I have over 500 reviews as a Superhost and have managed many properties in inner city Melbourne and won’t manage them anymore because the return is too low. For the first time I didn’t list my own place when I was away for three months this winter. It’s not worth the hassle, the market is flooded, especially with apartments. When people contact me to manage inner city Melbourne properties I tell them they are better getting a long term renter in.
I don’t know whether you would call it upscale decor but it is certainly on trend and stylish. I’m sorry but I’m not prepared to share the villas here because of the way I have been attacked before on this forum I can’t take the risk of people trying to trash my business or my villas online.
However I am prepared to share how I charge $500 a night for a studio apartment. I cater to the smashed avocado guest. I know you will understand who they are but I’ll explain it to the non-Australians. We have a problem with expensive housing in Australia, especially Melbourne and young people have been complaining that they can’t get a foot in the market. One of our politicians said that the reason they can’t afford to buy a home is because they waste their money on going out for breakfast and paying $20 for smashed avocado on toast.
We rarely have anyone over the age of 30 stay in our villas and when I see a photo of an older guest I know I will be in for an average review as they will see past the smoke and mirrors. I don’t know anyone who would blow $500 a night for sex in the spa but the smashed avo crowd will. My friends ask me what makes them worth this money, I say: they’re not, but young people are prepared to pay it so why wouldn’t I charge it?
Somewhere In Melbourne tonight (and every night of the year) it’s someone’s special night and they are treating themselves to a 1 hour drive and a night of passion to escape their “stressful” lives. As you know we are just coming out of one of the coldest winters on record and last month has been our quietest month of the year, (thus only 87% occupancy). Apart from summer holidays our biggest months are right in the middle of winter when everyone has had enough of the cold and want to splurge to make themselves feel better.
We spend a lot of time on our wordings and photos and we change them according to the season, warm and cuddly for winter, bright, airy and sunny for summer - the villas themselves are exactly the same, it’s all about the picture you are trying to project.