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I’m interested in buying an existing property that’s listed on AirBnB by a person that is managing it (not the owner) and has SuperHost status. I will let that person go and manage it myself.
What’s supposed to happen? Do I just change the name and picture and owner profile? Or do I have to create a whole new listing?
The other host/owner is going to have to stop bookings some date before the purchase is finalized. Then once you own it, I would delete the existing listing description/photos etc. and start all over. You won’t be able to carry over the Superhost status so there’s no point in using the old stuff. Think about how you can improve the wording and take better pictures, etc.
What happens to the bookings made for dates after closing but before the prior owner stops taking bookings?
I would think that the selling Host would need to cancel them.
Hi @PitonView
Airbnb don’t allow listings and bookings to be transferred.
You set up a new listing once you have a definite exchange date and ask the current host to notify guests that the listing is in new ownership and they can give their guests the opportunity to transfer to you or cancel their booking.
The current owner/manager should shut the Airbnb listing down well before the transfer of property so there are no “forward” bookings. But if there are, you could accept those bookings, or as part of the closing agreement you would want to see written proof that the old owner has send messages cancelling those forward bookings and asking them to re-book with you after X date…
We purchased our home this way in April. We started a new listing and the existing reservations were contacted by the previous owner and told that they would be cancelled and could rebook with us. All but one rebooked with us.
Feel free to message me if I can help in any way. Best of luck to you!
But the value in the business is in the existing reviews, not just the asset. The prior owner wants me to just “take over” the listing and the bookings, and pay him a higher price (of course, I’ll get the rent from upcoming stays). He says all he has to do is to change the email address and the phone number, and I’ll “own” the listing. I can then change the profile to my picture and, voila! all done.
If I do this, and one of the neighbors/competitors figures this out, can they “Report this listing” and get me delisted?
There is nothing wrong with taking over the listing to keep the reviews.
Once you have control of the profile, update the information and invite your regular account as primary co-host. After a few reservations the change is yesterdays news.
YI stayed in a property once that had been sold between the time I booked and the time of my stay. I never had to rebook. I think they snoozed the listing because it wasn’t appearing on Air anymore, but I was still able to communicate with them. They did (and still do) have other listings. They told me my reservation would still be honored. The co-host had remained, and everything was seamless as far as I was concerned. I have no idea where my money went; to the old or new owner. The new owner never has listed on Airbnb; it looks like they became a proper hotel and are on every hotel booking site now.
I’m not sure. That was the way I wanted to go, bc they had 25+ 5* reviews but the prior owner wouldn’t work with us any other way. It was suggested we try the co-host route but once ABB told her she had to cancel and rebook, that is all she would listen to.
We ended up with 40+ 5* reviews on our own so far. So it wasn’t as bad as I worried, but it did stink having to give up those prior reviews. I get that some people will say it was the prior owner that earned them, but in our situation it wasn’t bc the owner was absentee and the same caretaker works for us as worked for them so really there was no change, beyond who the money went to.
But in the end, starting over was okay and worked well too.
This brings up credibility issues for me. The past reviews are based on the last hosts work, not on the work of the property owner or you. You need to earn your own reviews. I see you said the property owner who is selling wants you to take it over, but does the current host who is managing the account even know of this plan so they can plan accordingly?
Since reviews often praise (or not) the host I can’t see how the “goodwill” can be transferred and monetised for the previous owner.
I understand why you want to take over the listing from your point of view as a business, but it is against airbnb’s terms and is not terribly fair to guests who booked based on the reviews and ratings of the current hosts.
@AlexSJ I feel isn’t giving the best advice here (to say the least). If Airbnb find out what you have done they could cancel your profile and you would put your other listings at risk. Is that something you want to do? In any case Alex and the new owner are not correct.
You can’t just ‘update the information’. It’s not a matter of simply changing the number and email. What about photo iD? what about payment methods and address, all linking up. If it was as simple as Alex and the owner make out - this sort of thing would happen much more often.
@Arlene_Larsson is correct as a host you can snooze a listing and still communicate with guests. I did this recently. In Arlene’s case it sounds like what happened is the original hosts snoozed the listing. Then made an arrangement with the new owners to take any bookings during the handover period when the original hosts still had bookings but the new owners had moved in. (Perhaps to save the existing owners paying cancellation fees and having cancellations show up on their profile).
Honestly - I would take the ethical approach here in line with the procedure @LCL outlined. In this way you will get most, if not all, of the bookings in hand, but you are being honest with your guests and you don’t risk being banned by Airbnb and losing your Airbnb business.
When you set up your new listing you will get a boost as a new listing and guests will be able to see reviews at your current listings which will give you credibility.
I understand what @JamJerrupSunset and @Helsi are saying. It doesn’t matter who owns the home if the owner is not hosting but it’s not transparent to take the manager who worked for those ratings and transfer them to yourself.
From my recent experience having set up a new listing and starting from scratch it is quite easy to build up new reviews (unless you have a place off the beaten track) and guests can see reviews from your other listing to build credibility and trust.
Not on my part. Saying I understand what you are saying means I agree with what both of you posted. I could edit to be more clear I suppose?
Sorry my bad. I read yours again and saw you were agreeing so edited mine 
This is the route that we took too. In the end, it probably worked out better as we got the new host boost. This first year was all new but went well for us. I’m hoping for repeat guests now! 