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Airbnb plans to let Airbnb hosts pay to fast-track physical inspections and verifications of their listings, certified with a badge.
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plans to revamp its review system
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Airbnb would probably have to rely on tech signals, and other online verification tools, including guest reviews, in a process that would be challenging and could fall short of the company’s safety goals.
Now I’m officially grumpy. Mmmph.
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From the article:
The homesharing site also plans to revamp its review system in an unspecified way where guests would be able to verify specific elements of their stays.
So we are at the mercy of guests, nothing really changes there.
I would be tempted to pay $150 or so to get verified, I am guessing early adopters will see a boost. I am just guessing that it will be 150ish btw.
RR
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We used an Airbnb photographer and I think that should be one option for physical site verification required for a rental. The photos on our listing say Airbnb verified when viewed on computer (don’t see those words on phone app when looking at pictures). This approach would cover quite a few existing rentals and would provide a sustainable approach in the future that potential hosts must pay for Airbnb contracted photographer to use the marketing site for their business.
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I would think new-ish but verified hosts would benefit. But I also trust reviews if there are a lot of them (at least for the kinds of places I stay). If they move new but verified hosts up in search ahead of me then it’s an issue.
This reminds me of when Dog Vacay charged hosts for background check badges. Some people were grandfathered but newer hosts had to pay.
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I am thinking it will be one of the 100’s of things the algorithms look at, like flexible cancellations. Whatever puts Air in the best light goes to the top.
RR
They claim that whatever produces the best match with the guest is on top. They could put a filter for reviews and let guests book with the “most verified” hosts. Of course I like that as I have lots of reviews.
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So then it must be true.
Lol
RR
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Chesky: "The challenge is you can’t physically inspect seven, eight, nine million properties,” Chesky said about a week ago on the podcast.
Yah think? 🤦
I think it won’t be a fast-track at all. It will shake out to be another money grab and the badge won’t come unless payment does first.
They could have “solved” this before it ever started by actually verifying listings, hosts and guests, like they say they do when you sign up. When we had our issue with the “evil guest that shall not be named” it was disconcerting at best to be told they wouldn’t give out ID information … Pretty sure they never had it to start with.
They don’t have to physically verify either. A background check and a little more security up front would have been genius. Now they are behind the eight ball and don’t know how to fix the problem they set in motion.
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You’re right, I didn’t see that coming. However the article does confirm what we did see coming:
Airbnb will put a “verified” badge on your listing.
Airbnb will be using guests to verify listings through surveys (which will be part of the review system).
Airbnb Plus and Luxe listings are exempt.
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I wonder how much overlap there is between superhosts and scam hosts?
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Unfortunately, it only partially verifies a listing. Chesky specifically said “Homes will be verified for accuracy of the listing (including accuracy of photos, addresses, and listing details) and quality standards (including cleanliness, safety, and basic home amenities)”
Any previous Airbnb photography is not guaranteed to have captured these. I would even argue that if there was a problem, a previous photography session would have purposefully avoided capturing it.
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I can’t wait for a photographer with an Airbnb golf shirt to sniff my shower gel and make sure it’s really Tahitian Vanilla, maybe have a couple of snacks, count the pillows and use the fire pit 
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Probably small, but not small enough to exempt Superhosts. Although I’d wager the overlap gets smaller for hosts that have consistently been Superhosts.
Maybe they’ll at least let the consistent Superhosts trade their travel voucher for the cost of the verification.
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I just have to say here… I suspected they would do something like this. Great way to turn a tragedy into more money for Airbnb. I guess this means they really have gone “evil”.
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The challenge on this for some of us is that our properties don’t really lend themselves to easy verification other than a physical inspection. I had a b**ch of a time getting our property verified when I had to go on HomeAway payments. They asked for a utility bill with our address - we don’t have an address! They asked for a government website to look us up - St Lucia is not that advanced. They finally accepted us when I sent them the purchase contract and begged a lot.
In St Lucia, in order to find out who owns something, you either knock on the door and ask, or ask the neighbors, or stand in line at the government office with a plat plan and pay ~$5US to have them look up the owner. Oh, and wait for about an hour in a hot room.
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Uh, no. Not only have tons of hosts reported terrible photos from Airbnb photographers, they don’t have photographers all over the world. No way I want to be stuck with Airbnb photos.
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I want to find out , “How I can become an Airbnb “verifier”? “. I’m open to earning some extra money and getting to know my neighbors.
in the USA There are vendor verification services like Reptrax/Intellicentrics/Sec3ure, simplr & more that will do a complete criminal background check on the host or co-host at the host’s expense.
After Airbnb thinks about options, I will bet they have hosts verify, then verify location.
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hi, there! does having flexible cancellations improve the listing’s position in searches? i’ve never seen that…is this an educated guess? thx, rr
Yes, just a guess. No way to know for sure.
RR