@MikeL355 What a lovely property! I actually love the bright wallpaper in the small bathroom! As for the toilet, I see no problem with it.
There is nothing in your place that is a deal breaker. However, it doesn’t have a barbecue area, or a pool, a deck or anything outdoorsy that is often associated with Miami. Perhaps, as a bare minimum, hang a hammock.
Get someone to rewrite your description and make it in multiple languages.
I would recommend lowering your price ($145), setting a minimum of 3 nights (if not more!), and getting several great reviews before adjusting your price.
Do not miss out on getting your place fully booked during the season!
Wishing you success!
Heeey thank you Miss Miami, yeah I don’t have a pool. We have a patio area. We are still working to perfect the property. We have done so much but outdoor improvements will becoming next. Thank you for your suggestions:)
I actually owned a small condo in South Beach for 8 awesome years (2009-2016). I was super excited when I saw “Miami” in the subject!
It appears you’ve made a bunch of corrections that folks have mentioned above. As a result, the pictures are really nice, and the home looks clean and inviting. The bungalow also has a few really nice architectural details going for it. Having a loud wallpaper in a power room is cool! It’s a classic Florida power room design and you’ve played it well!
Your copy needs a lot of work.
First and foremost, the general composition is extremely poor.
Next, a lot of what you say wouldn’t be considered accurate according to someone that knows the Miami area. “Heart of Miami” is not accurate based on the map location. “Minutes away from the beach” would be a little disappointing considering that Miami Beach is considered by most to be “the beach” and we’re looking at a 10-15 minute cab ride to get there. Downtown Miami has an ultra cosmopolitan vibe and is a vertical city packed with high-rises. You say you’re in the heart of it, but then later you say the area is “is very quiet.” So which is it?
Finally, you curiously mention “Let us know if you are relocating to Miami” kinda out of nowhere.
And you don’t tell the guest why they’d consider sharing that personal information with you. Maybe it’s a good reason? You should say why.
“Biscayne Bungalow” is a VERY COOL listing name! I’m a big fan of alliterations and Biscayne Bungalow is one of the better ones. However, in my experience, when I hear the word “Biscayne” I can’t help but think of Key Biscayne. And of course, that northern Key island is ~15 miles away from where the bungalow is situated. So, again, it might confuse someone that knows the area.
Finally, you mentioned you aren’t booking. The quickest way there, and it’s not even close, is your price. You should be almost giving the place away. Slash those prices ASAP. Pride in toilet. You need to get yourself established immediately. If you stumble out of the gate (like it appears you might already be), it’s hard to recover. But it’s not too late! Slash that price, delight your guests, and get rolling!
Good luck!
Did you write this with a straight face @JohnnyLounge21?
Personally, @MikeL355 , I think your listing description is fine. It’s straightforward and descriptive without sounding like an impersonal hard-sell.
First and foremost, don’t add a bunch of dumb clichés to it I am sure that it’s easier said than done but don’t jump on the bandwagon, just go back to the drawing board, you know, just live and learn because when push comes to shove, it is what it is and at the end of the day you just play one game at a time and you can step up and get on the same page…lol . But Tis the season
Are you volunteering to go deal with all the riffraff that will lead to? The trashed house he put all that effort into?
Why does he need to get himself established immediately?
The good guests are worth waiting for.
I think someone already pointed out that a new host who needs the money (which he stated he does) wants to take advantage of the new host boost.
I disagree with this strongly. He did have his prices kind of high compared to the competition but he already lowered them. He also already got some bookings after taking on our advice:
Now he has one 5 star review on the books and no weekends available for the next 5 weeks.
The last thing a new property needs is a disastrous party stay during the holidays due to “slashed prices” that ends up getting the place closed down and missing out on a chunk of FL’s high season.
Our first few stays got our place for an amazing price. To be honest prices in the 130’s is way to low for this kind of residents. I’m have quite a few bookings lined up and of course I would like more. But I’m defiantly not giving it away anymore. And no I never want a bad situation to occur. Im currently using smart pricing and will adjust it as needed. We are a few blocks from Biscayne Blvd. my neighborhood is called Biscayne Park so it is Biscayne Bungalow. I’m born and raised in Miami so I know every street corner. I go to surfside all the time. It’s the beach I would recommend to my visitors. It does take about 10min but it’s the most beautiful drive and it’s a little over 3 miles from the home. I wouldn’t say the home is in the heart of the city because it’s not located in Brickell but it is close to Miami Proper. I can get down town in the same amount of time I can get to the beach. Maybe add a couple Min.
@MikeL355 You’re welcome to check out my listings in the link in my avatar above. Take a look at how I present amenities/facts in a way that makes it easier to understand than the format you had been using. Everything should look as professional as it can.
If you have your reasons for using “Biscayne” then go with it. Like I said, it’s a cool name for sure. It was just confusing for me.
I’ve dealt with almost every setback you can get from acquiring/standing up whole-house listings across 11 total listings (5 I have sold, 6 remain active) for ~2000 bookings. These are just my recommendations. Getting your market foothold RIGHT NOW is so critical. You can manage the vast majority of problem/party guests through filtering them before the bookings are confirmed. You are also not in South Beach so it is likely that less would-be partiers will decide to be on that side of the Bay.
I have an extremely aggressive overall STR strategy and expect to be the #1 performer (or as close to it I can get) in every market I participate in. But it takes a lot of work and very good marketing/decision making. Feel free to take my advice or leave it. Just trying to help
I’ll check out your listings, thank you for your input I appreciate your time.
Absolutely not. Mike, please don’t do this. If others are charging less than you are nearby, then it doesn’t mean that you have to react. There are always people who will pay much more than the lowest price and you don’t need to stoop to Motel 6 prices in order to get guests.
The price currently shown on your listing is way too cheap for accommodation for four people. I charge much more than that for my tiny one bedroom rentals.
It’s not a good idea to compete on price - there will always be someone cheaper no matter how much you slash prices. Just offer fantastic value for money.
One must keep in mind the mind-set and business model of hosts offering advice. While there is some advice that is good advice regardless of what and where one’s listing is, like that there’s no excuse for a place not being clean, advice is not a one-size-fits-all deal. Different hosts have different goals which can inform the way they choose to run their listing.
A host with one listing, who doesn’t depend on the income to pay their bills, may be more interested in attracting nice, hassle-free guests than having full occupancy, and wish to be choosier about who they accept, and never lower their prices simply to fill empty dates.
A host whose admitted attitude and goal is
may have good advice to offer to others with the same outlook, but definitely are not some universal truths applicable to all.
My first stays were in the 130’s just to get it booked. I’ll never have it listed under 200 again. I agree people who are looking for a really nice, clean place will pay a little more. I would. This place has a very upscale vibe but not huge. Just enough, so I have a target audience in mind. I will continue to comp the area and price accordingly. I’ll be reasonable but this will not be the location that goes for a cheap price. Thanks Jaquo
This business of giant homes and spaces where only 2 people live in a 4000 sq. ft. home and consider that perfectly normal is quintessentially American. You don’t really find such things in other parts of the world unless they belong to the wealthy, or are some ancient castle-like affair.
A place can totally be high end, upscale, and still be compact and cozy. I wouldn’t want to stay in some of these places with vast interior spaces if they offered it to me for free.
You need to write your listing in a way that tells guests how they will experience the space. Though headline has limited character count, you haven’t used all characters available to you and should highlight your top selling points. First paragraph also has limited character count, but you are wasting it with phrases like: “We have all the amenities one would need to relax,” We are more than just Super Host, we are here to please you. Thank you!!" and especially “Please come and enjoy this pleasant retreat,” which sounds rather desperate. Highlight your top selling points in the first paragraph prospective guests will see. Add more detail throughout.
Avoid exclamation marks. Grammarians explain that they give an air of desperation to copy.
I understand your reasoning. Perhaps consider a name that conveys meaning to people, like me, who are Miami geography ignorant.
I’ve struggled with property naming too.
My condo that is waterway view is:
Anne’s Waterway Cozy, Comfy Condo for 2
You know location, max guests & not large. (Btw this listing is snoozed LTR until Summer 2023)
Friend’s with a highly successful listing include:
Short name: 5BR, sleeps 12, Oceanfront, welcome dogs & families
Without much effort, the renter gets the most important information. I love they mention dogs before families
Airbnb smart pricing? For many listings it isn’t very accurate—mostly too low. Monitor what your competition charges.
It’s insanely too low in my area. I don’t think they consider the size of the home or how nice it is (or isn’t). I wonder how many amenities they even look at. I can’t use it. Air is always suggesting I lower my prices.
Interestingly enough, VRBO is always suggesting I raise my prices much higher (but it’s also based on your set market strategy).
I don’t know the area; others have commented on the pricing and supply/demand. My comments are:
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The place is BEAUTIFUL! I love the wallpaper, though conventional wisdom to to avoid that. We have striking colors in our Airbnb rental and just receive compliments even if it isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. Personally, I think that adding color and your personality is a good thing, but that goes against what I have read elsewhere. I would like to see some accent walls painted, but I think this has nothing to do with whether you’re getting bookings or not, same on toilet placement.
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I agree with what someone else wrote on no “large gatherings.” What does that mean? That seems to contradict your statement of no visitors. The rule is no parties, AND no one other than registered guests may enter the property, inside or out. Maximum occupancy is 4 registered guests, regardless of how long someone stays, whether overnight or not.