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My guests don’t have a problem understanding my explanation nor do they have very convoluted concerns, and furthermore — hold your breath on this one — all of my past and future potential guests very recently convened a worldwide general body meeting in Prague and unanimously passed a declaration to tell me that @Annet3176 doesn’t represent them.
You 2 crack me up. Be nice @randomoid Ann has likely forgotten more than you ever learned about this business. Moving on…
I just love my kettle, it heats the water right up.
RR
I’m sometimes a guest, and when I am, I sometimes need to send an inquiry rather than just hit instant book. An example, from the last time I booked, is that the listing said quiet hours were between 10 pm and 8 am. It was for an entire place, but attached to the host’s house. Since I would be working random and late hours and with no idea whether my car headlight beams might sweep across their room or the sound of my key in the lock might wake them up, I asked whether it was okay for me come and go during those quiet hours if necessary.
If I had received a canned non-answer response, I would have looked elsewhere. I didn’t. They assured me that odd hours would be fine, and so I booked with them.
As a host, I find some guest inquiries make sense, lots are annoying, but all get a real answer. I see your point, @house_plants , that the effort doesn’t always bear fruit so is energy wasted, but I’m a fan of the old-style Airbnb and connections and perfect fits and all that sappy stuff. 
I have IB one (some restrictions) and of course they all are bookings. I do get booking requests for those who don’t quality for IB and they are usually accepted after some comms unless some of their questions are silly. OTOH I also have my property on BDC and all bookings are effectively IB. Sometimes the guest will message me to say why they are booking but that is informational only since they have already booked and I can’t cancel.
I’m surprised Airbnb hasn’t yet gone to all instant book.
If you get all the business you want with this strategy, then why change it?
But you might also be underpriced. I highly doubt that most people read the listing thoroughly before they IB. But if the price is too good to pass up, they’ll book just to grab it and ask questions - or read the listing - later.
That will be the day I delete my listing. 
No need for that, presumably you would still be able to cancel bookings that are not a good fit.
RR
Nope. There is no way on earth I would have complete strangers off the internet share my home without communicating with them first. Nor would I want to be phoning Airbnb, waiting on hold, to tell them I’m “uncomfortable” with a booking. My guest room can go back to being empty most of the year, used by family and friends, or I would find a different way to advertise.
Heads in beds may be a fine philosophy for some, but not for me.
As an FYI, you don’t have to phone them for the first 3, you just do it online.
(Unless this has changed. I haven’t cancelled on anyone in 2+ years)
I checked and the policy is still the same: 3 penalty free cancellations a year and if you need more than that you can have them but you have to contact them. They also say that “If you cancel a large number of your Instant Book reservations, you may be required to turn off Instant Book.” That’s an interesting penalty. Hosts that cancel a large number or reservations should be suspended or removed from the platform.
That may end up being a choice you will have to make.
Who knows, IF they go to IB only they may make the policy more generous for cancellations.
Nothing to worry about for now anyways.
RR
Agree. However there is a wisdom of having a “what if plan B” germinating.
I think I I would accelerate my personal planned timeline: move into my beach rental & rent out my current home on Furnished Finders (less than 4 miles from 2 hospitals with > 1000 beds each. One is a teaching hospital & level 1 trauma center.).
Roll with it & make money.
99% of the time we receive inquiries it is discount seekers.
This is so true, I just went through this with a inquiry on VRBO, started off declaring they would be bringing a guide dog puppy in training and a “registered therapy dog” and what would the total be? I told her I was not comfortable with a puppy and I did not think it would be a good fit. Next message was she is considered a puppy in training until 16 months, she is 11 months fully potty trained, I relented and said go ahead and book. Next message was asking me to waive the pet fees.
Well I would have been ok to waive it for the actual service dog but not the therapy dog. Sorry but not sorry there is no fecking thing as a legitimate registrar for therapy dogs that I know of and I was getting tired of her.
I am sorry, it looks like your dates are no longer available.
RR
Yes, they are always long winded ways to ask for a discounted stay. The lead ups are different but the result is the same. 
This is not my experience. At all. I would say 90% of inquiries covert into bookings, especially with a prompt, thoughtful and informative reply from my end. I guess everyone is different.
I’ve never even considered using canned replies?