Lessons Learned 2+ Years Owning an Airbnb
To start this article, I thought it would be fun to go back to my old post, “6 Lessons First 6 Months Owning an Airbnb," and respond to those first insights:
1. Hire (Good) Help: May be the most unexpected challenge. We went through three professional cleaners. Cleanliness is a TOP priority, and we just couldn’t find anyone that produced that “hotel clean”. I spent more days doing turnovers than ever expected (while 7+ months pregnant). This Summer we brought on my sister, and I trained her. She did AMAZING and we can’t wait to have her back next season.
2. Hide a Spare Key: We will always have a spare key. We also switched to Wi-Fi locks. Pros: Easy to give each guest a unique code. Guest codes are only active during their stay. We can monitor when folks come and go. Guests typically prefer keyless entry. We can remotely lock/unlock. Cons: We got a Kwikset lock and like it, but if the door isn’t closed properly, it gets jammed and drains the battery quickly.
3. Consider Your Neighbors: Our neighbors have been great! They’d rather have us there but are generally supportive of us renting. We assure them we vet our Guests, enforce quiet hours and ask that everyone is respectful of our neighbors. They appreciate our professionalism and feeling heard. On another note, we have shared water access and those neighbors have been challenging. Long story there. If you’re curious about shared waterfront, message me. Always happy to share our experiences.
4. Provide Clear and Concise Check-Out Instructions: We’ve continued to reduce our checkout instructions and find it not only makes Guests happier but doesn’t make our cleaner’s job any harder. We limit it to – removing trash and food, closing windows, locking doors, turning off lights, heat, ACs etc.
5. Create a “Someday” List: This list is never ending. We’ve learned to prioritize what needs to be done AND what will increase revenue vs. what we want to do for our appeasement.
6. Don’t Get Too Attached: This is A LOT easier. We’ve rented to so many wonderful people and don’t mind sharing our space with anyone anymore really. We have had a couple needy folks but 99% of our Guests have been awesome. Plus, we love to see reviews referencing the things they love about the cabin as we do.
OK, now for some new feelings, tips, thoughts…
The general rule of thumb is to have two sets of linens. Get three. You never know when you’re going to be mid-clean and find a stain you can’t get out within hours or less of someone checking in.
Really consider the distance of your rental and how involved you plan to be. We prefer to be hands-on. Slowly but surely, we’re getting away from the tedious tasks to do the things we enjoy at the property, but we always plan to be present. The cabin is about an hour and fifteen minutes from our home. That is just long enough. Any further and it would be a real pain to drive back and forth a couple times a month.
If you’re looking for a property, pay attention to the type of upkeep it will need. If you’re doing updates, make changes that ease maintenance. Think, type of landscaping, deck material, siding, windows, heating, sun exposure, snow removal, animal / insect control etc.
Walk the line between proactively communicating with guests and leaving them alone to enjoy their stay. We send a booking confirmation note, a message prior to arrival with additional information / reminders about the property, a welcome note on the day of check-in and a farewell message the day of check-out. Beyond that, we are available as needed but let guests reach out to us.
Don’t get scared by other Airbnbs that may pop up near you. Highlight your amenities, know your audience, make your property stand out, provide an experience and price for your market. There is plenty of business to go around.
Pay attention to the NEWS but don’t get hung up on the STR chatter. This is something we have to remind ourselves of often. Airbnb restrictions are getting tighter in some areas but not all. It’s important to pay attention to the news and do your own homework. Just like fake news and media hype, you can’t believe everything you hear. You’ll hear people compare Short Term Rentals with Hotels. We are functionally different. An Airbnb is sometimes the whole experience. A hotel is more of a place to sleep and be catered to while you explore the area. Airbnb vs. Hotel is its own article for another day.
I could talk about vacation rentals all day, but I think I’ve rambled enough. Hope you found some of this content helpful whether you’re considering buying an investment property, if you’re just starting out or in the thick of it.
If you have questions or if there’s a topic you want to hear about, reach out! I want these articles to serve you.
— Kayla
