Not just the Guest, I care as a Host about what I get and get more if ABB are not involved.
On a returning guest I put zero value in host guarantee. I can include a real security deposit booking direct and already have liability insurance.
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Very interesting, thank you for thisā¦ even though it made my head spin, 
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I was of this mind too at one time but now I have changed to a more book direct philosophy whenever possible. This is because I mainly donāt want to be obsequious to their awful cancellation policy. Having a $2000 holiday booking cancel right before Christmas and get totally refunded was the last straw.
Also the reviews are a total crap shoot. Anyone can screw you there, even returning guests.
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Good points that you and @KKC make. Like I said, if Airbnb decides to put all the fees on hosts, then they will see many hosts booking directly and they will lose.
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I doubt it. They see as as a commodity, despite their claims to look at us like a community.
Or stated another way, they want look like the community as long as we are in the role of commodity.
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I doubt it would make any difference, the numbers have not changed very much.
Seems a small discount for showing the gross fee so that is a plus.
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Does that make you an enabler Kona? Perhaps we need an intervention.
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Playing devils advocate (the Devil being ABB) one advantage of this is if all platforms only charge host fees and the price shown is THE PRICE then it is easier for me to keep rates consistent across platforms. I had someone stay who found me on Homeaway/Stayz and ABB and booked on the former because overall it was cheaper. So I went and upped my rate on that platform as I was undercharging.
Definitely not!!! ā¦
Yes, after just launching automatic collection (in some cities) of a mandatory 13% occupancy tax. That, combined with the market manipulation imposed by the auto-pricing tool (driving the whole marketās pricing down) cut my profits to nearly zero.
Well, hosts canāt raise fees to net out those costs if the market wonāt bear it: i.e. if you canāt get enough bookings after raising your price because other Airbnbs in the area are cheaper. Theyāre driving a whole segment of hosts out of hosting (those of us who operate an Airbnb out of a rented/leased home with landlord permission). Folks who own the properties where they host donāt have to charge as much per night to make it worthwhile, because they have a lot lower overhead. In the Bay Area, this is the only way many of us have been able to afford our rents. Without an Airbnb, Iāll now have to move to the hinterlands. Itās bye bye, Berkeley for me. Sad.
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What happened Amy? Why are you moving? I once lived in Orinda when it was a sleepy and affordable bedroom community. (Now Iām dating myself! )
You will find a new place with a new chance to make Airbnb work.
Hi, @konacoconutz. My landlord wants his house back āfor his familyā now that he can increase the rent from the $8K Iām paying to the $12K a new tenant could pay (rents have shot up like a rocket the past 2 years). So I have to move, and since Iām barely profitable in this renter-run Airbnb model now that rents are so inflated, it doesnāt make sense for me to find another Airbnb in Berkeley. So Iām looking into places like Hayward, Castro Valley, and Oakland Hills, with a plan to either get a few extra bedrooms to rent out on Airbnb or to get a house share with a friend (still sorting that out). This morning, though, a frequent guest who received my announcement said he may be interested in buying an investment property in Berkeley, and renting it to me to run as an Airbnb. So Iām exploring that. Heād have to offer a special rate on the rent, in trade for not having to pay a management company and not having to worry about renters wrecking his house. So he and I will talk about that soon. That wonāt likely pan out before August, but if it seems to be coming together, Iāll just plan to move twice (ugh). Iām also thinking of making that same proposal more broadly to my former frequent guests who have family in Berkeley, and on Facebook, in case this former guest turns out to not be serious or able to pull it off. Itās a fine idea. And Iām not ready to give up my Airbnb (which I do also rent out via my own website and sometimes other platforms). If youāre curious: www.derbycreekguesthouse.com
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The guests are the people paying airbnb and the hosts. It only makes sense that airbnb would want to entice more people to use its platform by eliminating fees for the guest. You know airbnb isnāt going to lower the amount they take from each booking so whatever they donāt get from the guest, theyāll take from the hosts. And they KNOW that we canāt say no because airbnb is the best place to rent your STR. Ebay regularly sticks it to the sellers and we know thereās nothing we can do because they have the market cornered. Sellers canāt go anywhere else and get the same coverage or salesā¦ so we shut up and eat the extra fees they keep charging us.
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Itās just a shell game. If Airbnb moves the fees to my side Iāll raise the price a commensurate amount.
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Good luck! You sound totally savvy and with it!!
@konacoconutz Thought the video at the end of this article was interesting. If there was ever a question that they are directly in competition this certainly clears that up! B
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Iād have to disagree with that statement. Property taxes, home owners insurance, water and sewer bills, mortgage interest, etc. are all bills renters usually donāt have to pay.
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Well, Iām sure itās case-by-case, but I pay all of my own utilities, and I guarantee you, my landlordās homeowners insurance and property taxes do not bring his costs anywhere near the cost of my rent (weāre talking Bay Area). My landlordās mortgage is $3,800. My rent is $8,000. He bought the house before the insane property value escalations that have happened here year-after-year. But even buying it today, there would be no comparison.