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I don’t believe that anyone is saying that they are. Commenters are saying that the job is a highly specialised one that needs specific experience within the Airbnb culture. Four years working gaining experience in customer service (in a bar or restaurant) is hardly giving them the skills they need to be an Airbnb host. I wouldn’t employ someone of 25, 35, 45, 55 or 65 if they didn’t have specific short term rental experience ,and then preferably as an Airbnb specialist.
I would also not recommend a management company unless they have proven experience with Airbnb.
Note too that the members who have commented here are doing so in order to advise @ksegers to make the best possible choice. These comments are based on their experiences and not with a view to being negative.
Experienced hosts can certainly employ unskilled people to help them as co-hosts but it will involve training. There’s nothing wrong with employing people with no experience if they have the right type of personality but for hosts such as @ksegers who are just starting out, they would be much better off employing experts. There are too many pitfalls to risk when you’re renting out valuable property.
I started working in the [corn] fields when I was 14, and started as a waitress the day I turned 16, and continued until I was 23. But that’s not nearly the same as figuring out what’s wrong with a house and getting a good repair person, or dealing with unpaid guests or a massive party. And every job I had - there was an older, more experienced manager there to oversee what I did and help me if I needed help. Yes, you could use a college student for some of the tasks (greeting guests and giving them a tour, being a 24-hour contact person to screen your calls, etc.), but a house is a big asset,
And I never said, nor implied in any way, that I think all young people are irresponsible drunks. My example was of them taking an exam and focusing on their exam, which really should be their main priority over taking care of an AirBnB - not implying they were partying and irresponsible in any way.
It was never my intention to let a student or any co-host deal with major problems alone. It was more my intention for a student to make sure things are stocked, let people in if they can’t operate the electronic lock, check the house after guests leave, etc. We would be about 1.5 hours away and could be there to deal with any major issues the same day. I have stayed in Air BnB’s many times and I recognize that these are private homes and not the Four Seasons. It seems ridiculous that guests have expectations beyond clean sheets and a clean, uncluttered place with basic amenities. I realize that they do, but in many cases, they are paying far less than they would for a hotel or even a beach house rental through a management company.
I’m also wondering how picky you all are when deciding who to accept. I realize that offering a house with 3BR near the beach and a boat dock will attract families. How easy is it to reject large groups of 20 somethings who are looking for a party house? Are people not concerned about getting a bad review if they treat your place badly? I expect things like banged up walls from suitcases, stained bedding, stains and grime on furniture and the occasional broken dish or glass. How common is damage that is worse than this? Also, how common is theft? I do not plan to put really expensive bedding on. I will pick pretty bedding, but certainly not $300-500 bedding. I had also planned to supply beach towels and a beach blanket of some sort to discourage people from taking bath towels and bedding to the beach. Is this a wise idea or will it be taken? We also planned to put a lockbox over the thermostat and have an internet controlled thermostat that is set to a reasonable heat or cool temp (75). A last question. The house is on a quiet bay on the Chesapeake. The current homeowners have kayaks. I thought about getting a couple of kayaks and lifejackets and also some inexpensive bikes and helmets. Is this too much liability, especially for the boats? I need to do some research to see if a signature waiving liability is sufficient to cover us. We could keep the shed for these locked if needed.
And is anyone is wondering. I was a live in innkeeper in Marblehead, Mass for 3 years when I was in my 20’s. So, I am not completely unfamiliar with the issues I will be facing.
Thanks again for your time in answering my questions.
You can’t discriminate against groups such as age, but you can discriminate against behaviours. You can specify no events or parties. You can specify no unregistered guests or visitors. You can specify quiet time between 11pm and 8am and so on. Your house rules and your confident communication of them will set the tone and deter partiers. Also you will have grounds for them to leave if there are clear rules and communication on Airbnb.
I hope you disclose that in your listing. I would never rent a place where I couldn’t adjust the temperature. A “reasonable” temperature for you might not be reasonable to me.
eta: 75 degrees, 24/7 would KILL me. I keep my house much cooler than that, especially at night.
OMG that’s 23 degrees! A standard winter inside temperature in the UK is 21 degrees when the heating is on and less at night. I would not be able to sleep at 23 degrees, and even if it were daytime and I had t-shirt and shorts on, my skin would dry out.
Here in the desert southwest it’s a struggle to get the inside temp below 75F in the peak summer heat. 400+ reviews and no one had complained, I guess I’m lucky.
It really depends on the time of year for me. My body doesn’t handle huge temperature changes. So if it’s really hot outside, 75 would probably be fine for me in the house. But if it’s winter and 40 degrees outside and I walk into a house that’s 75 degrees, I would probably pass out.
But that’s the point, is that everyone has their own comfort zone for temperature, and it’s different for everyone. Having a host set the temperature WHILE people are in the house would be a deal-breaker for me. I plan to install a smart thermostat in our house, but that would be strictly for me to adjust while the house is empty- keep it turned down while no one is there, and get it to a comfortable temperature a few hours before guests arrive so that they aren’t freezing or melting as soon as they arrive.
Well yes, but if it’s 105 during the day then it might be in the 70s at night. In the airbnb room I have a refrigerated AC unit so maybe at night you could get it down to a comfy temp. There is also a ceiling fan.
My mother lives in southern AZ. I’m generally OK there because the humidity is low. I probably wouldn’t book a summer vacation there for fun.
It’s more the idea of the host controlling it from afar and making me uncomfortable that would provoke me to come down on them with all the fire and rage of Hell itself in the review.
At least have more reasonable range, say 65-75, and tell guests to notify you if they are uncomfortable. I personally wouldn’t book it, though.
If I were in a hot climate that’s all I would hope for. I wouldn’t expect Aircon in the day. Mind you in Southern Europe there’s always the swimming in the day, in the desert I guess there’s not much swimming!
An aquaintance of mine was hosting in Florida and remote controlled the a/c to I think 77 F …that did not go down well with the guests and was certainly one of the most top complaints.
He also hid that information in pages of fine print rules …he said it eliminated most of the cost for maintaining the units, but the cost in stars was … well he is no longer renting.
I think the easiest way to keep young people on a bender away is to have a minimum stay. We have a 5 day minimum in the summer. Attracts families on vacation, not bachelor parties and such.
I monitor the temperature remotely and change it if it gets crazy. Had one guest set the temp at 65 F. But i would let it go at 69 or something that would not harm the AC unit. Usually set it back at night when I assume they are in bed.
You will have stuff that gets damaged and goes missing. Consider it a cost of doing business. Look for sales and clearance items and stock up. We have a store room where we keep crap for replacement.
We don’t have them, but isn’t there a way to just control the minimum and maximum? So in the winter maybe you wouldn’t let the heat get set above 75 (or something) and the minimum on the a/c at 70 or something? IDK the exact temps to choose, just thinking that must be possible?
@ksegers - beach towels, yes. We also provide beach chairs, a sun umbrella and a cooler. There are also boogie boards (left by a previous guest). None of these have ever disappeared - guests are very careful with them.
My lawyer advised very strongly against items such as paddle boards, kayaks, bikes etc. as they are way too much liability (even with a disclaimer) so we steer guests in the direction of rentals. (Which can be delivered to the premises so guests can kayak from the dock - however, the company providing the equipment is licensed and insured - and have their own disclaimers for the guests to sign).
This isn’t really the case and I imagine that you’ll be doing more research into Airbnb. Our prices are higher using Airbnb than they were before. Our rentals are not ‘uncluttered spaces with basic amenities’ but quality apartments with attention to detail and great amenities. (Oh but they are largely uncluttered ) But they are not cheaper than many hotels and we, and our guests, don’t see them as a hotel alternative.
Now to the thorny question of temperature. This is something that has been very widely discussed here. Many of the members here who are from cooler climates see 75 as being way too hot. Those from warmer places - such as me - would prefer indoor temperatures a little higher - about 78 - 80. So, you just can’t win.
I agree with those who have said that they would stay somewhere with a fixed thermostat leaving them unable to select the temperature of their choice. It’s the sort of details that guests wouldn’t read in the listing and yes, would result in less-than-great reviews.
) But they are not cheaper than many hotels and we, and our guests, don’t see them as a hotel alternative.