Vacation Home Help

Short-Term vs. Long-Term Airbnb Rentals. Why Supplementing With Long-Term Airbnb Stays May Be Right for You. Long-term airbnb stays can be an attractive option Seniors, travel nurses, college students, working professionals need longer term places to stay (Tell story about family traveling to visit family sick in the hospital and how it was a good fit for them) The nightly rate will be a lot lower...

Airbnb Fees Explained. Airbnb Fee Breakdown...Just How Much Do Fees Impact Airbnb Prices? Guests often wonder why the price at checkout is so high compared to the search results Adding fees throughout checkout is known as ‘drip pricing’ we in the travel industry are the worst of all offenders (similar to airlines adding luggage fees!) We add clean fees, pool heat fees, linen fees, service fees, an...

In this short episode Tim and I will share our experiences with keeping inventory, keeping stock of what is at your rental. You want to keep guests impressions great so you need to make sure your place is well-stocked for a comfortable stay. Your turnaround team, inspector, or yourself should use a simple inventory checklist to make sure nothing is missing for the next guest. In the show notes we...

In this short episode we will discuss Airbnb’s new anti-party tech More sophisticated version of their under-25 system that has been in effect in North America since 2020 (guests under 25 with no positive reviews cannot book locally) This tech is US and canada - it identifies high-risk reservation and prevents those users from taking advantage of airbnb to throw wild parties The system looks at Hi...

Airbnb hosting, is it right for you? Find out if airbnb hosting is worth it for you. John and Tim present 7+ questions and answers to help you determine if airbnb is the right fit for you. In this episode, they discuss what makes a good host versus a not-so-great host. The ask and answer the following and more: Are your goals and expectations realistic? Are you ok with inviting strangers into your...

John and Tim discuss the recent Airbnb Cancellation Policy Update. Key Highlights: Effective August 22, 2022. Airbnb will impose fees subject to a minimum cancellation fee of $50 USD and a maximum cancellation fee of $1,000 USD. The fee is based on the reservation amount and when the reservation is canceled: If the reservation is canceled 48 hours or less before check-in, or after check-in, the fe...

John and Tim discuss what happens if a guest gets hurt at your airbnb. In this episode, they discuss what airbnb covers and what they do not and how to think about getting covered to stay fully protected. Topics covered: Airbnb Host Liability Insurance Airbnb insurance Leave Some Feedback: What should we talk about next? Please let us know in the comments below Did you enjoy this episode? If so, p...

John and Tim discuss how to pay airbnb tax and get an airbnb license for beginners. Save money by avoiding penalties. John discussing his experience with Central Florida vacation rentals, specifically Osceola County (the Disney area in Florida). However, the lessons here apply to all locations. Tune in to learn how to get your lodging taxes set up and airbnb license. Have a question for John? You...

John and Tim discuss the importance of having a great response score and why your response rates and response times matter on Airbnb. In this podcast, they discuss what makes up your response rate as well as actionable tips on how to communicate with your guests to optimize your airbnb. Response rates and times impact the airbnb search algorithm, so getting this right will boost your listing! Leav...

John and Tim discuss the pros and cons of the Instant Booking Option on Airbnb. Major cons include party guests and inability to screen. Major pros include higher ranking in search and higher chances of getting booked by the airbnb algorithm. This episode will arm you with the insight you need to make an informed decision for your airbnb listing. Want free resources, templates, and goodies? Subscr...

In episode #41 we talk about whether it is a good or bad idea to do same day turnovers (what are sometimes called back to back bookings) in your airbnb property. We discuss how nightmare situations can arise causing you to panic, and how to best prevent this. While same day turnover increases occupancy in some cases, risk-reward sometimes makes it not worth it! Find out why in this episode. Want f...

Airbnb hosts John and Tim discuss how to spin a negative Airbnb review into something positive. In this 10 minute episode: How to respond to negative feedback Waiting 14 days and not sending a request for review (do not review them during this period) -- absolute last resort How you can learn from negative reviews and show future guest you care Why long responses to airbnb reviews are better Do no...

John and Tim reflect on learnings. They discuss how to think about linens. Bed bug covers What type of quality you will need to satisfy your airbnb guests and still run a practical operation Too inexpensive leads to wear, too premium offers no return because most guests will not notice the difference Mid-grade linen is best (fitted bottom, top sheet, pillow cases) John and Tim discuss what covers...

In today's episode, Tim shares his story on how he grew his vacation rental business from 0 bookings to over $100k in bookings in under a year. Key highlights: Find out who your target guest is (Families, sports teams, etc.) Visualize how they will interact with your home and build, design, or decorate for your target guests Design with your pricing strategy in mind Assemble a great team to suppor...

Tim and John walk you through calculating simple ROI (Return on Investment) for a vacation rental or Airbnb investment. This is simple ROI, note there are other ways to calculate ROI for an airbnb property. Calculating simple Airbnb ROI (Return on Investment): Monthly expenses - tally up your monthly expenses (electric, water, pool, maintenance, streaming, cable, etc.) Divide annual fees by 12 to...

John and Tim share their outlook on the Airbnb economy in August 2022. Key episode highlights: High inflation coupled with children returning back to school equals a slowdown Don't panic - make sure your airbnb is really clean, well maintained, and has a key differentiating factor Every area of the country has an off-season, so its best to not panic and be prepared for next year! Dropping rates ma...

Tim shares an Airbnb Resolution Center Success Story with John. Guest smoked, denied it. Tim kept good records, costs were recovered. Here are the highlights: You can be successful on airbnb with damage claims Documentation is key! Document everything post-checkout with time-stamped photographs, video, even using smart tech to monitor noise or smoking in your home For smoking, affordable tech is a...

John and Tim discuss the Summer 2022 Update by Airbnb Here is the update literature from Airbnb Categories and what they mean to airbnb hosts and guests How the update impacts search and your ranking on airbnb (hint: cheaper listings seem to show up more often...) Split-stays - guests can now split their itinerary into two different airbnb properties AirCover - we have another episode that explain...

Today, Tim and John discuss airbnb laundry times and how a superhost will handle laundry. You can only do 12-15 pounds in a 4-5 hour turnaround with a residential washer and dryer Most airbnb cleaners stuff the washing machine and do not actually wash the linens properly Laundry does make your cleaning fee more expensive, most airbnb cleaners will tell you they can do your vacation rental cleaning...

In today's short and actionable episode, John and Tim discuss how airbnb superhosts handle trash and garbage post-stay including: Putting your garbage rules in your airbnb house rules Understanding what your HOA or community does with trash so you can help them keep the community and your short term rental area clean Being detailed and specific in your house rules (please bag all trash, they will...

Tim and John share their vacation rental maintenance tips in under 6 minutes including: Air Conditioning and why changing your filters regularly is a must Clean the drains, buildup leads to backup stopping your AC and creating a guest problem Clear your drains (shower, sink, tub, you name it!) so they flow freely and do not become a renter complaint Batteries, including your remotes and smoke dete...

Have a pool at your airbnb? How to manage a pool like a superhost. In this episode, John and Tim discuss: How to manage your pool How long to have your pool circulating How often should your pool service come to do pool cleaning More guests equals more frequency of service because of loss of water quality and chemical imbalances Why replacing your pool filter is important Seasonally adjust your pu...

Do you have too many house rules for your Airbnb guests? Don't end up on TikTok Recently a guest complained about too many house rules at his airbnb stay and vented to TikTok. The video went viral. See the video here. Can you have too many rules? In this episode John and Tim discuss: Why too many house rules can upset guests How to give a check-out procedure that is mindful of guest needs Finding...

John and Tim discuss their top tips on preventing bed bugs from biting your guests and ruining your vacation rental business. In this episode: How to protect your short term rental from bedbugs Purchasing the right protection for your mattresses What is remediation and how much would a bed bug infestation cost me? Real bed bug host horror story Why prevention is better and necessary Want to know m...

Service animals are different from Emotional Support Animals. Both are different from pets. Find out what you need to know about hosting our furry, four-legged friends! Here are the highlights: Legally, depending on where you are located, you cannot prohibit or deny a guest with a service animal If not legally, you will be violating the terms and conditions of the OTA you signed up with (Airbnb, V...