In a recent post, I spoke about renting an Airbnb in Paris. There may have been some factors that deterred you from renting out your own space. Maybe you have many personal belongings or valuables, you aren’t technology savvy, or you just lack the time or patience to manage visitors. I want to give you some tips today to help you along the way. So, here are my tips for having a positive experience renting out your flat for the first time: create an attractive profile, choose reasonable pricing, make key exchange quick and easy, COMMUNICATION, pay attention to detail, and clean out your space.
1. Create an attractive profile.
This may seem like an obvious point. But it’s pretty important, and if you spend time on this, it can prevent future headaches. Imagine you are going on a trip to a new country, maybe you don’t know the language, maybe you aren’t sure how to get around or even call a taxi…do they have Uber here??? Maybe you are unsure of where to find good food, or avoid getting ripped off, or maybe you’re traveling alone for the first time. Now, put yourself in the shoes of your visitors, they are going through the same experience. By creating an attractive and informative profile, we can put the traveler at ease. You can provide as much information as possible to make their trip go smoothly. Think of including the following details in your profile:
Location, Location, Location! You should include the name of the nearest metro or highway exit. The name of the town, and short description of what the town is like. (eg. This artsy 1 bedroom apartment is located in the city center, near restaurants, shops and cafes. It is known for it’s parks, bike paths, and lively pub scene. The nearest supermarket is within a 2 minute walk, and the metro (insert metro name) is within a 5 minute walk. This neighborhood can get pretty noisy at night, but the apartment’s location on the 4th floor and orientation towards the courtyard will ensure you get a good nights sleep.
Photos! Make sure you provide accurate and attractive photos of your flat. You can either take them on your own, use the photos of your flat provided by your landlord (with permission), or use a professional photographer provided by Airbnb. Think out of the box, don’t limit your pictures to the rooms in the apartment. Show a photo of the living room at sunset. Show a view from the balcony, or a nearby park. They should be able to imagine themselves in your apartment. Look through your photos, would you want to stay there?
2. Choose appropriate pricing. This can be tricky, especially if you are not in the hospitality businesses or are renting for the first time. I recommend checking out a map. Search nearby hotels through google maps, and check nearby Airbnb’s in the area. Look at how much locations similar to your flat are charging per night. It’s your first time, so maybe start low with a price that will allow you to cover your rent (if you are traveling long-term). For instance, if you pay 650/month, you may charge 20-25/night, and break even. If you want to make a profit and take that extra Gondala ride in Italy, then think, what is the highest price I can charge, without seeming overpriced. If your flat lacks decoration, style, or comfort, chances are they won’t want to pay too much. Ask a friend or family member for advice. What is the maximum they would pay to stay at your place? Once you start getting positive reviews, you can adjust the price.
3. Key exchange. Don’t forget to consider the fact that you many not be able to book your flat every single day. What are the chances that someone will be traveling at the same exact time as you, on the same exact dates??? If you expect to have gaps between reservations, you may need the help of a co-host, neighbor, or doorman. You can also store the key in a lock box or find a nearby hotel, store, gas station to hold it for you. If they are doing many exchanges, make sure to compensate them in some way, whether it’s monetary, or just buying them lunch when you return from your trip.
4. Communication, Communication, Communication! Communication is extremely important when renting out your place. Unless you’ve paid for an extra service, Airbnb lacks a hotel concierge, and the communication and key exchange is up to you, the host. Visitors need to know what to expect. It puts them at ease. Travel is already stressful enough, so their accommodation should be a place of rest and recuperation; it’s up to you as the host to provide it.
Make sure you send them a welcome message! Thank them for booking your place, and maybe even provide a “rule book” or provide a “travel guide” with recommendations of places to visit. Make sure the check-in and check-out times are clear. Take advantage of Airbnb’s settings. You can make your policies strict or flexible and this effects the visitors chances of being reimbursed in the event that their travel plans change. Even though this information is written clearly on your profile, make sure to restate important info in your welcome message to avoid any misunderstanding. Make sure your visitors can reach you through the site’s chat area during your stay. This means making sure you have data or access to wifi while you travel.
Before they depart, check in on them and make sure they had a nice stay. If you had no issues, let them know that you will be leaving them a positive review. They will then feel happier about their stay, and may feel compelled to leave you a nice review as well. This will help the overall score of your Airbnb, getting you closer to “Super host” status, which will make your flat more visible to renters. Using the automatic booking option also boosts your placement in the apartment search results.
5. Attention to detail. What will make your place memorable? If you can set your apartment rental apart from the rest, they will be more likely to return next time you decide to travel and need to rent out your space. They will also be more likely to leave a positive review, and recommend your place to their friends and family. Attention to detail can be anything from, friendly communication and exchanges before and after their trip, to complementary breakfast cereal, free coffee, chocolates on their pillow upon arrival and fresh flowers. It could also be very basic like, providing laundry detergent and access to your washing machine, so they can return home with clean clothes.
6. Finally, make sure your place is clean. This means during and between visits, but also ensuring that your place feels like home not just for you, but for your visitors. So take down that picture of your grandma from the living room, and let them use the nice towels! You may choose to give your Airbnb a cozy lived-in feel, or opt for a more simplistic, clean, hotel-like accommodation. If you are okay with leaving some personal belongings, then you can always request a “security deposit”, just in case anything is damaged or turns up missing. However, this may not be an interesting arrangement for travelers on a budget. If you an extra closet in your home, you can always secure your belonging inside, or use a safe. If you are renting in Paris, you may have access to a basement or storage area, just ask your landlord if you can use it. If none of these solutions work, pack up some of your prized belongings and keep them at a friend’s place.
If you follow all of these tips, everything should go fine. However, if Airbnb still isn’t for you, know that there are many other alternatives (that I may talk about later in another post).
I hope you found this useful! If you’ve decided to rent out your place, you can get started here. If you have any additional tips or anecdotes, feel free to leave a comment!
Bisous!
Expand The comfort zone 