Ever wondered about the do’s and don’ts of managing or hosting on Airbnb?
Whether you’ve hosted a property in another city or have no hosting experience at all, managing a short-term vacation rental on platforms like Airbnb or VRBO can be quite rewarding.
As the host of three heritage vacation rentals in Downtown Victoria since 2019, I’ve welcomed well over 400 guests and groups from all across Vancouver Island, Canada, and other parts of the world.
Here are some of the best lessons, tips, and insights that I’ve learned along the way as an Airbnb host.
Vacation Rentals in Victoria
If you’d like a refresher on the vacation rental landscape in Victoria, I’d highly recommend visiting my dedicated page for Victoria Vacation Rentals. While you’re there, you can also access all of the condo listings Downtown Victoria in buildings zoned for transient (short-term) rentals.
Becoming a New Host on Airbnb
My first taste of hosting on Airbnb came in March 2019. I was as green as green gets, not knowing much (if anything) about hosting or the time commitment involved.
I vividly remember welcoming my first guest. I felt nervous as the check-in time quickly approached, hoping that the lock code I had set up on my phone loaded onto the suite’s lock properly. Safe to say, I’ve come a long way from that first guest to now.
It was especially important that I went through the process of setting up a listing on Airbnb myself. Having set up three units so far, it’s quite a seamless experience from setup to listing launch.
During setup, you’ll input all the applicable details about your listing: the property description, available amenities, parking information, location, house rules, and a few other items. From start to finish, this process takes no more than 30-45 minutes.
Leveraging Automation Tools as a Host
I was especially concerned about the time commitment required to effectively host multiple units at once. In particular, I was worried about the “manual” side of hosting. How would I manage messaging guests? Providing check-in details? Making sure the suites were cleaned on-time?
Thankfully, there are countless third-party apps online that streamline guest messaging, door code automation, and even pricing. I can confidently say that I spend no more than 10-15 minutes daily taking care of the hosting tasks mentioned.
If you’re curious about the Airbnb automation tools I use, feel free to get in touch. I’d love to answer any questions you have.
Do’s and Don’ts: Airbnb Hosting
Here are a few of the tips and tricks I’ve learned along the way to ensure my hosted properties:
1) present well to guests,
2) make for a memorable travel experience, and
3) show up high in the search rankings amongst the 1,000+ other Vacation Rentals in Victoria.
Below are some things I recommend you do (or at least try to do) as a host:
- Enlist the services of a professional cleaning team to safely and effectively clean your suites after each stay (we use Amala Vacation Rental Solutions).
- Make sure to write reviews for your guests and respond to reviews that guests leave for you!
- Have a professional photographer take photos of your space to put up on your listing. First impressions go a long way.
- Monitor your pricing to make sure it accurately reflects market trends, Holidays, and high & low seasons.
Now, for the other side of the coin. As a host, I recommend you don’t (or at least try not to) do the following:
- Use the “set it and forget it” approach when it comes to pricing your property, especially over Holidays.
- Take more than 20-30 minutes to respond to guest enquiries or questions. If you can, I recommend a response time of less than 10 minutes.
- Approve every reservation request you receive. Read past reviews and ask preliminary questions to vet your guests before they book your space.
- Use the “Instant Book” feature without setting some or all of the guest requirements first (such as requiring past reviews and verified ID).
Ready to Start Hosting?
It’s important that hosting or managing a vacation rental is treated as a business. Other than the listing itself, you are the first point of contact that guests interact with. If interacting with guests and providing amazing service are strengths of yours, you’re well on your way to becoming a great host.
If you’re looking to learn more about hosting or investing in a short-term vacation rental, contact Reiner today.
With over 3 years of experience managing, buying, and selling successful vacation rentals in Downtown Victoria, Reiner has the knowledge and expertise to assist with your investment needs.