Data sharing for AirBNB

[Alex M.]

I am creating this thread for those interested in sharing performance data for their properties on AirBNB.  Ideally, we can network with others who are looking to collaborate across markets.

Some ideas for collaborative info sharing:

1) performance data

2) good brokers/ local cleaners/ handymen etc.

3) neighborhood insights

4) anything pertaining to opening an AirBNB in another city

I can share actual performance data for New York City and Miami (South beach and north miami beach).  I've been networking with others and should have a couple more cities to share as well.

Cities I'm personally interested in:

-Boston, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Savannah, Charleston, Atlanta, Indianapolis, Louisville, Cleveland

[Jean H.]

@Noah M. Miami Beach has the strictest regulations and has even dedicated personnel to cracking down on Airbnb hosts.  In October, Miami-Dade County passed an ordinance that hosts in unincorporated Dade County must sign up for a certificate of use, register for a business tax receipt, screen for sexual offenders and enforce a number of “vacation rental standards” on their guests.  However, those regulations don't pertain to the parts of Miami-Dade that have incorporated into cities like Coral Gables (where I have my vacation rentals).  In these cities and villages, Miami-Dade defers to the those city's government to decide on regulations for the areas they cover. If Brickell and Wynwood are the same, then it's probable that they have areas where short term rentals are legal and areas where it's not. 

However, in the case of Brickell, which is mostly high rise apartment buildings, condos, etc., it's best to look at their condo association rules to see if short term rentals are allowed in that building. Some condo buildings, such as Icon Brickell, have embraced STR but have restricted STR to Tower 3, leaving Tower 1 and 2 for owner-occupied residences or long term rentals. They may even help with the whole check-in process, making management very easy.

I'm not sure about Wynwood, but I know that there are still a lot of SFRs and duplexes, so you're probably ok there regulation-wise.  You just have to be really careful where you buy since it went from a Class D neighborhood with dilapidated houses and lots of graffiti where I would not be comfortable having Airbnb guests walking at night, to an ever-expanding high-fashion retail Design District all within about 5 years.  As the Design District/Wynwood expands, houses within that zone are getting torn down and renovated, but go two blocks, and we're back to the war zone. Good for a flipping or long-term-hold strategy; not so great for Airbnb unless you buy close enough to the action that guests don't have to walk through any bad neighborhoods to get to where they want to go.

Hope that helps.