These five mistakes to avoid will help you start off on the right foot with a new Airbnb property. This article will hopefully provide you with new information and the ability to learn from the mistakes of others.
1. Make a Plan for Your Property
If you haven’t already done this – it should be your top priority. Don’t just go into things with a rough idea of the steps you’ll take – actually write them down! What can seem like a daunting task initially will turn into the blueprint for how your Airbnb operates. You can either write them in a note book or on your computer. Whichever you feel more comfortable with, it will help reduce the amount of mistakes. Write down in simple words exactly what steps you’ll be taking – you won’t regret it.
2. Get a Dumpster
A common mistake that I find is hosts that try to haul trash bag by bag, or just plain not getting a dumpster. Seriously, your first step with the new property (if it is a house) should be to officially move all trash off the premises. The fastest way to do this is to just rent a dumpster (usually between $300-$500. Pay someone to throw it all away for you, and you won’t have to worry about spending days or even weeks waiting for the property to be ready for your walkthrough.
3. Have a Master List of Repairs Written Out
Once you have your property cleaned of any trash or debris, you should take the opportunity to make a list of repairs and fixes for the house, try to do it all at once and if you need you can write in extra things as you come across them. Failure to do so will likely result in things seeming to spring out of nowhere, or different issues going unnoticed or simply forgotten. Make time for the list and it will help you prioritize and delegate repairs accordingly.
4. Make Sure All the Appliances & Furniture are in Place
This includes coffeepots, tables, chairs, the refrigerator and washer / dryer combo. The beds, fresh linens, a plunger, and even a laminated card or plaque to help guests with many of the easier fixes, i.e. WiFi password and where to locate the breaker box in the event of a power outage.
5. Make Sure you Get a Feel for the Unique-ness of your Airbnb Property
You should always be looking for ways to let your Airbnb stand out or provide that extra something. In one particular case last year I was prepping a house in Des Moines, Iowa for rental and was able to capitalize on the increased traffic from the Iowa state fair that was happening nearby. If I had not done my research into what made the property special, I would have missed an opportunity to cash in on extra income.
While I believe these tips are helpful to new vacation rental hosts, you should always be striving to learn different ways in which you can make hosting less stressful and more productive.
