Airbnb has given homeowners the opportunity to make a business out of their home or spare bedroom. Renting out that empty space can add a new income stream and offer homeowners flexibility. You can now choose to travel for 3 months of the year and rent out your home on the short-term rental market which would otherwise be empty during this time.
In Sydney alone it is estimated that there are over 36,600 Airbnb homes available to rent.
So why have millions of people globally stopped following the advice of “never let a stranger into your home”? Simply put, the idea of inviting guests to your home, combined with an excellent trust based review system and the ability to accept or decline a guest has created a multi billion dollar business, that is Airbnb.
So if you are thinking about putting your home on Airbnb, MadeComfy’s Host Checklist will help you tick off all of the Airbnb essentials you need to get started.
If this is your first time renting out your property, there are a number of amenities you should always include which we refer to as “Airbnb essentials”. Similar to staying at hotels, these are the items that you could not go a night without. If you plan to rent out your Airbnb for a longer period of time, try to buy these items in bulk to reduce the cost.
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Offering internet access is a given in this day and age and you should consider it a necessity prior to listing your home on Airbnb. Although not compulsory having a smart-tv with Netflix installed can make a huge difference to a guest’s stay.
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We recommend you have several sets of keys cut and supply a minimum of two for bookings that have 2 or more guests staying. This will allow guests to venture out on their own without the worry of organising who should have the single set of keys.
An even better solution is a lockbox which you can securely fix near the front door. It will allow guests to check-in no matter what time they may arrive, be it after a long-haul flight or if you are not able to meet them on check-in.
Lastly, make sure to label each key so the guest knows which key opens what door. Your guests don’t want to be spending extra time, looking for the right key to get into the property.
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A guide book, or guest manual, is one of the easiest ways to impress your guests and provide them with a list of local recommendations. Chances are that many guests will not be from your city and will have no idea where to eat or what to see. Airbnb now allows you to upload a guide book on your Airbnb profile, but we still highly recommend printing out a copy for your guests to look through once they arrive.
Although the Airbnb guidebook deserves a post of its own, including the following will cover most bases:
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There is a chance that you will have a number of valuables in your home that you will want to keep safe. The best way is to designate an area in your home, such as an office or cupboard which can be locked. If you have any high value possessions consider investing in a safe for piece of mind.
On top of locking away valuables it can be a great idea to create an inventory checklist of items in your home. Doing this prior to your first guest stay will be a great way of keeping track of your household items but give you a good indication of what items may be missing from an area of a house.
As an Airbnb host you want to minimise as much stress as possible and keep guest complaints to a minimum. Believe it or not, one of the most common pieces of negative feedback is in relation to the cleanliness of a property. This can be easily avoided by simply cleaning your house from top to bottom:
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Although some guests will eat out during their stay there are many that will prefer to cook whilst they are away from home. Having essential cooking equipment in your kitchen is a must and including condiments such as oil and salt and pepper saves a guest from purchasing them for a short stay.
If you plan on leaving out some basic condiments make sure they are left out in the open so they can be found easily.
Although some guests will eat out during their stay there are many that will prefer to cook whilst they are away from home. Having essential cooking equipment in your kitchen is a must and including condiments such as oil and salt and pepper saves a guest from purchasing them for a short stay.
If you plan on leaving out some basic condiments make sure they are left out in the open so they can be found easily.
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48 hours before your guest is scheduled to check-in there is a small list of things that you have to make sure to.
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Once a guest checks out, there are still some things you should do before the next guest arrives.
Firstly, check your home for any missing items or damage that the guest may have not reported. Although this is unlikely it is best to plan for the worse case scenario. Having a payable bond which Airbnb holds during a guests stay is great for your piece of mind.
Lastly leave a review for your guests and encourage them to leave a review for your property. The Airbnb community is only as good as the trust it has built based on its peer to peer review system.
Following the above Airbnb hosting tips will ensure that your home is not only guest ready but improve the overall experience of a guest’s stay.
Not convinced that you have the time to deal with a short-term rental property? Hiring an Airbnb management company like MadeComfy can make the difference between your property getting lost among many or becoming a 5-star listing.
Give us a call at 1800 526 133.
