I don’t want anymore slams about how as a host I "shoulda " done this or that. I have a nice place - Airbnb is clueless re the clientele - it is horse related - first I get endless "make it cheaper " - for first client I did - the “client, guest” whatever - who turned off my security cameras - who texted me how he “loved” my house - I wrote, and called Airbnb - about the camera issue - my mistake was to continue to TEXT the “guest” - who then got nasty and as I don’t live in area and couldn’t visit ? Immediately? But got one REAL issue fixed - and yet to Airbnb he can write bad review? No thanks - you all are not clear nor do I think CARE on who you represent - Owner? Renter ? sorry - adios -
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Sorry it didn’t work out for you. It’s not for everybody, that’s for sure.
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Ive discovered that remote hosting has to be set up in a very specific way, including ensuring your place is set up entirely to rent, not as your principal place of residence. There’s no easy way to ensure tasks get done and maintenance issues get reported and fixed. Only way is to purchase furniture that you are prepared to throw away, buy STR insurance and also get durable floorings. Hire a pre ans post clean inspector who is not related to the cleaner to identify issues. There’s so much about Airbnb I’ve learnt in the last three months, if I could unwind time I’ll do my setup a little bit differently from last time.
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This is very much dependent on a variety of factors. We have hosts here who have vacation rentals that are also their part time homes, @CatskillsGrrl comes to mind. Following your advice is only one possible model for someone who is just starting out in 2018.
You mean, one way.
Or hire a dependable, trustworthy cleaner to begin with.
You’ve learned a lot but I don’t know if it’s about Airbnb.
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Much of my advice is based on the experience of others and myself. No need for you to scrutinize and attack every phrase . If you don’t agree with it, that’s fine by me. I think what I’ve learnt in the three months is not just Airbnb, but how self righteous some of the hosts here seem to be.
Finding a trustworthy cleaner is easier said than done. As a new host remotely managing, how do you know who is reliable and who isn’t? Unless you’ve lived in the area for eons and know the village , or you’re extremely well connected to other hosts (again, not possible if you’re just a new host), that’s just an impossible task. If you have a way of sussing out a good and trustworthy cleaner, let me know. I’m also searching for one myself.
Hiring independent reviewers to review cleaners is not just a good way to keep a right hand on clean standards, it’s also a standard audit practice. Even the best cleaners can grow lax and slip up after a while.
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@Daniel_Lin - we aren’t self-righteous (at least, not all of us and not all of the time).
Your posts are full of “this is the only way” kind of statements. We appreciate you sharing your learnings, but don’t appreciate the way you present it. Many of us have been hosting successfully for years following different approaches than yours.
So, please, continue to post, but add your experience as just that - your experience.
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You’re right, I don’t need to anymore than you need to spread misinformation. You could present your experience as that of a new host who just started, tried to use a management company to host remotely and had a terrible experience. But when you present it as the only way to do something, that should not go unchallenged.
Some of us have hosted 5, 10, and even longer, long before Airbnb. Our experiences should be taken into account as well.
You have certainly pegged me correctly on certain issues. However, to tell someone they should only purchase furniture they are prepared to throw away is bad advice and I’m going to call it such. You sound pretty smug yourself.
As for the rest, I’m indifferent. You do you. I usually qualify my advice with information about how many reviews I have, what kind of listing and so on so that any reader can sift through what works for them and what doesn’t.
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If your definition of me sounding “smug” comes down to my use of the word “only”, then i certainly apologise. To be honest, I’ve been very sincere in sharing my experiences and I’m not sure where the lashback is coming from, but you and pitonview do sound like my grandmother who just has trouble communicating with a younger generation. Most people will just reply , "this may not be the only way, you can also do it this way… Etc. ".
And you pointed out that I’ve pegged you correctly on some issues and then you go on to say I spreaded misinformation plus your 10 years of experience or whatsoever. I’m a little confused now. I’m just going to pass this off as intergenerational communication problems, and if I sounded smug, I apologise, because I never intended it that way.
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@Daniel_Lin So many things about this post are offensive that I don’t know where to begin.
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Not only. Also “has to be” and “entirely.”
It’s not a backlash, it’s a correction. It’s me just making clear to anyone reading that you are a beginner and your definitive statements of how things must be done should be taken with caveats.
LOL. I’m not having trouble. I communicated with a younger generation professionally and successfully most of my life. Sure there was the occasional student who had trouble, who took my advice or corrections poorly…and yes you remind me of them.
I’m self righteous when it comes to issues such as “is it ever acceptable to say jew them down” or “Chinese are messy.” On those topics I am right and I won’t back down. That’s self-righteousness. On Airbnb I’m not self righteous. If you would like to look over my 7000+ posts here and find where I have ever said “the only way to do something is my way” go for it. My 500+ guests and 400+ 98% five star reviews plus the hours I spend here trying to help folks like you are a source of pride for me. I like helping out and if that includes telling people not to follow your advice I’m going to keep doing it.
Meh, I’ll just make a note not to address you further.
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I built my first unit in 2005/2006 and I am still learning. Even after all that time I sure wouldn’t presume to tell anyone what one has to do. Pontification belongs in a church.
I would just like to point out that it actually works the other way around – the younger generation has trouble communicating with the older generation. After all, we were here first.
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Mark it as experience, try to be kind and move on. Life is short.
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You started this thread. Were you seeking to vent? (I’ve done that) or were you seeking to find if there was a better rental platform?
I understand your frustration with the endless messaging from Airbnb to reduce prices. There is a recent thread on this forum about the Airbnb price race to the bottom.
About crazy reviews—I don’t think there is a platform immune to having those occur. My friends on VRBO have them. I’ve seen reviews on Yelp & _______ (oh it escapes my brain—I’ll type it in later) that were just clearly inappropriate.
Do I think Airbnb is perfect—NOPE. Do I think there is a better STR rental platform out there—MAYBE.
If you change rental platforms & like what you find, please share the information. If you step back and decide with all the Airbnb events that it is still the best one for your rental business, that’s ok too.
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Not for everybody? I reported issue to Airbnb - they did what exactly? Nothing - then sent texts and warning I would eventually get torpedoed by the “guest” - and frankly? Since heads UP and given that I have TEXT how much LOVED the place ? You all allow the negative review to post? Who are you WORKING for exactly?
Not remotely relevant to issue I have had - Airbnb a) has no CLUE where it is or WHO it is I would rent to and b) I reported guest but then get those lovely emails about how I got a bad review -
Of course you may NOT have been responding to me last post - in which case I apologize - but service orientation for an OWNER ? I think not
Not everyone is well suited to being an airbnb host. Some of us have had a great deal of success and almost no problems, that’s all I meant.
This is the second time I’ve told you that this forum is not associated with Airbnb.
Assuming you are addressing me, I work for myself.
On another thread you posted about a guest getting ahold of your post, or something like that. We asked you about it but you didn’t reply. We would like to be helpful or sympathetic but your posts are hard to understand.
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Who pays them the most? The Guest.
Who has more hosts who are battling in the larger centres to make a reasonable return? Airbnb. Who do they need to suck up to? The Guest.
Yes they are guest centric. Who can destroy your rating with one nasty, vindictive, lying review, that is impossible for you to defend yourself from and Airbnb have no interest in doing anything about? The Guest.
Hosts are behind the 8 ball.
All you can do is keep doing your best because they don’t care with so many hosts lining up behind you.
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I’ve been thinking about your statement. 5 years ago when I listed on Airbnb my rental was one of less than 1,500 in my beach area.
The combination of hosts jumping in and Airbnb displaying listings from a larger footprint than requested (e.g. Guest seeks lodging In North Myrtle Beach, listings display for Sunset Beach, Ocean Isle, Calabash, Little River, North Myrtle Beach, Loris & Myrtle Beach) means that over 3,000 listings display. The number is actually much higher than 3,000 but the search results max out at “see the over 3,000 listings in this area”
Airbnb will not miss an individual host, a special guest or two may miss us, but there is always another rental out there.
That was a humbling thought…oh well, it is the way it is. For now I’m getting rentals & making money. But it can change tomorrow.
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You sound angrier than all the hosts here combined. Cool it man. Everyone here is just trying to help. I look at Airbnb as a job sometimes, and you get shitty bosses all the time. This guest is pretty much like a shitty boss. I used to have a boss who chided for me giving advice she disapproved of, and then subsequently when I was found to be right, she chided me for not taking the actions I originally suggested. I just smiled, cos I can’t lose my job.
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I bought furniture (mostly off EBay) that I would use myself. It shows in reviews where it is described as “classy and comfortable”. I think the quality and price of the furniture and fittings like rugs, pictures, plates, glasses etc has to reflect the price point you are aiming for. There is of course generic rental furniture from Ikea but that is exactly what it looks like too. It is possible to over spend but also under spend as well.
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