Nosey Guests sometimes

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I’m tired of bad hosts making good hosts seem like a rarity.

It’s part of human nature that when you’ve met someone new, you chat with them. As a host, I’m used to people chatting me up.

As a guest, if I had a host who was not cordial (I.e. had manners) and didn’t talk to me, I’d wonder what is wrong with them, do they have some sort of sociopathic disorder?

If you can’t be welcoming and willing to chat up your guests, you shouldn’t be doing this.

You’re being paid to let people into your home. Part of “service” is human interaction.
If you treat Airbnb like “stay away from me, I gave you an air mattress and a toilet, what more do you want?” then you’re really hurting the rest of us.

I do Airbnb as a host and a guest. The $ from hosting lets me travel and pay for being a guest.

I had a recent nightmare issue as a guest, but ZERO as a host, because I make sure that my guests are pampered. But I’m also not a $30 a night host. People pay for premium service, so maybe because I provide a better class of service and charge accordingly, I must be getting better guests.

I’m not off topic.

Calling a guest nosy/sneaky has a huge amount to do with your perceptions.

This last host I dealt with was paranoid, thought I was checking her mail, on a Sunday holiday (it was her brother), and since we are considering a permanent move, we had asked what the local job market is like, and what kind of work she does was part of that chat.

We didn’t ask how much she makes, why she is divorced, or her favorite position, but she definitely acted like we did.

That’s HER psychological problem, not ours.

My ON TOPIC statement was meant to encourage the OP to self examine.

If you feel a chat is nosy, unless they’re asking truly personal stuff, you’ve got a problem. “What kind of work do you do?” Or “are you retired?” and even “do you have kids?” Aren’t nosy.

A guest may not want to stay in a home with children, and guess what, not every HOST is forthcoming with that info.

I’ve had a host who was a part time web cam worker. She didn’t think we could hear her “customers” asking her for lewd activity.

That might have been something some people were offended by.

So knowing “I work at home as an internet stripper” is important to know.
“I’m 420 friendly” is important. As a one time federal employer and employee, I would have had to avoid those hosts. But HOSTS don’t always disclose things like that.

So, while there may be nosy guests, are you sure you’re not just secretive, misleading, or paranoid?

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42

I’m new to the forum but I am guessing you (OP) are outside the USA. I think it might be cultural and I bet it is Americans asking. Those are typical small talk questions for Americans. But I know that some other cultures are quite the opposite when it comes to talking about money. So…not sure what you can do about it except roll with the quirks of different guests, particularly foreign visitors.

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43

Dru_Nei

You can put all the trendy new-age spin on it as much as you want.
You say all these common questions as not nosey etc, but you convienetley leave out questions like “how much do you earn” is there a lot of money in your field" and “how much is the value of your house”, what’s your answer to that. And correct to these questions it’s none of the guests business “correct”.
And no you don’t have to be chatty to guests beyond the basic expectations (it’s a business not a social event, no extra’s unless you pay for it, I’m not gonna give my time unless you pay me). So you can have as much spin as you want, but Airbnb is a business not a social event and it’s run like a hotel(cold/private/souless if need be). Oh and cut the spin that Airbnb is this new age modern hippie business very one hold hands and sing around the camp-fire image they try to spin. There a multibillion dollar corporate empire, with it’s owners amongst the richest people in the world, and they only answer to one thing and that’s MONEY AND PROFIT.
Your very naive it seems or just ignorant.

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I host outside the US (even though I am American) and these questions aren’t unique to Americans.

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45

Oh Steve, you are so very wrong. Not a social event? Then why do businesses employ people specifically to be pleasant to their customers? Why so we have cabin crew on a plane instead of vending machines? Why do hotels have concierges or restaurants have hostesses? And why are so many staff in all walks of life given extensive training in customer care and satisfaction?

You’ll see in reviews of any type of business that ‘friendly staff’ and ‘great service’ are often the reason why customers are so enthusiastic about their interaction with the company or service.

No extras unless you pay for it is just as daft. If that was what business was all about they’d never succeed. No special offers, no ‘free’ gifts, no two for the price of one, no free dessert with every entrée etc.

And as for ‘I’m not gonna give you my time unless you pay for it’ - I’m so glad that not everyone in the world has that attitude. I just hope that potential guests reading your comments don’t think that your attitude is in any way typical of Airbnb hosts.

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46

This whole reply is so kindly and well put @jaquo. I couldn’t agree more. After all, we are in the “hospitality” industry.

If you read reviews on hotel sites (our direct competition) people will more often than not comment on the friendliness of the staff. I’m sure hotel staff, from front desk to cleaning staff, are employed or at least rated based on their good interaction with guests. And that is what most of us are… front desk, cleaning staff and more!

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I think that it’s the case with the restaurant industry too. People tend to appreciate and return to places with great staff. You’d think that it would be the food that people used as the yardstick to judge restaurants but no, apparently it’s the people. :slight_smile:

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48

Since earnings and house value are easily, freely accessible to the public, there’s nothing to hide.
Lot of money in the field? Glassdoor will tell you that too.

In my peak, not counting book sales and public speaking (which are NOT part of my regular income), I made $470,000 a year from my primary job.

My primary home is worth approximately 859,000.

The field I’m in NOW has a mean income level of about $120,000.

There. Done. Didn’t feel invaded at all.

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Whoop-whoop!

Okay then, how much have you saved? Are you single or married, and why? Do your neighbors like you? Are you a glass-half-empty or half-full type of guy?..

Feeling invaded yet?

(This is all in jest ~ you don’t need to answer.)

The psychologist has left the building.

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I feel your pain. I always meet and greet the new guest and do a total walk-through explaining everything and also just talking to them etc. it is a separate unit next-door so I make them once and basically that’s it I also check in once with a T text message and that’s pretty much it I don’t have anymore contact with them I have designed it so my parking is on the other side of the property and we don’t even see each other after check-in .

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No Sandy, it’s called I’m a private person and my guests I shut out about personal stuff I don’t let them in. I just wanna take there money and have em zip it my house. And the only thing they can talk about with me is general stuff like the weather etc. I’m a private person and not a sociable or very friendly person got it, that’s who I am and that’s who the guests will have as there host, a private person who is a closed book and has no interest in opening up to them, and just wants there money. That’s the tip elf host I am, being anything beyond polite and talking about tourist stuff is as far as it goes.

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Well, that’s all very well Steve. But if you’re not ‘sociable or very friendly person’ why do you host? As you said, you just want their money. Okay, if that’s your hosting style but it doesn’t work for many of us.

It seems to me that you are better suited to being a faceless landlord rather that a STR host. Successful hosts offer hospitality.

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@steve5500:

…uh, thanks for your input Steve, but my post was not to you. It was in response to the guy whose post appears just above mine. He gleefully and proudly volunteered information about his personal wealth, income and worth and stated that by doing so, he didn’t feel invaded. (Me-thinks he enjoyed the horn-tooting.)

To prove that everyone has sensitivity barriers, I asked him some questions which were equally personal but with a different focus. He didn’t answer them which proved my point.

By the same token, you made it patently clear that you are a private and unsociable person so I had no intention or interest in addressing any comments to one so glum.

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Yep good points Jaquo you always put me on the spot you “cuck me” lol, I never know how to respond. I suppose financier why I hostl, but I’m not really the sharing and caring type with my turf but money is the driving force but I’m looking at other options as I’m nor really a open and sharing type with randoms in my home. I’m open in my personal life but not with random guests.

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fair enough sandy , yes I’m like a bull in farm paddock i don’t like sharing my turf.

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It really sounds like hosting Airbnb guests in your home is just not for you @steve5500. And that’s perfectly fine. You just need to realize it, come to terms with it, and move on to something you are personally more suited for. I understand the money can be pretty good, but hosting just isn’t in your wheelhouse.

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Thanks Chloe your right the more I do it i realise it’s not my style. I like my turf to much and being a bull and selfish rather than share with random strangers and having to be all friendly and warm and open up to random strangers and put up with them asking personal questions and just being there in general. I like my own space, I’m not a people person or overly friendly guy or social. Just not me I’ve found out since doing it.

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You know, it’s good you are admitting it Steve. This business is not for everyone and having random people in your home can be a real intrusion. I personally could not host this way. I have a separate apartment and I still sometimes resent the intrusion… I can’t believe I breathe a sigh of relief if guests leave for the day to sightsee and then feel resentment when they pull up for the night and start cooking or using the BBQ, LOL. I feel a little guilty, LOL.

I’m booked solid through March. Checkout and payout are my two favorite parts of hosting!!!

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59

It’s interesting that hosting brings different levels of satisfaction to us all. I’m an off-site host and my biggest adrenalin rush is in the chase when an inquiry comes in.

I keep tweaking my initial response letter with the goal of hooking and reeling in the potential guest to book. But when it’s successful and the deposit is paid, my “high” wears off. Then the reservation holds little interest for me and falls into the ‘ho-hum’ category. I don’t know why and wish it weren’t so.

I don’t even get that big of a charge when the final payment is received because it’s just numbers in the bank account and I don’t really handle that aspect anyway.

For me, it’s the chase.

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No, sandy. Your point was not proven. You specifically stated you didn’t want the answers. Don’t claim victory when you set the terms that you’re then changing.

So to prove you wrong.

I have 7 figures, almost 8 in the bank. Dont know the exact number right now seeing as how money is diversified across many platforms.

Im divorced because of the ex not honoring the “in sickness and in health” clause.

My immediate neighbors are a pilot who is never home (and his home is also 100 feet away) and a snowbird whom I’ve only met once, so I really don’t know.

I think of myself as half full glass. Happy for what is there rather than annoyed by what’s missing. Al evidence to the contrary.

@steve5500

Good luck with your rentals.
Maybe you should open AirBnBC

Air bed and BootCamp.

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