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I have more than one photo showing the exterior of my home. The listing is a room attached to my home with a separate entrance off the front porch. The porch is technically shared since friends come in through my front door which also opens onto that porch. I also show my large parking area with a small moving rental truck and car dolly. This gives me a competitive advantage over other Airbnbs that can’t offer a space large enough to get a rig like that off the street. For someone with just a car their parking spot is steps away and well lit.
I live here and have cameras and dogs I have zero concerns about security.
Once a guest has the address they can check google maps for street view and satellite view if they are really that concerned and cancel if they don’t like what they see. Obviously for some remote, rural or new builds that might not be an option. Also I can zoom in on a listing and get a good idea of what street they are on and then take a look at street view to get an idea of the neighborhood. I can use satellite view to get an idea of the property lay out.
Here’s a house I’m looking at for a Seattle group trip.
They have multiple pictures of the exterior including the front of the house. I want to check out the neighborhood and parking. Our group may rent 2 cars. So I zoom in on the map:
Then I go to that location on google maps and look around. This is only something I’d have time to do for a house that I’m seriously considering and that I think I have a good reason to need more info. One factor with this listing is that it is new and only has 4 reviews. But I’ll be keeping an eye on it.
Most of the homes I’ve looked at for this trip do have exterior photos. For an entire home I think I’ve always seen exterior photos before I booked.
It took me 45 minutes of study to find the exact address of this home in part because it’s been renovated since google came by.
If you’re worried about break ins, maybe don’t post the front but have pictures available to send them privately. Unless they are the ones you are concerned about breaking in!
Why do people think that just because someone doesn’t like surveillance cameras or doesn’t want to show a photo of the front of their house, that they must have “something to hide”?
For me, I don’t show it because my location and the demographic of people in the area could mean I’d have people I would never rent to show up at my door trying to get me to make a private deal with them. And tourist rentals are heavily targetted by thieves in my area.
I have outside photos of the view the guests have from their windows, the arroyo 50 meters away, so they can get a sense of the area, but there’s no reason they need to see the actual street view of the house.
Interesting point. I wouldn’t show the kitchen if self catering (I love that phrase) isn’t one of my amenities.
If I were renting out part of a multiplex or a part of my home, I would not show exterior pics except the private entrance close up (if there is one). I’d have pics of the drive and exterior IF NEEDED to help find the place in the “Info for Guests - Check In Instructions” section, only seen once you book.
Honestly, my pics show the garage exterior so they can see the extended driveway so I have to make it very clear the garage is not accessible by guests (used to be but a couple of “accidents” later and it’s off the menu )
I see pros and cons for both. As a guest, I’d like to see the exterior BUT if inside appears awesome I’d extrapolate and assume it’s all good. It’s a risk, I know. As a host, if I’m not concerned about security and I feel it helps my prospects of booking, then I’d include the exterior, as I do. Otherwise, no pics.
If I lived in a sketchy neighborhood with garbage and junked cars in dirt yards full of weeds, you can be sure a guest would have mentioned that in a review by now.
My guests are booking a private room. The only outside that’s important to them is what they see out their windows. There’s zero need for them to see the front of the house. They wouldn’t even be able to find it that way. It’s down an unmarked dirt road- they need directions and landmarks along the way photos, not a photo of the house itself.
We show the exterior living space - the deck and pool and gazebo, because those are the places our guests spend most of their time the view (my avatar) is the selling point. But I don’t have many other exterior shots except as required to demonstrate we are handicapped “friendly”.
I’ve never understood this. I know I’m Pollyanna with a half full glass ( ) but I’ve never worried about scammers or thieves and have never been scammed or had a burglary. (Well I did have a burglary but many many many years ago - long before the internet).
I truly don’t understand why having exterior photographs can cause scamming - but maybe every set-up is different.
I would never accept such a rude guest. I do have at least 2 exterior photos of our Airbnb and 2 families in the region came and rang our door-bell and asked to book directly with me. One family has a daughter who needed 3 nights every 2 weeks for her tertiary studies. The other was coming to start her first job (for the Inland Revenue!) nearby and the delivery date of her brand-new rental apartment (property of the Inland Revenue) would be late. I simply turned them down because I didn’t know them at all. Finally, the first young lady booked through Airbnb for her first stay then there came the covid-2019, lockdown, curfews… and school lessons went online. The other did reserve via Air also and stayed for more than 3 weeks in June 2019 at a discounted Covid rate. So if you don’t want potential guests come to your door, don’t post outside photos. But even if they come, you can always refuse them.
I show outside photos - many - and the cover shot/first photo of my listing is a photo of the whole house from a perch nearby. I also show photos I took from a small plane, showing the whole house and its location.https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/1722082/. We rent the northwest wing of the house to guests. There are two more rooms - the Great Room which includes the kitchen and dining area, and the bedroom suite on the SE opposite of the house. I feel it is important to place the house in context for prospective guests who need to know this is wilderness and on top of a mountain. It is one of my self screening devices, including saying there are bears, mountain lions, rattlesnakes, mice and ticks. Also saying that reliable transportation is necessary to get here, and sensible shoes are required. We are definitely not disability friendly, nor OK with small children or pets.
We are in residence full time, and are at home 100% of the time that guests are here. That is a requirement of the county ordinance as well as just common sense.
Anyone with an attitude would not be welcome. So far, all our guests have been marvelous.
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