As people are becoming more interested in traveling and affordable options become more available to travelers, many more people are becoming interested in becoming Airbnb hosts.
Because Airbnb provides affordable lodging options and a variety of options to choose from for travelers, it is a very viable source of income for those who want to be Airbnb hosts. Doing so offers a lot of potential for an additional source of income despite the competition.
However, if you want to succeed as an Airbnb host, you would want to avoid these seven common mistakes:
1. Inaccurate information details
A lot of first time Airbnb hosts make the mistake of putting in an inaccurate description of their property just so a lot of people will be more interested in their rental. This is a bad idea and it will feel like a scam, which will lead to a lot of negative reviews.
Besides, when your guests decide to book your place and they end up not getting the room that they expect they will know that you lied. This will end up with you losing a lot of potential guests all because you lied about your property.
That said, you should be honest about what your property is or you should spruce it up so that you don’t have to lie about it.
2. Use of low-quality photos
Another common mistake that a lot of Airbnb hosts make is that they use poor quality photos of their rental unit.
Here’s the thing: No matter how attractive your property might seem, if you don’t have high-quality photos then you might not get much interest out of it.
On the other hand, if you have a plain-looking property, you can circumvent that just by uploading high-quality photos highlighting the beautiful parts of your property.
Someone who is looking for an Airbnb is going to look at the photos first and foremost. Therefore investing in high-quality photos for your property is crucial.
3. No pricing strategy
Being willy-nilly with how you price your nightly rental rate is not ideal because you might not be getting as much attention as you should have.
If your nightly rental rate is too high for the type of property that you have, then it can be difficult for you to drive traffic and generate interest in your Airbnb listing. Keep in mind that travelers opt for this kind of accommodation because it is affordable and cost-effective.
On the other hand, if your nightly rental rate is too low then you are losing out on potential profits. You have to find a balance between the two so that you can both earn a profit while also generating enough interest to sustain it.
4. Not paying attention to guest reviews
Although nobody likes getting negative reviews, it doesn’t mean that you should just outright ignore these comments left by your previous guests.
It is even worse if you reply to these negative reviews with an outburst. That’s because it appears unseemly and it will seem like you aren’t addressing the issues that the guest brought up.
As much as possible try to answer or reply to the negative reviews from your guests. You shouldn’t just reply to negative reviews, you should also reply to positive ones left by previous guests.
It might even help you get recurring guests who will want to book your rental unit when they are in the area.
5. Failure to screen guests
Although business is important, you want to make sure that you are welcoming guests who are reliable and responsible.
Before you accept any booking or any guests, you should try and ask them questions to see whether they seem like reliable people. After all, you don’t want to come back to your Airbnb listing being damaged by unscrupulous guests.
6. Neglecting rental cleanliness
Neglecting the cleanliness of your rental will bring about a lot of negative reviews and it will deter a lot of people from booking your Airbnb unit.
That’s why Maid Sailors Maid Service NYC advises to hire a professional cleaning service provider. that you can call after every guest check-out. This is to ensure that your unit is clean and tidy before the new guests arrive.
7. Not making an extra effort
Doing the bare minimum for your Airbnb unit might be fine if you’re just starting out. But if you want to elevate your status on the platform then you should exert extra effort.
Whether it’s by supplying travel essentials for your guests or giving them a welcome goodie bag, this extra effort will be appreciated by your guests.
Although it is normal to make mistakes when you’re just starting out, it’s still helpful to know what to look out for. Avoiding these common mistakes that first time Airbnb hosts make will fast track the success of your property rental business. Good luck!
