Vacation Home Help

In this episode, John and Tim discuss creating your own vacation rental agreement. Spelling out the rules and guidelines for your home can set the right expectations for the guest. Most guests really appreciate knowing what your guidelines are and how it works. We will also share with you: Setting expectations with your guests through your rental agreement How to manage trash appropriately Going b...

Show Notes: Airbnb has essentials that you must provide your guest, but should you provide more? What amenities are absolute must haves? Think about what they need on their first few nights , Roll of paper towels and a spare under the sink Spare toilet paper Plenty of garbage bags Laundry soap, laundry detergent Sheets for the dryer Dishwasher Pods Budget, Economy, Luxury - what is the difference...

Self-managing your vacation rental is a lot easier when you use technology. Vacation rental tech does not have to be scary and you can implement some basics to automate your vacation rental business. Here are some technologies we will discuss in this episode: Smart thermostats you can program remotely to save energy, money, and make the guest experience better Pool and spa remote automation to sav...

When you follow-up with your Airbnb guests, great things happen. Today, Tim and John discuss 6+ follow-up tips to deliver a 5-star post-checkout experience on Airbnb and VRBO. Send checkout instructions 24 hours before checkout day Invite feedback from your guests to improve the future guest experience & respond to the feedback Follow up with your guests a couple of days post check-out to cont...

Today, John and Tim discuss how to improve your airbnb response time, responsiveness score, and boosting your communication skills to create a more streamlined guest experience. Give your guests confidence. This episode is for those who are new to hosting on Airbnb & VRBO. In this episode, you will learn in under 10 minutes: Setting the right tone for your guest's airbnb stay and improving con...

This is John, I have recently finished reading Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin, two Untied States Navy Seals who taught me about taking ownership for mistakes and failures. It is hard to do it. In life and in your hosting journey, it is crucial to take a look at the person in the mirror - this is everything for personal and professional growth. Tim is going to share an experience...

Why the age old wisdom of more beds, more heads, more revenue is sometimes wrong. How many guests can you host in your airbnb without sacrificing the quality of your guest experience? “Be very thoughtful about what your maximum number of guests is going to be, do not just instantly think more beds equals more heads, equals more revenue. I will tell you from experience this equation does not always...

John and Tim discuss house rules for vacation rentals. This is the perfect episode to hear if you are a new host or new to self-managing vacation rentals and need to know quickly what house rules to include. Here is our house rules template ---> https://vacationhomehelp.com/blog/vacation-rental-house-rules/ Key highlights: Why set house rules for your vacation rental Smoking and pet rules Why d...

Protect yourself against damages from Airbnb guests. John and Tim explain 'what to know' about security deposits on the major platforms Airbnb and VRBO. Does Airbnb and VRBO actually collect security deposit money from guests? What is an authorization hold? How to collect a refundable security deposit off platform See an example of an email template you can use to collect a security deposit off pl...

John and Tim discuss what to think about when writing or editing your property description on Airbnb or VRBO. Show and tell How to organize photos and captions Letting your best features shine How to incorporate house rules and much much more... Here is a link to Tim's property listing on Airbnb if you need guidance ---> https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/51826559

Today, John and Tim interview special guest Tammy LaVarro, Founder of Dream Vacation Interiors. Tammy discusses her experiences and secrets: How to maximize rental ROI with great design Trends in vacation rental furniture and design Advice to vacation rental owners and airbnb hosts from a designer Making 'Instagram' worthy moments for your vacation rental guests How to think about and approach vac...

John and Tim from Level Up discuss vacation rental safety essentials. The essentials like smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, and first aid kits Smart locks and keyless entry - do not set yourself up for failure with keys! Noise monitoring Cameras and surveillance - what is appropriate and safe and what is not. Have a pool? Make sure it is safe. Alarm systems in vacation rentals Guests now...

John gives his 7 tips on what owners and hosts need to know heading into Summer 2022: Do not buy a generic rental - buy something that is unique - one of a kind Bidding wars - do not overpay for a property Do not rely on bad data Research regulations Think outside the box Do a purge - get rid of unnecessary or bad quality inventory in your rental - its hurting your brand and reputation Be smarter...

John and Tim discuss what new government actions mean to you as an Airbnb host Disney vs Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on Disney's special tax treatment and what it means for property taxes on vacation rentals and airbnbs (April 2022) Atlanta restricts Airbnbs to residents and caps the number of units to 2 (Updated April 2022) More Airbnb News and Updates and preview of our next interview with a v...

John and Tim discuss alternatives to Airbnb VRBO Your own website helps guests book direct and avoid the middle man Booking.com? Is it worth using Facebook to generate bookings and guest loyalty Level up your airbnb hosting skills by subscribing to the Level Up Podcast. Join Our Facebook Community for more free tips, shared experiences, and templates https://www.facebook.com/groups/277693517788423...

How to screen your guests like an Airbnb superhost. Avoid crazy guests, partiers, and rule breakers! In this episode John from Vacation Home Help will teach you: How to screen your Airbnb guests Instant Book vs Request to Book Risk Factors to Consider What questions to ask guests before they book your Airbnb Links to the stories about the deadly Pittsburgh party and Florida Airbnb shooting: https:...

John discusses what you need to know about vacation rental licensing and what are vacation rental taxes Do I need to pay lodging taxes for my vacation rental? What licenses do I need for my airbnb? What is a vacation rental license? What happens when you do not pay lodging tax or operate illegally. Need help with your lodging taxes or licensing? Want to find out what your lodging tax rate is? Reac...

Is AirCover - top-to-bottom coverage for every host really all that it is cracked up to be? Hosts were asking for a more straightforward process that actually covered damages. Airbnb listened and responded with AirCover . AirCover by Airbnb Highlights $1mm damage protection $1mm host liability insurance Includes reimbursement for lost income (calendar blocked because last guest caused damage) Pet...

Beware! If you use Airbnb, things just got riskier with changes to their refund and cancellation policies. John gives an overview of Airbnb's new cancellation and refund policy change. What is Airbnb's new cancellation and refund policy? 72 hours vs 24 hours to report 'travel-related issues' Travel-related issues defined Hosts are now responsible for paying the difference if a guest must move acco...

What to do if your guest has a party in your vacation rental. John shares an experience he had with a guest who had a party and caused property damage. How to recover quickly before your next guest checks in What to do to be reimbursed for damage How to keep a cool head while you recovery before your next guest Concludes with an overview of the Airbnb Resolution Center and the reimbursement proces...

Today we have a discussion with Tim Casey, CEO of StoreyBook Vacation Homes and Real Estate Investor In Episode 6, John and Tim will discuss what to expect from a property manager. Learn what to expect and what to avoid including: What is vacation rental management? Marketing and Operations Making your guests feel safe Tim and John's outlook on the economy and the vacation rental market Understand...

Interview with Tim Casey, CEO of StoreyBook Vacation Homes and Real Estate Investor In Episode 5, we have our very first interview with Superhost Tim Casey who will explain how putting the guest experience first will help you in your vacation rental business. We will discuss: How and why Tim entered the short term rental business How putting the guest first will help you stand out Industry's focus...

Today we will discuss what to do if your Airbnb guest smokes in your vacation rental? Highlights: House rules for no smoking Charging the guest a smoking fee Cleaning out the smoking smell with airflow and Ozone machines Need to collect a smoking fee or notify Airbnb of rule violation? We will discuss this. This episode is brought to you by Vacation Home Help - the fastest growing community dedica...

Ep. 3 - Airbnb guest wants to bring their pet? What you need to know about hosting guests with pets (ESAs, Service Animals, Pets) We will answer: Am I required to host an Airbnb guest with a service animal? Am I required to host an Airbnb guest with a emotional support animal? Should I be a pet friendly host? Should I charge a pet fee or pet cleaning fee to my guests? Subscribe to our community wh...

Today on the Vacation Home Help Podcast we are going to talk about how to price your place on Airbnb, VRBO, and other platforms. Pricing your place is both an art and a science. How you price will make or break your investment. Price too high? You will scare away prospective guests. Too low, lots of occupancy but you will fall short of your potential and you will experience more wear and tear on y...