Turning your investment property into a vacation rental might seem like an easy way to make a few extra bucks but before you take the plunge it’s worth considering how much of your life will become consumed by your Airbnb.
Waiting to hand the key to guests who are running late. Answering dozens of emails each day from prospective guests. Washing the sheets. Vacuuming the carpets. Arranging for professional cleaners to come to your property. Repairs. Reviews. The list of your duties as an Airbnb host is endless and many hosts upload their property pics before really thinking about the commitment they are making when they list an apartment on Airbnb.
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How many hours?
Depending on the type of vacation rental you are running, you could be looking at spending 2-3 hours a day managing your property and between 5-8 hours on days where you have a change-over of guests. What takes so long, you ask? Here are some things that are likely to eat away the hours in your day…
Guest communication: When it comes to being a good host, Airbnb expects you to answer emails from guests in a timely manner – usually within a few hours but definitely within 24 hours. Depending on your profile settings, you are likely to receive enquiries from travellers with questions about your vacation rental or guests seeking approval for their stay. This often means taking the time to look at their profiles and read their reviews before accepting them. There’s also the communication involved once the booking has been made – like liaising about house rules and check-in times. If you plan on hosting several guests each week, you can see how this communication can become overwhelming.
Cleaning: Even if you decide to hire professional cleaners to save yourself a few hours of dusting and mopping – you will still have to let those cleaners into your vacation rental, give them directions as to what you want done, and manage their invoices/payments. For hosts who prefer to do the cleaning themselves, it’s worth noting that Airbnb guests have high standards when it comes to cleanliness. Doing a below-average job on the vacuuming could mean a bad review from an unimpressed guest.
Check-ins/outs: This might not sound like a very time-consuming part of running an Airbnb business but you have to remember that not all guests arrive when they say they will arrive. Some will call a few times asking for additional directions. Others won’t be able to follow the map that you provide. Check-ins can take up lots of your time.
Managing hiccups: Even the most experienced hosts will be called on by guests in relation to issues that arise during their stay – from broken hot water systems, to lost keys or noisy neighbours. In many ways, you need to be prepared to put your life on hold for your Airbnb. That means leaving a party or missing your child’s performance at school if your guest needs you.
There are ways to make your life easier as an Airbnb host – for example, by automating online communication as much as possible or by adding a co-host to your listing who can share some of the responsibility.
Need help?
At the end of the day, if you want to avoid becoming a slave to your vacation rental ‘to do’ list, it’s worth considering a professional management company like GuestReady who can help with your Airbnb – allowing more hours each day for you to do the things you love. We are available London, Manchester, Edinburgh, to name a few cities.
FAQs
How many hours? Depending on the type of vacation rental you are running, you could be looking at spending 2-3 hours a day managing your property and between 5-8 hours on days where you have a change-over of guests. What takes so long, you ask? Here are some things that are likely to eat away the hours in your day…
Is managing an Airbnb a lot of work? ›
You should expect to work hard, especially as you start to grow. The responsibilities of an Airbnb property manager include: Cultivating relationships with homeowners. Confirming bookings and communicating with guests.
Is it hard to manage your own Airbnb? ›
Managing an Airbnb remotely is not an easy task, but it is not impossible. Setting up a solid business process can help you manage your rental from a distance and ensure a stable income. Discover 10 useful tips that will help you to set up the right management process and handle your business remotely.
Should I hire someone to manage my Airbnb? ›
Hiring an Airbnb property manager can be especially valuable for hosts who strive to expand their short-term rental business. To scale your portfolio efficiently and profitably, you need to spend time focused on investment strategy, property acquisition, and the preparations required to bring new properties to market.
How many days a year is the average Airbnb booked? ›
In a given year, an Airbnb host marks their property as available for booking for 300 days, while keeping the property for personal use and maintenance for the remaining 65 days. In this year, guests book the rental for a total of 260 nights. The vacation rental has an occupancy rate of 86.7%.
How to manage a successful Airbnb? ›
Keeping Guests Happy: Airbnb Hosting Tips and Tricks for an Improved Guest Experience
- Make check-in easy and secure. ...
- Craft an in-depth manual for your listing. ...
- Make it personal. ...
- Be in touch with them. ...
- Always make up for something that goes wrong unexpectedly. ...
- Keep the property simple and clean. ...
- Be responsive.
Percentage of Booking Revenue
The most common method for calculating Airbnb management fees is based on a percentage of the booking revenue. Management companies charge a certain percentage of each booking's total amount, usually ranging from 10% to 20%.
How much do Airbnb hosts make on average per month? ›
What Is the Average Airbnb Host Salary by State
| State | Annual Salary | Monthly Pay |
|---|
| California | $37,509 | $3,125 |
| North Carolina | $37,432 | $3,119 |
| Massachusetts | $37,405 | $3,117 |
| Oklahoma | $37,372 | $3,114 |
46 more rowsAirbnb's Terms of Service don't impose a limit on the number a host can have. In fact, if an Airbnb host has 6 listings or more, they can market them on their Airbnb pro marketing page found on the Host Dashboard.
How much does the average Airbnb owner make? ›
Airbnb Owner Salary
| Annual Salary | Hourly Wage |
|---|
| Top Earners | $242,000 | $116 |
| 75th Percentile | $125,000 | $60 |
| Average | $86,197 | $41 |
| 25th Percentile | $26,500 | $13 |
Higher expenses.
You'll also have to invest in high-quality furniture, decor, appliances, and popular amenities to ensure a comfortable stay for your guests. Additionally, Airbnb hosts must cover electricity, water, cable TV, and WiFi, costs of cleaning services, and perform regular property maintenance and repairs.
What is the hardest part about running an Airbnb? ›
The hardest part of hosting an Airbnb is dealing with the user experience. Managing customer reviews, responding to questions, and setting up payment systems can be time consuming and prone to errors. Hosts must also have an understanding of operations such as housecleaning, rent control, and other items.
Can someone else stay at my Airbnb? ›
Adding people to a reservation
Once your reservation is confirmed, you can give everyone traveling access to check-in info and all messages with the Host (including all historic messages between the primary booker and Host) by inviting them as co-travelers on the trip.
Can two people manage an Airbnb? ›
Co-Hosts help listing owners take care of their home and guests. They're often a family member, neighbour, trusted friend or someone the Host has hired to help with the listing. Hosts can always contact Co-Hosts by phone or email.
What do Airbnb guests complain about? ›
A Dirty Home Is A Common Airbnb Guest Complaint
This means getting rid of cobwebs on the ceilings, red wine spills on the carpet, rust stains in the sink, etc. Besides, guests expect your rental unit to be as clean as or cleaner than an upscale hotel room.
How many hours does it take to clean an Airbnb? ›
But the cleans average around 4 hours, often going up to 5 for each clean between guests. The cleans do include making beds for next guests, and washing linen after. We are interested to know your thoughts on the time taken, excessive?
How does managing an Airbnb work? ›
Airbnb property managers look after vacation rental properties on behalf of their owners and manage the day-to-day operations. This can include everything from handling guest communications and managing bookings to coordinating cleaning services and providing concierge-level customer service.
Is Airbnb management profitable? ›
In short: absolutely. Looking forward, the vacation rental industry is predicted to grow even more in the upcoming years. Hosting can be a profitable business with proper prep work and an understanding of how to budget your start-up costs.
How fast should Airbnb host respond? ›
When you'll hear from them. Hosts have 24 hours to accept or decline your request, but the vast majority reply within 12 hours. Chances are, it'll be even quicker: More than half of all trip requests are accepted within one hour of the Host reading it.
