FIRST MONTH on Airbnb: What We Learned + $$$
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- čas přidán 1. 06. 2024
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11 Things We Learned Hosting Our FIRST Month on Airbnb!
We take a break from our regularly scheduled DIY / fixer-upper content to compile a list of what we learned during our first month in the short-term rental business and the profit we've made.
From the septic tank to our welcome basket... we're covering it all.
Let us know in the comments if you have any suggestions or questions for us!
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Hi! We're Kristen and Michael, a couple DIY renovating their dream desert home into a short-term rental business. In December 2020, we decided to leave Los Angeles (our home of 7 years) to pursue our dream of owning land in California and creating a sanctuary to share with family, friends, and others around the world! We purchased our house in the high desert during the summer of 2021 and have since DIY-renovated the entire thing and created our business from the ground up.
Follow along as we continue vlogging our journey of hosting our short-term rental & upgrading our DIYs on the home little by little.
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#airbnb #airbnbbusiness - Jak na to + styl
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Just a suggestion from a former house cleaner… you can take it or leave it… we used to have a second and sometimes a third set of everything so it makes clean up time at the house WAY FASTER! So all you have to do is take sheets/comforters/towels off and take them home with you or to wherever you do your linens and just simply put the clean ones on 😅 cuts hours off of waiting on sheets/comforters/ and towels to dry!!
Thanks for all your insider info! Great video 😊
Hi! Yes, thank you for the suggestion. We have 3 sets of all sheets in the house + 18 of all towels. Prob too many but we want to be prepared!
That’s exactly what I do ! Lol I can finish my house in 1 and a half hours
@@kristenandmichael My husband and I are in the prep stages for our first Airbnb. Just a question about linen changes- do you also clean quilts, blankets and matress pads after each booking?
Do you change comforter each time or just sheets?
That's a good idea.
Upon their booking, ask them for a 4-digit number which you will use to program the front door as their entry code. This confirms their booking even more (fewer cancelations) and less thinking on your end to create a new 4-digit passcode.
Luckily our Kwikset lock autogenerates a number for us every time but this is a good tip as well! Thank you :)
@@kristenandmichael I use the last 4 digits of guest's mobile number, easy for them to remember.
So you take home that but you claim that on taxes to so …..it’s less then that right
@@kristenandmichael Which kwick lock are you using?
Guys, I’ve been working in hotels 7+ years and let me tell you something about ESA. If they openly tell you they’re and emotional support animal…I kindly say unfortunately we are not a pet friendly property and only accept ADA certified animals.
ADA specifically points out that ESA ARE NOT service animals.
By law, you are allowed to ask 2 questions:
1. Is the dog a service animal required because of a disability?
2. What work or task has the dog been trained to perform?
Good information. I know people have clicked on to saying they need pet for emotional support but you defo need proof !
So there’s one way you can legally deny a service animal. If you have severe allergies to pets and you live in the home part of the time, you can deny them
@@tracysarmis3169
Sadly most guests lie about this because they are entitled brats
my understanding on #2 is that you can only ask IS this dog trained to perform a specific task? and you cannot ask what the task is (in most cases, this would equate to asking what the disability is, which is NOT allowed)
i think by law ESAs can't be left alone at the property either. thankfully this is really uncommon in my part of australia
Cleaning. I clean for a living. So true. Cleaning is hard work exspecially deep cleaning.
I’m also new to hosting on airbnb. We built an ADU on our property (Southern California, popular beach town). We allow pets (so far only dogs) this has been the single best decision we made. We are booked solid through next spring. It’s a new build and we installed ceramic floors so cleaning would be simple. We are at least 30 days rental due to local laws. I can’t believe what a great investment this has been. Some things I’ve learned is all white sheets and towels so everything can be bleached super clean. I will simply buy affordable comforter so I can just replace between guests due to dog hair. I really think spotless matters. In between guest bookings, I try to schedule my handyman to go in and touch up paint, caulk bathroom shower anywhere needed…. I also give upscale amenities such has nespresso machine (including weeks worth of coffee pods). I always include welcome basket with bottle of wine (nice bottle), chips and chocolates. So far, we are crushing it! Best of luck to you
Ohh interesting! So amazing that has worked for you. So you buy and replace the comforter after every guest? I guess that would make sense if you're renting it for 30 days or more. We are usually booked for 1-2 night stays so not sure that would make sense financially for us. Another reason we are trying to avoid pets is that coyotes run through our land, and one of our neighbors had their smaller dog eaten recently, like they stalked the house and waited for it to come out the door, then grabbed it. So we really want to avoid that happening to our guests. Thank you for the insight!
@@kristenandmichael yes, coyotes are an issue where I live has well. The yard is fenced in but that won’t guarantee coyote won’t jump fence. We let all guests know risks of leaving pets alone in yard. None have. I will say that allowing pets has been the single most reason I believe we are so booked. We also cater to the high end guest with amenities (ie: spa, warm floors, upscale appliances and 3 separate outdoor areas…) and yes our guests are all 2 months and over so that’s why I just replace comforter. I buy reasonable priced at target or Walmart. Another thing we learned is guests want local cable TV. We installed all smart TV’s thinking this would be great but quickly learned that most our guests are the 60 and up crowd and they want local TV/sports… so I did install regular cable too.
@@samanthahodson2274 Thank you Samantha!
What’s ADU?
Min 30 day rentals?
Nice to hear from "real" people and not these slick videos that are self promotion rather than educational
Just being as transparent as possible! That’s the only way for us🙏🏼
I was a property manager for years and I observed lots of people who felt it was their right to bring their pets, claiming them as Emotional Support Animals. Total Bullshit!
9 times out of 10, their emotional support pet is a pit bull :(
I love dogs, cats, birds and have had all three over many decades. I didn't know before that Airbnb made participants accept Emotional Support Animals on the renters' say- so ("I'm a victim! I'm emotionally crippled! This is my ESA pig!"). Its like a fog has been lifted and I understand the Airbnb success now. Bring your 10 month old "pittie" and your 150 pound stinky Irish Setter and let them stink the place up and terrorize the neighbors. I'll stick to hotels - if my room smells like urine/feces/and/or mold, I can march to the reception desk and demand a different room. (Irish Setters are lovely dogs but they stink.)
It’s expected as esa animals to have registered legal papers y’all can ask for just like the airlines do & other areas.
Take a pic of it to attach to their paper work and make sure to add a toy or dog treats.
You could have a questionnaire when they sign up the esa dog if they play w/toys, are allowed dog treats & list 3 options.
Some esa dogs that are new to the program aren’t allowed treats/toys for a bit.
I’ve thought of so much to be an Airbnb owner as you can probably tell😇
Great video. So many people waste time just to tell you to buy a class at the end. I appreciate the information 😊
So true! Here to give our experience & hope it helps!
We started off with Airbnb in 2019, converted a house to a duplex. It went so well, we converted the garage to a studio unit in 2020. Then in 2021 we build an ADU in the back yard.... I don't think we could squeeze any more value out of that property if we tried LOL. My only regret is not building the ADu in such a way where I could rent it out as either 1 larger unit or 2 small studio units
If you don’t mind me asking, about how much money do you make and how much is profit?
Hi, I also have a duplex and am new to this. Is there a way we could connect and I could ask a few questions?
In my business, civil engineering, if someone, a contractor, has to call you to ask a question, your plan/design was incomplete. So it makes sense to be as detailed as possible in your airnbnb listing. If your renters are having to call you for info, you haven't done your job probably.
Architect here....very true, good point!
Thanks for posting! Very helpful.
This was so useful, thank you! We are planning on going into AirBnB short term for now and you were able to answer most of the questions we've had and stuff we didn't even think about like over describing everything.
just started an airbnb myself. It's downtown. Our occupancy rate in the first month is at 70% and we had a resident at the nearby hospital book for the entirety of our 2nd month. It's honestly insane with how fast this investment is paying off.
That’s awesome!
@murph1329 thank you for sharing such encouraging news! May you continue to grow from strength to strength!
Good for you! Is your Airbnb an apartment or house?
Wow! Ok,that's encouraging.
@imouttatown loft in downtown. We are 7 months in now. We are averaging around an 83% occupancy rate with 45 reviews and a 4.96 rating.
There is a big difference between Service Animals (SA) vs. Emotional Support Animals (ESA). The ADA and States recognize Service animals, but the ADA does NOT recognize Emotional Support Animals and most states don't either (check your local laws).
California DOES have some protections for ESA, but not on the same level as SA. If a property does not usually allow pets, landlords still have to allow someone who has an emotional support animal as long as they have a letter from a mental health professional stating their need for the animal.
You are not allowed to charge a fee UNLESS that service or ESA animal causes damage. Service Animals are trained for the disability they are serving for whereas Emotional Support Animals are not. In most states, and federally, there are no protections for ESA so you can tell those people "no" or charge a fee etc. except for California.
You folks are spot on that you are not allowed to ask the person what their disability is and, for some ridiculous reason, for SA you're not allowed to ask for certification that the animal has been trained. You can ask ESA for documentation proving the animal is ESA. For SA only allowed to ask if it is a service animal, and what tasks it performs for the owner. In some states service animals are required to wear identifying items so people know it's a service animal. Again see your states laws.
I recommend making tenants pay for insurance to cover any damage which usually covers pet damage.
The customer is not always right....people will be awful and take advantage of you.
You guys are awesome - keep up the good work!
You’re not allowed to ask for certifications for service animals because there is legally no such thing. Specifically, the ADA law setting out the rules for service dogs says there is no such thing as a “certified” or “registered” service dog and you cannot ask for proof because it doesn’t exist - that’s the federal law. Many owners self-train, because otherwise service dogs cost $20k+. Mine was $17k and I could not self-train due to the specific nature of his tasks. Any kind of certification would cause an undue burden only on disabled people which is illegal under the ADA.
@@ahoyhere8113 you're speaking to Service Animals (SA), not Emotional Support Animals (ESA). The ADA does not recognize ESA, but California and NY do and under California law for ESAs, they must have a certified letter that an ESA is needed and that letter can in fact be requested under CA law.
Thank you for this information. I find it disheartening that an owner cannot restrict animals in certain cases. As a renter, I prefer renting from a home with a “no animals” policy because of allergies. I didn’t realize that in some cases the owners may have been required to allow animals
in the home. Going forward, this will be on my list of questions to ask the owners. ☮️
Oh snap, I got a shout-out! Nice job! Make sure to get on that smart pricing though ;)
We’re not worthy🙌🏼Thank you for all of your advice, guidance and inspiration.
That’s cuz you’re the man Robasolo!
Rob is the best! 😎
😂 pricing at the end of the movie! New fan over here! 💃🏻💃🏻💃🏻
Thank you guys for the video!! I'm going to start renting a property in Los Angeles and I'm very excited about this.
New subscriber alert!! Lol. I’ve watched a lot of Airbnb videos and I like so many others that want to invest are looking for honesty, transparency, mistakes, realness, which you both have shown here. It’s refreshing to see a video of 2 ppl that were new to the industry, and kept it real!!
Welcome! Thanks for being here! We appreciate that more than you know. :)
OMG!! love this video!! it is just what I needed to see. Beautiful couple with positive vibe! So professional and detail!! Thank you, guys!!
Glad you enjoyed it!
I am a owner for 4 AirBnB's
My advise to get more customers and better ROI: (1) I am collecting and bring my guests from the Railway Station and Airport for free! (2) I think it's good of course to provide guest some free coffee, tea and snacks of course. They will love it and next time they are in your city they will come again!
These are all great amenities to offer guests!!
Thank you so much for sharing your first month journey. I would appreciate if you can share locations to try for airbnb with less risk.
You two are crushing it in my opinion.....I watched this entire video and immediately thought the following........the typical buy and hold long term investor will rent to a tenant on a one to two year straight lease, and then hope make $200.00 to $400.00 a door net cash flow after expenses.........my advice to you is to repeat the process you have explained to us in this video over and over again as quickly as possible........ Great job!!!
Joshua Tree is a really good location. I was out there for training and the scenery is beautiful.
It really is magickal!
@@kristenandmichael thanks for the reply! You’re videos have really put into perspective the Air BnB business and seeing Joshua Tree brought back some good memories.
@@kristenandmichael hello! Back again! I actually found some properties to start investing in. How did you you go about financing?
Fantastic tips! Thank you.
Fascinating job. I love behind the scenes vibe. Thanks for sharing your work with us.
Thank you so much for watching. :)
Awesome info!
Thank you!!
Great video! Great Information! Great Team Work! and this is one of the main reasons we are working on starting with one very soon, not just because its a good business model, but to Work Side to Side with your spose it just pricesless, so keep on and also good luck to you, thank you for sharing without specting nothing in return, so as Kristen said, got already the like botton all the way down jajajaja
Thank you for being here!! Yes, working with your spouse is a game changer. You really get to see how they tick and how they bring it in ways you never knew they could. Good luck to you all on your journey! 🤍
Thank you for your transparency, and the helpful information.
Glad it was helpful!
Thank you for being so honest.
Gotta be! Too much fluff is out there now days! Thank you for watching 🙏🏼🤍
Love your content. Really helpful. Greetings from new AirBnB host in Zagreb, Croatia :)
Hi! Thank you & good luck to you on your journey!
This is my first look into the life of being an AirBnb host and I loved it. Thank you guys!
Thank you for watching! Good luck to you on your STR journey!
@@kristenandmichael I literally just Googled STR lol, appreciate it!
Thank you for the video. Congrats and I hope things are still going well!😊
Thank you! Our latest vid shares how much we’ve made in 2023 so far Vs 2022!
Thank you! My husband and I are getting out of the landlord rental business into vacation rental. I just subscribed. Can't wait to learn more from you both.
Welcome! Thanks for being here & good luck to you guys on this new STR adventure! :)
Great job! Great informative video! I plan to be a future Airbnb Owner!
You will be!! Thanks for the support!
The whole thing with the Emotional Support dog issue is a game guests now use pretty frequently .. we have zero to no recourse under Airbnb policies about that to protecting our homes .
It’s definitely difficult because we get wanting your pet with you as we love our little guy and bring him everywhere but we know when it’s time to find a baby sitter as well. As long as we know, we are OK. If they sneak an animal in… then we’re NOT ok. Which we believe just happened last weekend. That is a whole other video in and of itself! Ha
@Kristen & Michael DO the sneaking dog video! Drama, views and helping other hosts. 😄
Can't you ask to prospective guest to show proof papers for ESAs?
Congratulations! You guys are adorable! Thank you!
Thank you so much!
Excellent review; I'm a new follower and my wife and I have plans to purchase our first AIRBNB, so this is most helpful. My daughter purchased her first AIRBNB last year.
I’m about to start my first airbnb in about a few more weeks. This was so informative to watch. Thank you guys so much!
Congrats and good luck! Thank you for watching!! 🤍
Good luck it’s a steep learning curve but once you are understand you will love it.
Have you started, hows it going
So I’ve been watching this channel almost from the beginning and I have learned so much! Thank you! Tomorrow my own Airbnb will be published but Indo have a couple of questions. Did you lower your price at the very beginning to help get booked faster? Did you write an intro in your guest journal?
I love watching your channel! Keep it up!!!
Hi! Thank you for being here & good luck on your STR journey! We didn't lower it too much, we were competitive with people in our area & used Airdna initially to figure out what that was & did a little recon on Airbnb itself. They push new listings at first so this helps with bookings (which you prob already know). We did write an intro our guest book - something short and sweet about the property and why we started in STR! Again, good luck & keep us posted!
@@kristenandmichael Thank you so much for replying so quickly!!!
Hi, love the videos you two are posting. I’m about to start an Airbnb but don’t have a lot of money to back this idea. I own the home but need some new furniture, etc. I was told I couldn’t do it without having capital and I should forget it… what can you tell me that may help? Thank you!
@@tonyhopson9859 Hey, we are also gonna be starting an AirBnB tho ours is an apartment. If you have a thrift store nearby that's a great way to get furniture, also stores like Walmart, FiveBelow, Dollar Tree(this is perfect to get decor that looks expensive but is cheap, or toothbrush/paste, soap, shower curtains,ect) and sometimes even Target. Also, check if there is garage sales next to where you live! Hope this helps, we are doing ours cus we are trying to move out and don't have a lot of money.
Love this! Thanks for this!
Thanks for this video. My hubby and I are considering this.
You're welcome! Good luck on your journey. It's definitely strengthened our relationship, dealing with different ups and downs together!
I am about to the 1/2 way point of completion on my studio apartment. So excited to get this passive income started. Like the 2 day minimum. Eastern TN area.
Congrats to you on your new adventure!
I have heard grave warnings to people who expect it to be passive. Do your homework, and good luck!!
Amazing! Thanks for sharing all this. Liked and sub’d
Thank you!!
Y’all are awesome. Thank you!
You are! Thank you 🙏🏼
Thank you for taking the time to share. We are just starting out with our first rental. Best wishes with the following months.
Thank you for watching! Good luck to you all in your STR journey!
Dont forget the money that goes into your principal and maybe appreciation as well. You guys are doing excellent
The best REAL video I've watched. I'm just in the process of building 2 cabins in our orchard in Fethiye Turkey. Its kind of scary as I'm no techno geek at 58. But I do have style 😎 😜 your video answered so many questions. Good luck to you both. I'm now subscribed !!
Thank you!! Good luck to you too. Cabins in an orchard sound beautiful!
Great video, thank you for showing.
Thank you!
This was very helpful! Thank you so much
We’re so glad. Thank you!
I am 60 seconds in and I already feel like I am 15 years old living with my parents again. Hopefully things change so I will continue to listen
Welcome to our comment section, I can make you a profitable airbnb investor with zero risk
Reply if you are interested
@@allenspencer6672 No thank you. I have zero interest in a company who disregards fur babies and hairless babies.
Why are our human babies coming out with out fur?!? It’s ok We ❤️ our skin walker babies ❤️😉❤️😉
@@AlexAndra-iy5zu I accept kids on my Airbnb b
Good job peeps! Thanks for sharing 👍
Thank you!
Thanks for sharing your journey!
Thanks for watching!🤍
Hi, where did you get the little gold frames for the signs in bathroom/kitchen?
Hi! We got them at Home goods/TJ Maxx so we aren’t sure the brand but they were very inexpensive :)
@@kristenandmichael Thanks!
Appreciate the transparency Kristen and Michael, very informative. Good luck with the channel.
Thank you for the support!
Such a pleasant couple. Lots of good tips, too.
Glad you like them! Thanks for being here :)
Thanks for all the awesome advice!! Best of luck
You're welcome! Thank you for watching.
The customer is definitely not always right. If you follow that policy, they're going to run all over you and make your life a nightmare. Stand firm but be respectful. Common sense needs to win in these situations. I've owned a beverage store for 6 years now. Trust me when I say, they WILL walk all over you, no matter what the case is.
Why should I trust you?
I just found you this was my very first video. I want to say thank you very much for revealing some of the negatives that popped up. A lot of other CZcamsrs do not point those things out as much. I'm wanting to do Airbnb arbitrage however I have to get a few things set up first before even getting an apartment or two. I'm trying to learn as much as I can beforehand... I'm looking for all the negatives not because I don't want to do it or be talked out of it. And I know and understand that things can pop up that are not found on an internet or CZcams. But the more I know the better.
Please do more of these type of videos because the truth is better than making everything look like a beautiful set of flowers. Because sometimes the negatives are our teachers and help us along the way and become more successful. Not all negatives mean that you're going to fail
Thank you once again.
Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for watching!!
Very helpful video! Thank you!
Thank you for watching!
You helped us along! We are starting an air bnb and you guys made us feel like we can do it. We love your authenticity!
I feel them same way?
Thanks for posting the video. We just had our first guests last week to our MIL unit. I also found the cleaning overwhelming and had to cut back on what i was doing. A note on the ESA, an ESA does not get the same legal rights as a service dog. The ADA only applies to service dogs and you only need to accommodate if it is actually a service dog, which means it’s been trained to do a specific task for its handler. You are absolutely not legally required to allow an ESA, only an actual service dog.
Thank you for this insight! And good luck on your short term journey as well🙏🏼🙌🏼
@@kristenandmichael @Kristen & Michael Their advice is a bit off because you are subject to AirBnB policy in addition to ESA vs Service Animals laws. Also, airbnb has different rules for ESA's depending on where you live. For example, in Cali, you still are required to host ESA's per AirBnB policy. . There is an extremely good way to discourage people from abusing the ESA policy though which is part of AirBnBs TOS regarding ESA's.
@@gotritons27 and what is that extremely good way?
what if the owner just charges extra for damage or hair cleaning after a pet?
Thanks for answering what I was wondering about. Unfortunately I had someone come who said they had a service dog after I said no dogs allowed. I was attacked by the dog within minutes of its arrival and ended up in ER and have permanent damage. I believe now that I have a right to turn any animal down from being on my property. I wonder if there can be exceptions now in my case. Also if people are allowed to bring their animals onto your property, they need to be asked to show proof of insurance. If it's legal for them to be there, it's surely legal for them to be required to carry insurance.
Love the video. Thank you for sharing guy’s:)
Thank you for watching🙏🏼
Thank you for sharing.
Thanks for watching!
So happy this video was recommended to me. Great information. My goal is to start an Airbnb one day. Thank you so much for sharing your wins and challenges😊
Thank you for watching! You WILL start that Airbnb and we hope to hear how it’s going when you do!!
Sponks1 - Like the phrase "wins and challenges!"💎
You guys are doing great! We have hosted for 6 years and love it.
We use flexible cancellation, I think that gets more bookings than strict. If they cancel last minute we sometimes still give at least a partial refund.
We go above smart pricing tips at least by 10%, and more on the weekends. As long as your value stars stay high, and you are 90% booked, go for it!
We rent 7 individual rooms and know when graduations, concerts, etc are in town. I readjust prices everyday if needed.
We used to have our calendar 3 months out but that prevents us from taking impromptu trips.
We also clean the rooms. Look up for cobwebs, closely for mice droppings, bed bugs and check all drawers for anything. We have found guns twice, even though we clearly say "no firearms"!
Income has been a game changer for us, more than we expected! Keep up the great work!
Sherri and Bill
Strict...never do flexible
People left guns behind? And twice??? Wow
Thank you this is very helpful
Thank you for watching!
Loved your video! The only thing I have is to suggest Micah Felts Music for your background music!! I thought one of his songs was your background music in the back and it wasn’t 😂 I think he is definitely in Brand for you.
Thanks so much for all the info! I’d love to get into hosting on air bnb with my partner and all your tips were super insightful! Thanks!
If we can do it, so can you! Good luck on your future ventures and thank you for the support!!
Kristen, the customer is NOT always right. I host 20 properties. Some of the times, a customer will push your limits to see how much they can get away with. Sometimes, you need to stay firm
And regarding the pets. Yes, many lie that their pet is an ESA. And you can deny this however you need to have evidence that your severely allergic to pet fur. Airbnb cannot ban you if you have a medical note supporting this
Ha! ya, I totally agree. I don't have a dog. I just had a guest do the same at our Airbnb recently with a new puppy that she claimed was her ESA.. It's nuts if you ask me but that's their current policy unfortunately.
I have no knowledge of Airbnb. If some stray critter makes an inquiry to rent, and says he/she has a Emotional Support Animal, can't you just say, "Sorry. Already rented. Forgot to update the availability dates" or something? They lie about being emotionally crippled because boarding their pet at home is costly, you lie about availability. It all comes out in the wash.
Hi Bob, how long did it take you to host 20 properties? Do you own all the properties? I am just starting to look into STR. Thank you
Before the days of Airbnb, our family had a shore house in New Jersey that had an explicit no pets policy. We also held a deposit. It was mentioned 4-5 times in the advert, the booking sheet, again signs inside the house, and on the invoice. Very crystal clear policy. If any trace of any animal was found, we kept 100% of the deposit. No exceptions. Not sure how Airbnb does things, but this worked for us. As we say in Jersey, FAFO.
Very cool! Thanks for the insight!
Thank you for watching :)
Just found your channel. Thank you for this video. It was very helpful. My wife and I just started building our first Airbnb Cabin. We are hoping to open in summer of 2023! 👍🏼😊
Thank you for watching! Congrats on your first Airbnb and good luck on your journey 🤍🎉
Thank you 😊
Do you guys know that Airbnb allows you to schedule messages?! This would take away the need for setting reminders for messaging guest info!
Yes! We know now🤣🙏🏼
Thank you 😊
Thank you!
Very inspirational, thank you for sharing!
Glad you enjoyed it!🤍
I have had an AirBnB for about 16 months and there are definitely pros and cons. Lots of instructions and Wi-Fi code are a must. You are right about little touches being hard to maintain. You definitely need a good dependable cleaning crew and they are your eyes and ears. And same here, I did have to upgrade my washer/dryer to the largest size available to make sure all 4 bedroom linens can wash and dry before the next guest checks in. Another challenge was getting the trash and recycle cans put out and brought back in and cleaning the grill! A few challenges if you don’t live live nearby. I have a very good manager handling the questions that constantly come in, the bookings, and the price adjustments, etc. 😀. It is more than worth it!
Luckily we live in a rural area and we were able to keep our cans on the street, but that was one of the challenges we were worried about also!
How much does ur property manager charge u?
@@anthonyavery1328 it’s around 20%-30% but well worth the expertise he provides with adjusting rates to reflect seasonal, local event, and market fluctuations. That makes a huge difference in earnings. His knowledge of customer preferences and ability for response to customer questions and requests is more than I would ever be able to keep up with and stay sane. At the end of the day it’s about maximizing your income and a management company that knows how to do that is golden.
@@karoleenascottage thats awesome, do u have any reccomendations for finding good air bnb managements? I have a long term rental pm but idk if hes versed in air bnbs
We just listed our remodeled garage apartment on Airbnb less than 2 weeks ago. Had a booking the first night. Made a little over $500 in the last two weeks of April and over $1500 in bookings already for May. The best part for us is that its on our property so there’s no additional mortgage. We get to keep all the revenue! It’s going to be a little cash cow for us!
That’s a great way to make a place more hospitable and to save on cleaners too. Being able to be right there if anyone needs anything - if you’re able to leave baked goods or something for the guests as an added bonus, that would be so fun (we love cooking & baking)!
Omg! My next property needs to be something along these lines
Ms me…it’s one of the reasons we bought the property 3 years ago. I knew we could at least rent it out at some point. It was almost like buying two houses for one. Right now we’re on track to make $2000 from it in May. First full month on Airbnb. I’ll never buy another residence without some type of guest quarters on it. Too many money making options to pass up.
I need to know if I need to report that income ? Thank you
@@janetecarin4873 yes
Great information. I appreciate you guys
Thank you for watching! 🤍
Great video 🎉. Good job you two!!
Thank you! 🤍
Congrats- and thank you for sharing your journey. I started hosting in February’ 22 and What has shocked me the most is the multiple requests for a “cheaper” option or discount. Guest would complain about the platform fees or would just give their budget- which is always way below listed price. I was wondering if you guys have had the same experience?
Hi! We have had a couple guests ask for discount and we kindly tell them we are just starting our business and we hope they understand and would love to host them but our price is set and comparable to Bnb’s close by. Good luck to you and congrats on your new adventure! It’s tough but so worth it. ✨
In my experience , do not host bargain hunters. They give the worse reviews. You can even give them a $500 per night place for $200 and they will still rate you a 3 star for value. Don’t do it.
Sometimes I actually deny a guest just by asking me for a discount. Even if they want to book later at my stated price, I will decline
So from the customer's perspective, I've only asked for a discounted price if there are a lot of fee's added to the orginal price. Most of the time there is cleaning fee and taxes and i think a fee from Air bnb. So when its all said and done it adds a couple hundred more dollars. Depending why im booking, a trip or because i love the house & location if the fee kind of out weigh's the worth i will ask if it's possible to knock off a percentage. I guess we have to look at it from the host's pov. Also late check out can definitely sway some customers. So many Air bnb's have a check out time of 10 am. I have all good reviews all of my experience's have been good.
@@horror_headed
Motels tend to be cheaper
@@bobfeaver8438 Not in my experience. Ive only asked once for a host to lower the expense's. Sometimes the extra fee's are ridiculous. I'm not saying that happens all the time. I hate hotel/motels no personality. Rather spend my hard earned money on a person not a company. I'm def not trying to be disrespectful. I'm just giving you a perspective of the customer's pov. Host's love me i am clean and i try to be easy and not a pain in the ass. Haha i have like 15 great reviews. I would love to start my own Air bnb. I have some land. I may do tentr. Bob have you ever stayed at an Air bnb?
Depending on your location - Smart pricing can be a hindrance sometimes if you're in a high demand area. I have a 1 Bd, 1 Ba apartment that usually goes for $85-$110/night - but in the heat of the busy season "smart pricing" sometimes will jack the prices to well over $300.00, which of course results in no bookings. Mentally, I've found I am much happier getting consistent average priced stays than be hopeful for high priced stays. To each their own. Thanks for posting!
Thank you for the info! We are definitely trying to figure out the best option for us and just diving into smart pricing.
@@kristenandmichael Smart pricing is awful and most hosts ditch it. It often undervalues your property.
Thanks so much for sharing, your insight was very helpful for somone who is looking into doing this one day soon! :)
You are so welcome! We are glad it was helpful! Lots has changed for us since this video too - we did an update we posted yesterday from our year on Airbnb :)
Great video thanks guys!
Thank you!
@@kristenandmichael I wish yall could mentor me and my big sister. Were thinking about building and adding some crazy features that no one has.. is there an app that i can use that will give me an idea where to build and how much to charge per night?
this reminds me how we got started 7 years ago. Great job guys congratulations welcome to the host community.
Thank you! We are so happy to be apart of it 🤍✨
Not sure if it’s been mentioned in previous comments but you can schedule messages so that you don’t have to remember to send codes and check in instructions.
Yes, we have since implemented auto messages! :)
good tip about limiting the diary, AIrB&B filled in my prices and i ended up letting three weeks for the price of two, in high season, due to the low price that was auto filled :(
SUBSCRIBED! Such a great video. Thanks!
Woohoo! Thank you!!
Congrats and thank you! Listing my first airbnb soon and a little scared / excited , also been watching Robuilt for like a year too haha! Glad I ran into your channel, keep it up guys !
Yes, Rob is the best haha and you’ve got this! If it didn’t scare you, it wouldn’t be worth it! If we can do it, you can do it. Thanks for the support!! 🙌🏼
Whenever someone says “Maids” I cringe. 😩 “Cleaning professionals” or just “Cleaners” is so much better. Glad you acknowledged how challenging and how crucial having proper cleaning is. This is a valuable yet undervalued service that many don’t appreciate. I hope you are compensating your Cleaners well because without them, the overall experience for guest will indeed suffer.
Maids has been the term used for hundreds of years……
I caught the term maids too. Better terminology please:) 😃
@@aleeshakaundal5343 what’s the obsession with changing words that never had bad connotations until people starting making them bad?
@@Westcoastrocksduh political correctness 🙄🙄
@@osherkline5357 exactly
I’m about to open y first Airbnb an this video has helped me a lot, so thanks guys!
Great to hear! Thank you so much for watching.
Shoutout to you guys this is beautiful!😍
Thank you 🤍
very helpful most shit I watch is people trying to make money of viewers this seems legit
🤣Thank you! We’re just here to share our experience!
Great job! My family just started our first AirBnB adventure as well! A condo in a mountain town. It’s a lot of fun, but cleaning is hard!!! Great video and information!
Thank you!! And congrats to you and yours!!
Hello..Great video.....I'm in Escrow now for a cabin in Big Bear with good rental history...just needs some TLC.....I will keep following ya'll 😀
Thank you for the support and congratulations to you, that sounds like fun! Good luck on your journey!
Thank you for sharing your experience with us. This video was definitely helpful to know what to look for and how to start in Airbnb. Would really like to see an updated version of this in a few months.
Thank you! We are planning on doing a six month update soon. 🙏🏼
Great video! Wow… I can’t even imagine the red tape surrounding starting a rental property out there whether short or long term. I’ve heard it’s rough, but can be rewarding if you do it right.
Oh ya, it’s all about the mental and physical stamina forrr sure! But we believe everything is possible🙏🏼🙏🏼🤍
You were at 999 subscribers....I had to subscribe 👍 Congratulations 🎉on 1000 subscribers.
ALRIGHT! Our 1k subscriber! Thank you!
Thanks for this video
We also just started an Airbnb property. I wanted to share that we use IGMS to help to contact guests at various stages. We created essentially form letters for "Thanks for Booking", " Check In Process via Keypad", "First Night Stay", etc. They can be automated to send at specific times. So the "Check in Process" is sent 3 days prior to arrival. The "First Night Stay" is sent at 11 am after the guests first night. Hope this helps! Really liked the info you shared! ;)
Oh wow! This sounds fantastic. We will look into this and thank you so much for sharing!
As a guest, I have experienced this and it was pissing me off constantly, because I just wanted to rent an apartment and I didn't need to receive messages every single day. It is probably more convenient for the host, but for the guest it feels really dehumanized. And for me, the Airbnb is more about connenting with locals (that's the added value for me) who own the house than just pure accomodation.
With refrigerators and freezers our policy is that if it is fresh (not expired) and unopened it can stay. Only condiments can stay opened if not expired (in a restaurant you use open condiments all the time and that is used by far more people in the general public). Then we post a label inside each fridge and pantry that says "Feel free to use, leave or discard any food items".