Airbnb has become one of the easiest ways for people to earn without having to work for hours on end every day. According to Travel and Leisure, Airbnb hosts make an average of $924 a month.
With around a thousand dollars more in your pockets in exchange for making your home or apartment presentable to renters on vacation, it’s no wonder Airbnb grew fast. Today, 2.9 million hosts across the globe.
If you live in an area that gets many tourists and you have a place that could keep them comfortable while on vacation, then Airbnb might be a good source of passive income for you.
But before you start, take the following tips to heart so you can become a great host:
Take hospitality seriously
If you’re on a vacation, you’d want everything to go smoothly within your accommodations. As the host, that’s what you should strive for.
Make sure your listing is the paragon of hospitality by:
- Keeping your place clean and tidy
- Stocking up on things your guests will need, such as linens and towels
- Providing modern conveniences like high-speed internet and multiple charger adaptors
- Giving them a welcome guide so they can enjoy your space better
- Leaving your guests plenty of suggestions and information on what they can do in the area
With these simple considerations, you can provide guests with a comfortable stay.
Address any potential hazards
With different people using your space, wear and tear are inevitable. Pipes may leak, cooking equipment will become old, and you might find a loose floorboard in the living room one day.
If guests notice these things, they’re going to let you know with their review. So it’s crucial for a good Airbnb host to address any potential hazards before they become bigger and costlier issues.
Apart from the general maintenance of your space, you should also think about mitigating other risks such as carbon monoxide and radon poisoning by installing a radon mitigation fan and carbon monoxide detector.
These will allow your guests to breathe easy in the knowledge that they’re safe in your place during their stay.
Be responsive
Communication is paramount to being a good Airbnb host. For one, Airbnb is run through an online platform where timely replies to guests mean better chances of landing a booking. What’s more, great communication translates to better listings if you can properly convey what your place offers.
Ideally, you should reply to queries shortly after potential guests contact you on the platform. If you have a day job that keeps you from being able to monitor your listings constantly, you can entrust them to someone—a friend or a family member—who also knows your place.
If guests also have questions during their stay, being able to answer them right away will go a long way in showing potential guests that you’re a reliable host.
Go a little beyond what you promised
Sure, guests feel nice when you provide what you promised in your listing. But they would definitely feel better if you go beyond.
If you only had coffee and water for free, but your guests prefer tea, it would be nice if you can provide that for them. Maybe it’s not stated in your listings, but you can welcome them with local delicacies. It’s little things like these that make guests’ stay even better.
Invest in quality furniture and decor
A practical tip, but an important one. Furniture and decor are vital parts of any rented accommodation and they’re some of the biggest investments you can make in your entire place. But given that different guests stay in your place, it’s not necessary to change things up all the time.
As such, you can keep the same pieces of furniture and decor for years. But you can only do this if the pieces you have are of a certain quality.
Choose a great mattress, firm pillows, and a stylish but comfortable couch. Buy a durable bed frame and solid shelves. These will last you for long, preventing you from having to replace them again and again.
Be honest in your listings
Honesty is the best policy, especially in the hospitality industry. As an Airbnb host, this means not only highlighting the best parts of your place but also letting guests know of its little eccentricities. This helps them manage their expectation better.
For example, if your place has many stairs or if the balcony overlooks a side alley instead of a charming garden, let your guests know so they know what they’re getting into.
Do these things right the first time and success will follow. When your great ratings start pouring in, it will only be a matter of time before you become a Superhost.
