Ever been curious about how to be an Airbnb host? How much extra income could you earn, if you transitioned a property from a long-term to short-term rental?
We tracked down several Airbnb experts to explain how to become a host for Airbnb with minimal fuss and maximum profits. They were quick to point out that managing a short-term rental business is not for everyone — or for every property — but it can be extremely profitable.
From broad-level strategy and narrowing into more tactical tips, here are 14 tips for how to be an Airbnb host, as you try out Airbnb rentals as a landlord!
In This Article:
How to Be an Airbnb Host
Real estate investing and property management aren’t “rocket surgery,” as my ex-girlfriend used to say. But as you research how to become a host for Airbnb, you quickly realize that throwing up a listing with a few photos snapped with your smartphone won’t land you huge returns.
Follow these host tips from the experts, and prepare to put in some good ol’ fashioned hard work along the way.
1. Run the Numbers
“Before you become an Airbnb host, calculate whether the additional effort is worth the money, compared to what you could earn if you rented out the same space on a long-term lease.”
Paula Pant, the sharp mind behind Afford Anything, uses Airbnb and short-term hosting for some of her rental properties. But not all.
Here’s how she breaks down the math:
“Let’s say that you could rent an apartment on a 12-month lease agreement for $1,200/month. By comparison, you could Airbnb the same space for $100/night.
“On the surface, that $100 per night sounds like a no-brainer. At full occupancy, that’s $3000 per month. Why wouldn’t you take that?
“But if Airbnb only gets you 18 days per month of occupancy, then your gross income would only be $1,800/month.”
Vacancy rate is far from your only expense though. You’ll need to pay for gas, electric, water, internet, consumables like toilet paper and soap. And don’t forget extra occupancy taxes tacked onto short-term rentals!
“Once you subtract these from that $1,800/month gross, you’ll find — in this example — that the long-term 12-month lease actually nets you more money.
“That’s not to say that all long-term rentals are better, nor is it to say that all short-term rentals are better. It simply means that you should not make assumptions based off gross income alone. Compare the two options to see which one is more lucrative.”
2. Price Against Hotels, Not Other Rentals
Al Williamson, arguably the top expert on Airbnb rentals in the country, urges a counterintuitive approach to pricing.
“Your Airbnb pricing should have nothing to do with what you could charge for a long-term rental. In fact, don’t even price your nightly rates based on other nearby Airbnbs!
“Your competition is made up of nearby hotels. Look at comparable hotels’ nightly rates, and then try to beat them by 15-25%.”
When I asked Al about units with multiple bedrooms, he said the same principle applies. “A family of six could either book three rooms at the nearby hotel chain… or they could book your three-bedroom unit. In that example, consider pricing your three-bedroom at the cost of booking two hotel rooms, to make your unit an easy decision.”
Want a complete online lesson from Al about how to succeed as a short-term rental business? Here’s a free webinar we hosted with him, breaking down how he’s doubled his rental revenues.
3. Know Your Local Laws
The hotel industry is no pushover. With billions of dollars on the line, hotels aren’t just laying down and surrendering the loss in market share.
And their cries — and lobbying dollars and campaign contributions — tend to fall on sympathetic ears in local legislatures. After all, many municipalities charge special hotel taxes.
That means that many local governments have outlawed or severely restricted Airbnb and other short-term vacation rental services. For example, San Francisco only allows people to list Airbnb units if they live in the property themselves at least 275 days per year.
Research the best cities for vacation rentals, including both returns and legal regulations. Always understand your local laws, and make sure you can comply before listing on Airbnb!
4. Approach Short-Term Rentals as a Complete Hospitality Business
4. Approach Short-Term Rentals as a Complete Hospitality BusinessBeing a landlord is largely hands-off, with occasional spurts of effort. That’s what attracts most landlords in the first place — the promise of passive income!
Short-term rentals can produce strong income, but they’re far less passive. And they require a more holistic approach to operate profitably.
“So many people who try out Airbnb just throw up the listing and then sit back and wait,” laments Al Williamson. “They don’t do marketing outside of Airbnb or VRBO. Then when it’s off-season these hosts don’t make any money, which ruins their annual returns.
“What they should be doing is launching multi-pronged marketing campaigns. Registering with travel websites like Booking.com, posting on Craigslist, leveraging their own website and audience, even using hyper-targeted Facebook ads to reach extended-stay business travelers.
“Short-term landlords who approach it as a business can virtually eliminate vacancies, while those who just think of themselves as Airbnb hosts will wonder why their vacancy rate is so high.”
Al mentioned earlier that you should price against the competition of hotels. That also means you should aim to operate with the smooth efficiency that hotels do, too.
5. Furnish Affordably (But Tastefully!)
When most people approach the task of furnishing their rental, their first thought is “I guess I should go to the furniture store.”
Wrong. False. Incorrect.
Your potential guests don’t expect their bums to be the first to sit on your sofa. Not a single piece of furniture in your unit needs to be new.
Buy used furniture, and simply make sure it’s in good condition.
Options include Craigslist, Freecycle, garage sales, Goodwill, the Facebook Marketplace and used furniture stores. Or maybe your family or friends have some extra furniture laying around in their storage units, that they’re willing to lend or give to you. You can furnish your unit for a few hundred dollars, if you go about it with discerning taste.
Just make sure the décor matches within each room. You don’t need to be Betty Draper when learning how to be an Airbnb host, just pick a color scheme and go with it. Black and white is an easy one. Blue and wood tones is another easy scheme.
When in doubt, take a tasteful friend with you to do your shopping.
Oh, and one other tip: avoid political, sexual, or juvenile wall decorations. If that sounds obvious, I’ve stayed at numerous Airbnb units that broke those rules. The weirdest was decorated with rabbits with leather S&M outfits on. Seriously.
