Thinking of Becoming an Airbnb Host? Read This First! (2024)

On any given night, 2 million people will stay in Airbnb homes in 81,000 cities around the world. There are close to 5 million listings in 191 countries, more than the top five hotel chains combined. The shared economy is here to stay and is expected to triple in the next 5 years.There is no better time to take advantage of this new and growing economic trend!

• 150M+number of total users on Airbnb
• 2M+people staying in an Airbnb per night
• 6M+global Airbnb listings worldwide

Setting up your Vacation rental for the first time is both an exciting and daunting time. You probably want to make sure everything is perfect for your first guests. So, if you’re just starting tothinkabouthosting this is the guide for you! The first step is to have a look at the Airbnb site and sign up to host. With all the ways you can host, it helps to consider these 7 important decisions before listing:

• Your long term financial goals
  
• What spaces you want to share
  
• How often you want to host
  
• How much interaction you want to have with guests
  
• When you want to start hosting
  
• How you want to get paid (direct deposit is quickest)
  
• Will you do self-check-in or greet guests in person

Set Your Expectations

People decide to host for all different types of reasons. Some hosts use the extra income to help with their mortgage, fund their next trip, or simply save for the future. Other hosts love meeting new people, sharing stories, and helping guests have a great trip by providing a local’s perspective. Before creating a profile, think about what you want to get out of hosting and share those expectations with your neighbors and other people living in your home or building. This includes discussing how often you’ll be hosting and creating house rules that all guests will abide by.

How Much Can I Make on Airbnb?

Some cities have a higher rate of bookings than others. In a slower Airbnb market, no matter how amazing your property, there just won’t be enough demand. You can check who else has an Airbnb in your neighborhood (and what they are charging!) and if you’re in a hot rental market or not with AirDNA It’s free to search. It’s best to check first to know what to expect. You don’t always have to be in a top city. For Example, college towns, even rural ones, have high demand, as there are always conferences, graduations and events.

What Information will I Need in My Listing?

Guests will use the details you provide in your listing to decide if they want to stay with you. Here are the 9 sections that you will provide your guests about your listing.

• Photos
  Guests decide based on photos than on any other part of your listing. Captions are especially important: let your photos tell the story of your space.
• Price
  This is the price you’ve set, plus any additional fees from you such as a cleaning fee.
• Listing name
  Guests see your listing name first. A great listing description lets potential guests picture themselves staying there.
• Listing type
  Travelers can tell if your space is an entire home, a private room, a private suite or a shared room.
• Availability
  Your calendar shows when your space is available. Travelers will only be able to book on available days. You can block any dates you want.
• Description
  Guests can read about your unique space and your neighborhood.
• Amenities
  People see what your space has to offer, like wi-fi, kitchen , washer/dryer, free parking ect.
• House Rules
  Guests learn your rules and agree to the rules you set before they can book.
• Profile
  People love to know who they’re staying with. They find out more about you through your profile and feel more connected.

Tip: Think about what impresses you when you stay in a hotel or Airbnb. What turns you off or makes you feel disappointed? People who use Airbnb above all want to feel welcome and comfortable in your home; try to make the best possible experience for your guests.

Reviews are essential to the Airbnb community. Hosts and guests share their experiences through reviews to help other members of this global neighborhood choose their travel plans wisely. Positive reviews can attract more interest in your listing. Here’s how reviews work:

Star Ratings
After their stay, guests can rate your property that future guests will be able to see. This appears on your listing after three guests have posted reviews. Guests will leave star ratings on a 1-5 scale for:

• Cleanliness
• Location
• Value
• Accuracy of listing

Written reviews
Travelers love to read about other people’s experiences about your space. Guests will write a review and usually focus on their experience with the host and the space.

Review period
You’ll only see your feedback from a completed trip after both you and your guest have left a review, or at the end of the two-week review period.

Knowledge Before you Start

For more Airbnb tips check out my book ‘The Ultimate Superhost Guide’ It comes with a free printable cleaning checklist, a customizable guest welcome book and other freebies! This book is for the absolute beginner to the more experienced host looking to explode their bookings. The book covers everything from creating a listing, ranking high in searches, increasing bookings and becoming a Superhost. You’ll learn to streamline your communication with guests and provide an experience that they will rave about in reviews. The Ultimate Superhost Guide is filled with insider tips that are essential for every Airbnb Host!The more you know about Airbnb, the more you will be able to use this knowledgeto optimize your lisiting, set goals and succeed. There is a learning curve to being an Airbnb host and this book will become an essential reference to return to time and time again. You can find it here!

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