StrCycle.com

25 Golden Tips for a newbie Airbnb Host:

1. You are the business owner and Airbnb is the platform you choose to use. Remind yourself that you are the boss. Airbnb is your advertisement and semi-HR team.. but you own your business.

2. Research your area- do not be the lowest in cost or the most expensive. Know your competition and what you can and cannot offer.

3. Take accurate and professional pictures of your place when possible and after you make noticeable changes in your space.

4. Go into your booking settings and make sure everything is accurate- price- holidays, instant book on or off how many guests, cleaning fee, pet fee, etc if you want.

5. Have at least 2 or 3 sheets for each bed for easy turnover~also color coordination for efficiency. Buy covers that are easy to wash and fit in regular washing machines & have two per bed.

6. Cleaners can be hard to find. Have a backup cleaner just in case of emergencies. Also, clean the unit yourself once in a while at a minimum so you can check things out. I also have my cleaners send me pictures after they leave. Likewise, If guests ruined anything or for excessively dirt situations.

7. Stay at your place sometime. You’ll quickly discover what you need and what doesn’t work.

8. Place a welcome book with your rules, expectations, wifi codes, local favorites, easy activities to do, etc. I also added instructions on how to use the remote/TV, fireplace, etc. also make sure you have check-in and check-out times in your greeting. (Remember common sense is not always so common every time)

9. Send a welcome greeting at a minimum on the day of arrival with info. Especially driving directions if hard to find. At least, before or day of arrival; a day before or the day of checkout.

10. Invest in a smart lock where you can access the code from your phone. This will help you with check-in and check-out processes- especially for those trying to enter too early.

11. Everything you have in your listing is your Bible. This is how Airbnb can side with you. Make sure you have your rules and type of space clearly stated.

12. Don’t become a hostage for reviews. If they threaten or bribe you, Remember you can always get it removed with proof. One bad review won’t kill you- not everyone will like the same beds, pillows, etc. it will be ok.

13. Keep conversations on the platform, not through a personal device.

14. If you have monitoring devices such as video doorbells, noise alerts, and cameras, make sure you fully disclose this on your listing to ensure Airbnb doesn't suspend your account for non-disclosure.

15. Consider if you want to rent out to locals~some may be the ones who throw parties you don't want.

16. You don’t have to cater to your renters all the time, if impossible for you. Early check-in is available if it works for you and your cleaners don’t feel obligated or that you need to go crazy to make it happen.

17. Make sure you have at least the basics in each room: Basic bathroom items like shampoo and conditioner... A pan, coffee maker, spatula in the kitchen, etc. . Most people do not travel to think about bringing basic items. I even once stayed internationally with no sheets available (new host) and wasn’t in the listing.

18. If you’re going out of town and you won’t have access to your phone or you're going international, you need to have a backup person in case of emergencies. Often recommended to have a service that is familiar with the Airbnb niche such as 365handymanservice.com

19. Put machine-washable mattress protectors on your beds and pillows. Send a "Thank You" later for this tip!!

20. Make sure you have a list of what needs to be cleaned for your cleaners. Rotating with deep cleaning areas. Expectations help with efficiency. Our friends over at [email protected] helped us with this.

21: Did I mention you are the business owner.. Aka boss.. run your business and don’t make excuses. At the same time, don’t waste time.. keep things simple and professional. Time is money. Good luck with everything!

22. An Airbnb Ambassador can help you get freely onboarded on the platform to list your space and even offer free advice and incentives such as free professional photography of your space, where available. If you are starting out on Airbnb, begin your journey here with this link: www.airbnb.com/r/hostambassador

23. Join online community support for host groups on Facebook, LinkedIn etc; listen to podcasts and learn tips from other hosts. One of the groups we recommend include: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1453531055114814/?ref=share_group_link

24. If you ever need help with cohosting or managing your Airbnb listing, there are always Airbnb CoHosting Services available. One of them includes CohostMyPlace.com. Most times they charge a percentage of revenue but they don't make money until you start making money. So why struggle alone when things get busy?

25. There is always a way out. Wouldn’t have believed at first that renting out a basement would turn out to be generating more than the entire mortgage each month. Remember, depending on your situation, you can rent out your vacation home, spare room, boat, camper and many things you wouldn't have imagined. All it takes is just jump-starting the creativity in you!

Best of luck from Cohostmyplace.com

How to avoid Airbnb listing suspension!

The Airbnb listing suspension epidemic is a thing of the past! To prevent this from happening to you, make sure that your listings are up-to-date and safe.

Here's how:

¶ Disclose all cameras and monitoring devices. Devices such as your security cameras, noise monitoring, and temperature monitoring devices need to be fully disclosed in your listing description.

¶ Prevent parties and illegal gatherings at your rental

¶ Know your local municipality rules on STRs aka Airbnb laws

¶ Keep an eye on your overall Host ratings e.g. response rate, accepted reservations, and cancellations. Maintaining low overall ratings. Slow response time. A few accepted reservations or too many cancellations.

¶ Avoid guest cancellations as much as possible.

¶ Ensure habitable standards by being proactive on pest control, deep cleaning, etc

¶ Be responsive to communications from Airbnb.

¶ Follow up with guest communication and complaints.
¶ Ensure you are familiar with Airbnb's Terms of Service. Violating any of Airbnb’s TOS can get you kicked off the platform.

Suspension of your listing can occur at any time if you break any of these rules—even unknowingly. And it can be difficult to be reinstated after that. Sometimes, hosts are unaware of why their account has been temporarily or permanently banned.

The consequences of a suspended listing can be too many and may include cancelling all existing guest reservations and rebooking them elsewhere. This will mean a huge setback and loss of revenue for you as a host. Hence, preventing the above instances will beneficially prevent your listing from getting deactivated.

How to appeal an Airbnb listing suspension?

Hosts can appeal listing suspensions on the Airbnb platform. At cohostmyplace.com, we not only ensure that your listings are properly cohosted, but we also ensure that you are making the most from your rental. For new hosts, you can get connected with our free guided onboarding service at www.airbnb.com/r/hostambassador

Lastly, in case you are unsuccessful with the suspension appeal or you are permanently banned from Airbnb, don't stress; you still have alternatives! There are other ways to keep your property’s income rolling. Airbnb is only one of several home-sharing platforms, so this could be an opportunity to promote your listing elsewhere. Booking.com, Home Away, VRBO, Tripadvisor, and Flipkey are just a few sites where you can upload your property.

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