1st Airbnb in Tampa Bay area

[Matt Smith]

I just listed my old primary residence on airbnb. Instead of moving all my furnishings to my new place, I figured I would leave them all in place and rent on airbnb. My ultimate goal is to have airbnb across the country. So I figured why not start now. It's a 2/1 SFH in a quiet neighborhood in Largo FL. I'm 10 mins from the beaches, and 15-20 to all other attractions. I'm currently booked from June until mid July. I dont have any booking from July-December. Any advice on what I could do to increase my occupancy rate? I have it listed at $100/n. I would like to be in the $1800-$3000/m range. Also, does airbnb have a slow season? Thanks for all the help

[Sarah Kensinger]

I'm repeating hearing that bookings are "last minute" this year. No more then 6-8 weeks out, so good chance you'll have more late summer bookings. But make sure you have chosen you niche, and the property is tailored to that group of people you're marketing too. I would be cautious to lower the nightly rate because bookings aren't coming it. That can be a quick way to price yourself right out of business! You want to be competitive to other properties that have similar amenities as you and not the lowest guy on the block. Instead see what you can do to give your property an edge...extra interior design or an amenity that other STR in your area don't offer. Also reevaluate your cancellation policy or if you have a minimum nightly stay, making a few tweaks to those can help as well.