Will raising a refundable security deposit help screen out low-end guests? My rooms are currently under $50 and I’ve had a succession of guests who are almost too poor to do anything but stay in their room while here.
I think so. Mine is $180 after I had guests who partied and broke furniture and caused damage in excess of their deposit.
It would certainly go a long ways towards sorting out certain levels of questionable guests. It’s a technique I would use should the need ever arise.
I’m too lazy to research this. Isn’t the security deposit an amount that is just “on the books” but not actually charged to the person’s credit card?
Gosh… I’m to lazy to answer in detail.
Correct.
The whole AirBnB deposit thing is useless, since it is not a real deposit.
If the guests reports the card stolen the day they leave, AirBnB will not be able to charge the card.
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Yes, exactly. I am a very frequent Airbnb traveler and was for years, and if i see outrageous damage deposit i move on to the next listing.
When i was looking for a room in San Francisco i saw one listing where host wanted 1K for deposit. I needed 1 night. I just skipped this one.
My room is also under 50$. I get all kinds of guests. I am always looking for a cheap room when i travel, and go according to reviews. I consider myself to be an excellent guest, not demanding at all, clean and always out and about. Now i have a computer programmer guy who pays my low rent and he is not cheap at all, he just wants to pay this amount for his rent. People have different priorities, some would rather spend little on rent but a lot on shoes and restaurants. I have a friend who has a thing of not paying much for accomodations but spends tons of money on good food.
According to my experience cheap rent is not an indication what kind of guest you will get. Of course there is more chance that you will get a person with very little money to spare with low rent than with higher end prices but then you adjust use of amenities accordingly.
Even people who have money can act very cheap and will try to use everything in your house they can get their hand on.
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My room is also under 50$, but main attraction of my location is beach which is free. So, when i have guests like these they hang out at the beach all day
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I agree with this 100%, but as a guest and a host. My prices started at $49 a night, up to $69. 
and are now over $100. No differences in guests - I get good and not-as-good just as regularly.
If anything, I think my ‘cheap’ guests were more cheerful, appreciative, and left my tips and gifts. I also enjoyed it more.
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It used to be a shadow charge, but @cabinhost says that now it’s not charged at all unless there is a claim.
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Glad to hear you raised your prices. Wish i could do the same. I dont know why its so dead here in October. Last October was much busier. I have to rent one of the rooms, and its been a week, no success. Yesterday one guy who lives in US but from my country wanted to rent. But then started negotiating with me about 50$ for 2 weeks, its after i already gave him discounts, so i said noway. I dont mind negotiating but not when its taken to that level.
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Yana… I’ve had a busy October in Hawaii but so far November and December are hardly booked. No rhyme or reason…
My first price when I opened in 2009 was $65 for a full studio apartment a minute or so from the beach in Kona, Hawaii. My base rate is $99 but I mark it up to $850 for Christmas week.
In the summer time, I mark it down to $69. And it’s still dead slow.
This seems cheap to me compared to what you can get here. And in our area there are very few studio rentals. I might be the only one.
Yet I get marked down on value. I have no idea why when I give them the moon for their holiday. Everything they need for a perfect beach holiday in Hawaii.
Whatcha gunna do?
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I wish I could have your success attracting business people! Once our construction project starts and the bnb is closed for a few weeks, I may have time to find other ways of promoting my business. But I haven’t found my ‘name’ yet. Nothing fits. Our town is Riverdale, and we are directly across the street from the Riversdale Mansion. A friend recommended ‘Riversdale Rest’ but that sounds like a cemetery or nursing home to me! I am two blocks from a wonderful paved bike/hike trail that goes along a river, but it seems if I use that in the name people would expect something more rural, and I am not that!
My reviews mention ‘friendly’ ‘warm welcome’ ‘nice family’ ‘great breakfast’ ‘comfortable’. Ideas?
Riverdale retreat, Riverdale family home?
It’s good to have a locator in your title. Near UMD …or 5 mins from DC Metro.
I liked when you said Hot breakfast in your title. That would catch my eye.
Riversdale Retreat might work.
I’m not worried about my title - it currently says “2 Bedroom Suite in our home; NO TRICKS!!!”
ha ha just kidding -
“2 Bedroom Suite in our home; Breakfast! UMD or DC”
I am thinking of creating my own little website, or advertising in other places. Right now my website, which is not published, just a link, is ‘comfycozyairbnbinRiverdale’.
Ugh. ‘Comfy’ and ‘Cozy’ - the two most over-used words to describe an airbnb room! With ‘Zen’ a close third!
Have you tried listing on Home Escape? It’s free to renters and guests.
No, I’ll check it out! Thanks!
I’m getting zero zilch nada from Wimdu these days…
Yes I also don’t see reason most times:)
@dcmooney
Are you close to expressway? I don’t do anything special to attract this particular group. I only say in my descriptions that they will be my perfect guests. When I had inquiry about the house and I heard " here on project"I said: I love you guys😀. The group that moved out left all in pristine condition.
You must have good luck with getting workers. You are so close to the city.
One thing I understood for sure that when you put 1-2-3 days minimum you most likely will not get business people. It will be families or friends on vacation. They most likely will book you for the weekend part and weekdays will be not occupied. I have my minimum for 7 days. My revenew is much higher now that it was before and my life is much easier.
I don’t know how it will be for the busy season. Out of town people don’t understand that we have seasonal prices. I charge now 275$ a week but in December I am aiming for 400$ a week, and February March even more. Workers are shocked and move on. I think that’s why I can’t rent November because when they are here on a project they don’t want to move from place to place and I need to disclose price increase.
I still hope that I will get workers but vacationers are fine too but not less than a week
In short, Yes but it’s a turn off for people who don’t have that much available credit and I think ABB can easily charge it rather than a full blown claims process.
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‘Even people who have money can act very cheap and will try to use everything in your house they can get their hand on.’
Yes I have found this, richer ppl are often cheaper, & more picky and critical