot, or anyway, avoided at all cost. Do you think that is what Jesus’ teachings were all about?
Any nitpick we got were from guests who paid much lower rates. We got guests paying double now (those who paid lower and that we are still having is because they book long time ago but far ahead) and so far no complaint from who is paying more.
Poor and cheap are not the same thing. I’ve met some very wealthy people who will try to haggle over every penny and always feel like they’re being “ripped off” even when they aren’t.
Conversely, some poor people are grateful to have anything and can be quite generous with the little they have.
It’s entitled people who are the problem, in my opinion.
Amen and Amen, @Garden1Gnome! I feel so odd sometimes as my experiences, so far, have not mirrored what is said here.
My prices were stupid-low last summer (but what I offered was really, really basic) and my guests all seemed so happy and fun. They were, as you say, grateful to find a decent place for such a price. They brought gifts and said “thank-you”.
Also, as on the other thread, @Joseph, my reviews have been consistent across the map.
I agree! And as I previously posted, I quite prefer people of limited means as opposed to those who seem to be well off. There must be a correlation with people who are tourists versus those who are not since I get fewer tourists than most.
I always considered cheap to be a distinct trait, money or no money; of course it is all relative how generous people can be based on absolute wealth.
Having dealt with many very wealthy people, I have this general impression: if they are the self-made types they are rarely cheap since they tend to be daring duo types; if with the ‘inheritance’ types they are oftentimes on the defensive, meaning scared to death of being poor thus cheap, probably because they usually know they don’t have the qualifications to become self-made. Just an impression.
Have met a few of the 1% in my job as a magazine features writer. Some of them are shockingly, errrm, what is the word…? FRUGAL. Made penny pinching into the finest of arts. Is that how they ended up so wealthy?
That is a very common thought, and maybe it is in deed correct; but my experience has been that they (usually 2nd generation rich) are hysterically frightened of being poor, and of course being rich (and oftentimes famous) they are a ‘target’ of sorts throughout their entire life anyway. I have been close friends with some of them and we have talked about such things. It is really a fascinating dilemma for them. I know, some of us wish they had their ‘problem’.
True…and once they get fabulously wealthy, they have a new dilemma not known by the likes of the have-nots: How to hang on to their ungodly wealth. They are not really happier than us have-nots, I have discovered. We’ve seen the type that moves to Hawaii, embraces all the culture, history and art the Islands offer, buys several million- or multimillion dollar homes, sometimes across several islands, spend hundreds of thousands to furnish same, claim to be devoted and dedicated to being good “stewards” of Hawaii and its culture (heard that phrase so much it was like a cliche) only to get bored with it all and sell everything and move on to the next culture they want to embrace.
Imagine kona waking up tomorrow and not being ‘challenged’; or whatever you end up doing has no social ‘test’ to it, because one’s wealth camouflages all your shortcomings and failures; it makes no difference. It is a great feeling to become ‘self actualize’, it must be a bummer that it makes no difference what you do.
My, we do cover a heck of a lot of thoughtful ground on this forum. LoL
I’d like to see some imperical research to support this “fact.”
All of my guests that asked for a discount were super.
Did you read the thread?
I’m another one, when my prices were low I got nothing but backpackers and students coming for university exams. How does it help me? I can fill my place without resorting to this, so why would I want to lose money? Why should I have bothered to go into debt for a nice place in an expensive area and then host penny-pinchers? Don’t get me wrong, it’s not snobbery (I’m a penny-pincher myself) but we broke people can use shared rooms in the suburbs, rather than expensive self-contained flats in the middle of the city.
If you’re in it for merely the social and feelgood and you don’t need the extra income from more wealthy guests, I’d suggest couchsurfing as a better site to find your guests.
Coming late to this but…
I am near the university in a hot tourist city, Nashville. My week day price is around or more than the Extended Stay hotel on the other side of the campus.
I offer a monthly discount. This winter and spring I was fully booked with people doing university training for 2 months at a time; this summer I had months that were all but full although August took a nosedive, September and October were 85% booked.
As November is not well booked, I tried lowering my prices 10%, but so far, no upswing in takers.
Honestly, I think people book on the vibe of the place as shown by your pictures, not so much price. I offer a lot of amenities which almost no one uses (good wines, beer, coffee, stamped post cards) but people like the place and the neighborhood and I have had a couple of comebacks.
My best experience renting houses came when I quit rent cheap because I could and started charging market vale minus a couple of percent.
Yes, they do, considerably. Regardless of the fact that this topic has been posted over a year ago, things have not changed. If anything, they have gotten worse.
As a long term host who has consistently provided hosting services to hundreds of guests in 2 top locations, I can firmly confirm that the popularity of the site has considerably lowered the overall quality of guests. Particularly when you lower the prices.
Lowering your prices may increase your traffic, but you will end up working twice as more and spend more in utilities and cleaning expenses. Simply put: People who come on a low budget in expensive areas will have the tendency of eating indoors, doing countless laundry, leave the room dirtier, confuse your accommodation for a hotel or a hostel, and so on and so forth.
Despite the fact that they are spending a ridiculous cheap price for an area that usually would cost twice, I’ve also noticed that guests who pay less are far more demanding, have the tendency of not respecting the house rules and highly critical with their reviews.
All in all, it’s a no-no situation.
I know it sucks having a little bit less occupancy, but in the long run it will pay off.
Hear hear!!! Thank you so much! Ould not agree more! Looks like you. Are in Hawaii as well? 808!?
I live in expensive upscale area . Nevertheless my rooms prices the same as regular rooms in so so neighborhoods. I tried to elevate a price based on the look of my house and central nice location but that didn’t work. I wasn’t not booked at all for weeks.
I have an opposite story though. My “cheap” renters are usaualy very happy to have a stay in a beautifull house for low price.
But… whenever I raise a price according to what hotels are sold and someone rents it almost always spiteful reviews and talks about about “overpriced Airbnb” room.
I agree though that many of my guests want to eat inside and cook a lot. Many of them don’t read rules and are surprised to hear that I don’t let much cooking. Then they adjust. Hi n a beginning I had at one point for a whole week very young couples who surprised me by staying in at night .
One of them mentioned that they didn’t realize Miami will be so expensive and that can’t afford to pay club’s cover charges . Tjats why their vacation were mostly beach and walking streets .