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New to hosting, need your opinion

Introduction
#1

Great forum! Can you help us?

We have been listed for a few weeks now and are very disappointed with the results. Have had one short (2 day) booking in the one bedroom apartment but that is it. No other inquiries.

It is one apartment but it can be rented as a one bedroom/one bath or a two bedroom/2bath. It is never shared, it is one or the other. I understand that having 2 listings is the only way to do this. I hope it is clear to the guest and not confusing.
Links:

What have we missed, can do better, or have completely wrong? Just removed a $400 security deposit. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Thanks!!!
Patti

#2

Hello @patti,

Your links don’t work so we cannot follow them. It appears the links are nothing but images, but it’s hard to tell.

#3

Made as links…
https://www.airbnb.com.au/rooms/15351358

https://www.airbnb.com.au/rooms/15515499

#4

Your listing is lovely! Since your place does not have many reviews, have you considered dropping your price by 20-30% to attract people to book and get some? Making it less than similar places in your area. Once you have more than 5 reviews, raise your price to what you are comfortable with. That is what we did and worked great.

Is your area a tourist destination? Could time of year also be playing a role with slow bookings? If so, that might also be a factor.

Good luck! Your apartment looks amazing.

#5

Your place is gorgeous. I suspect your biggest problem is an insane amount of competition.

#6

I agree. That’s just what I thought when I first read this question earlier. I would hate to be a new host right now because it seems that everyone is ‘trying Airbnb’. It must be so hard for new hosts these days.

1 Like
#7

Patti, your place is lovely, maybe drop price a little (10%) below competitors until you get some reviews and then adjust. Best of luck.

#8

Very lovely apartment. I would change your cover photograph to show the sea or the view from the apartment. Here is my listing https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/2220660 and I catch people all the time with the picture of my dock. Your first review indicated that the pictures do not do it justice to your apartment, that is a clue to change your photos since I received that comment quite a bit when I first started renting. I also think your price is high to start out with as mentioned before BUT I do not know your market. I am in a rural area and though not much competition I needed to entice guests to my location so started out about 40% below what I charge now. Good luck.

#9

Very nice place - try another platform other than Airbnb - such as VRBO (I am in the US), and or Tripadvisor. Airbnb is saturated with listings.

#10

Wow!!! So nice.

I am confused though. Is it one room or the entire place? The description I see says “1 room.” Also I agree with the others… Lower the price as your competitors seem to be lower by a lot. I wonder if the living area is just a wee bit cluttered?? If there are too many breakables or knickknacks I think it may be a bit of a turn off.

If you do have an ocean view, play it up.

#11

I think the listing is fantastic.

The only thing - entirely my own personal preference - is that large painting ‘looming’ over the bed in the one bedroom. I like the picture but would feel odd having someone ‘staring’ at me in bed, lol!!

But it’s a beautiful place, very smart, nice array of photos, not overdone - I would book with you in a heart-beat if you accepted 5 guests.

Could you add a bed for a 5th guests? Most places take ‘2’ or ‘4’, once you get to ‘5’ you have less competition. That said, though, my average group size is 3.5.

Cheers, and good-luck. Hang in there! It is a tough time right now. I was once the only one in my neighborhood, now it’s crowded with listings. :unamused:

1 Like
#12

thanks for doing that!

#13

Hi, thanks for your reply.

Can you tell me where do you see “1 room”? Do you mean 1 bedroom? If you are looking at https://www.airbnb.com.au/rooms/1535135820 that is the one bedroom listing. I hope I haven’t listed it incorrectly. If it is still confusing let me know, that is exactly what I want to avoid. And I agree the living area is a bit cluttered. Will reconsider the price (again)

Thanks so much!

#14

Thanks Dawn! We will reconsider the price, just to get started. A little concerned because we also dropped the $400 security deposit when we realised almost none of our competition had one. So if our price is too low will we attract more risk? So much to think about.

#15

Very nice place - try another platform other than Airbnb - such as VRBO (I am in the US), and or Tripadvisor. Airbnb is saturated with listings.
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Thanks! Just listed with Stayz Australia. I believe that is the Australian version of VROB and Homeaway.[quote=“rod, post:9, topic:9528, full:true”]

#16

Many hosts have that opinion - but in my experience, my guests were great when my prices were rock-bottom, and they are pretty great now that they are higher. I don’t see any difference.

#17

When I first started, I got four references from friends of different demographics saying different sorts of things about me. You might try that since you do not have reviews.

#18

Aloha from Hawaii,
Two things: start with a more enticing photo, a beach or ocean view, even if it’s not from the apartment, and second: lower your price a bit so you’re just under your competition. Then, put that in your heading so they can see it right off. I recently purchased a condo in a resort where there is a lot of competition from Airbnb and VRBO. I started the listing with a photo of the nearby beach at sunset and the heading “:Special Intro Rate for Airbnb Members Only.” I then set a limited time for the discount. It worked like magic and I started getting bookings immediately. The great thing about the Airbnb website is you can adjust and tweak it any time.

Good luck,
Garcande
Kona Coast, Hawaii

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