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When a host is new, and first creating a listing, it’s only natural to write in a ‘selling’ way. We know how much competition is out there so our instinct is to make our places sound as fabulous as possible.
Same with photographs - we naturally want to show the place to its absolute best advantage.
Yet with Airbnb, this can come back to bite us when it comes to ‘accuracy’. This is why its always best to be honest in a listing and not deceive the potential guests.
I love it when guests say that our places are better in real life than they are in the photographs - it sets the stay off to a great start
Good points, and it’s funny but you picked up on some of the words I use in my listing, though I still can’t understand how they’re inaccurate. I say my place is modern, and it certainly is especially for the location. The decor is modern…i make a point of saying that for people who are looking for something more traditional…i mean I have sparkly resin counter tops, glass ball lighting fixtures, abstract art… It’s certainly not traditional New England. And it also has modern amenities like smart tv’s with a ton of channels, memory foam mattresses, docking stations, modern appliances, kitchen gadgets, etc. I say it’s cozy, and it covers all the criteria for that including furry rugs, soft plush bedding, cute fake fireplaces, fluffy throws, etc. I could go on, but the point is that I don’t feel like I make any claims that are falsely representing the house or the area. It just baffles me. I think sometimes people have a certain idea that they completely invent in their own heads then get disappointed even though you have no control over that.
Again, I hear what you’re saying and fully understand that concept, as a Realtor…I’m very aware of overselling and how people can be disappointed by great photos & flashy descriptions, but, I still don’t think this has anything to do with why I’ve gotten the occasional marks off for accuracy. Bearing in mind, this is maybe 2 or 3 parties out of hundreds, but it still makes me scratch my head. I do actually think my place is just as nice or nicer than the photos, and I think the descriptions fit just fine. It’s not luxury, but I never claimed it to be, nor do the pictures show that. It is Near a lake, and I make sure people know it’s not ON a lake. I just don’t know/ don’t really care and the whole point is, people can and often do have illogical feelings or expectations, and I don’t think “accuracy” should be a category if people are going to be delusional about things. lol.
I wish there was a better guide for guest reviews. I went through all my reviews again today. It’s insane, guests who say everything was wonderful, who I bent over backwards for, lent them a raincoat, nursed them when they were sick but only gave me 4 stars with no reason, I’m tempted to say to them "If you can’t give me 5 stars then don’t review me. I had a woman here for ten days, last minute she wanted to come a day sooner but I had a guest for that night, I spent all day cleaning my own bedroom, putting things in boxes so she would have room & clear surfaces etc & I slept on the couch. I had to create a second listing for her. She gave me 5 stars for one & 4 for the other.
