Short-term Rental / AirBNB - How are you doing?

Short-Term & Vacation Rental Discussions

Short-term Rental / AirBNB - How are you doing?

Rental Property Investor · Hollis, NH · Member since 2017 · 108 posts · 67 votes

How are the short-term rental / AirBNB investors faring? At what point in the future are you seeing your bookings start to pick back up? Are locals picking up any of the near-term unmet demand? How are pure vacation rentals doing vs rentals in urban areas? Admittedly do not have any short-term rentals, but am curious to hear how people are navigating the current climate.

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Avery CarlBusiness Member

Real Estate Agent · USA · Member since 2016 · 909 posts · 1k+ votes

@Kyle Joseph I own 6 pure vacation rentals, in 2 different vacation rental markets, one beach and one mountain. We had just enough “social distancing” guests who wanted to social distance in our places that we covered our expenses. Had this lasted a few more months we would probably have had to dip into our cash reserves. Both markets are phasing into opening up starting this week, and bookings have been steadily rolling in. Not up to non-pandemic numbers yet, but it’s swinging back towards normal.

Podcast Guest on Show How to Get More Airbnb Bookings This Spring and Summer Break

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Collin HaysBusiness Member
Property Manager · Gatlinburg, TN · Member since 2020 · 3k+ posts · 4k+ votes
6y
Originally posted by @John Underwood:
Originally posted by @Collin Hays:
Originally posted by @John Underwood:
Originally posted by @Collin Hays:
Originally posted by @John Underwood:
Originally posted by @Collin Hays:
Originally posted by @John Underwood:
I turned off instant bookings for now to make sure no one is coming in from a hot spot.

I love this! STR with a little epidemiology sprinkled in. But how are you defining a hot spot?

“Oh crap you live in Detroit? Sorry, you can’t come right now.“

My state just eliminated the 14 day quarantine when coming into the state. So I guess I will loosen up on what the white house defined as hot spot areas. Not sure I would accept someone from NY just yet.

I haven't dropped in the search results so no rush to turn back on instant booking for a while.
We want to try and have a couple days between guests as much as possible. Erring on safety over a buck.

I am just curious, what science are you using to have two days between guests?   Is that something your state is ordering?  I don't think Walmart or restaurants are allowing more than two seconds between customers.

Common sense based on how long the virus lives on various surfaces.

Interesting. I own a group of franchise hair salons and we are moving through hundreds of customers per day. I don't mean to insult you and respect your decision, but you do know that that CDC has yet to trace a single transmission of COVID-19 to touching a contaminated surface, I assume? While it is technically possible for transmission this way - maybe if you are licking saliva off of a kitchen counter top, but that's really about it. It's transmitted through inhalation of saliva droplets.

I appreciate the feedback maybe I will reconsider this position. Thanks.
Why do you think Airbnb and maybe Vrbo also are making such a big deal about higher cleaning standards? Just feel good CYA?

Both.  There's no science behind that whatsoever.

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Collin HaysBusiness Member
Property Manager · Gatlinburg, TN · Member since 2020 · 3k+ posts · 4k+ votes
6y
Originally posted by @Michael Baum:
Just an FYI on how long the coronavirus lives on surfaces. It can "live" up to 72 hours on some surfaces, but that is a bit misleading.

It is considered present no matter how much of the virus is left. As little as .1% is detectable and that is below the threshold for infection. At those levels, many of the proteins have dissipated. Here is a chart that shows a comparison of SARS1 vs SARS2 (our current pandemic). It is a bit tough to follow for the layman, but it can give you an idea.
https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.10...

Some info I have read show the highest concentration of viruses aerosolized found are 8-12 per cubic meter. That is coming from China so it could be altered. No one knows for sure how many active viruses it takes to get infected. Some former colleagues of mine suspect about 20. Relatively low. Here is a good article that talks about viral load and infections:
https://www.sciencealert.com/d...

It will be hard to find this info as much of it is not being released to the general public as it is supposition. This virus is new. It is similar to the SARS virus from 2003 but there are some key differences but it is the closest model we have.

Michael you are correct. Whether it can "live" on a surface for a certain period of time is quite another animal than whether you can reasonably contract it from the surface. I remember the old debate of whether or not you could technically contracted HIV from a nefariously-contaminated pizza. The answer is technically yes, practically no.
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Paul Sandhu
Investor · The worst town to live in, KS · Member since 2016 · 4k+ posts · 4k+ votes
6y
Got a house rented out today. 6 guys from Texas working at the refinery. They got here last night and stayed in a motel. Their $800/week will offset all the bills I have at vacant properties.
What this means is good news. It means that people are getting back to work. The work they are doing is considered non-essential, sandblasting and painting storage vessels.
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Garrett Laufer
Rental Property Investor · Papillion, NE · Member since 2020 · 9 posts · 2 votes
6y
@Sherry Byrne Sherry I have a vacation rental in the Ozarks as well. My April bookings fell off but my summer bookings so far are holding up. I read your post regarding the new airbnb cleaning standards. I'm concerned as I must've missed the post from airbnb on the cleaning. We've stepped up our cleaning standards but I'd like to review what Airbnb has setup for requirements. How are they enforcing these new rules? I'll try to find that info. Also, is Airbnb the only platform you book through? I have 2 other platforms including homeaway which seems to have helped since they are not all handling covid the same. Just a thought. Good luck working your way through this.
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John MorganPro Member
Rental Property Investor · Grand Prairie, TX · Member since 2018 · 2k+ posts · 2k+ votes
6y
I’m getting crushed with my two bedroom cabin in Branson, MO. Everyone backed out and no reservations.
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Anita Hodzic
Member since 2019 · 7 posts · 0 votes
6y
We're doing okay. Not renting our current small studio(by choice) because we live upstairs. But our other property in ID is doing very well!
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Kurt S.
Willow Grove, PA · Member since 2014 · 10 posts · 7 votes
6y
We have a STR in Brigantine NJ and it's been an ugly spring and the summer looks bleak as well. We lost all our guests in March, Apt, and May and have had no requests to book at all the rest of the sum. We're normally booked solid in the summer. And I agree Airbnb's new policy will be a killer....not the cleaning but the gap between stays. We normally rent Sat to Sat...allowing a break between guests would mean we'd have to lose every other week. BUT the local realtors can still book back to back...and kill us with their commissions. This of course is all dependent on the state allowing rentals...if we stay shut til June, the years pretty much a loss.
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Anand S.
Plantation, FL · Member since 2009 · 329 posts · 119 votes
6y
For all you Florida folks, take a moment and sign this petition and tell the Governor to reopen vacation rentals.

https://www.change.org/p/ron-desantis-stop-the-unfair-treatment-of-vacation-rentals-not-fair-to-ban-only-one-industry-sector-especially-one-that-produces-31-plus-billion-for-the-state

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John Teachout
Rental Property Investor · Concord, GA · Member since 2015 · 3k+ posts · 3k+ votes
6y
Our 2020 airbnb has been way down. We have 3 spaces in our home and they have mostly been empty. We do have a travel nurse who stays about 5 days at a time every other week and we have another travel nurse coming this afternoon and he'll be here 3 weeks. We're not a vacation spot so most people that stay with us for a night or two are in the area for an event of some type such as a graduation, wedding, conference, etc. None of those are taking place. It's not a financial disaster for our spaces to be empty but that was a budgeted part of our monthly income. Last calendar year we did really well. Our primary income is from long term rentals and so far we've been getting most of our rents but it's been a bit rickety as well. Here in Georgia, things are picking up steam. Shopping malls were allowed to open yesterday.
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Kerry BairdPro Member
Rental Property Investor · Melbourne, FL · Member since 2011 · 3k+ posts · 2k+ votes
6y
I continue to get requests from odd places: locals who want a quiet place to homeschool their kids, while the partner works from home. Someone whose new build house is not complete and they need transitional housing. Someone who got "stuck" in the county while they were buying a business here, and cannot go back yet. In dribs and drabs they come.
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Jerry W.Pro Member
Moderator
Investor · Thermopolis, WY · Member since 2012 · 4k+ posts · 4k+ votes
6y
I lost all of my March, April and May bookings and half or more of every other ones. I should be close to $4K a month now and made $155 instead. I hope the country heals and this passes, but it won't be gone tomorrow or even this fall. I will ride it out for a year and see. I feel sorry for those with small businesses like salons, restaurants, even bars. Time will tell.
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Paul Sandhu
Investor · The worst town to live in, KS · Member since 2016 · 4k+ posts · 4k+ votes
6y
More non-essential workers are coming back to my STRs that do contract work at a refinery. 2 months ago I had 73 contractors. 2 weeks ago I had 2, one was unemployed and the other was told to go home for 2 weeks. About 15 more guys are coming in in the next few days. I talked with the contractors and about the work they are doing and what work is coming up in the future at the refinery.
I see a light at the end of the tunnel, and it's not a train coming at me. But it's going to be a 6-12 month tunnel.
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Account Closed
Real Estate Investor · Burnet, TX · Member since 2017 · 29 posts · 17 votes
6y
Update: I'm feeling optimistic now. May bookings are the best ever and June/July are starting to fill up. Texas is opening up and people want to go somewhere without flying. I'm thinking we may have a good summer after all.
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Anand S.
Plantation, FL · Member since 2009 · 329 posts · 119 votes
6y
There's a huge pent up demand that's going to explode once vacation rentals open up. For our market here in FL, I'm getting several inquiries a day that I have to turn down due to the Governor's order. I hope he makes an announcement this weekend to open up.
On the flip side, once that initial wave of renters runs its course, I expect a second flare up of infections, leading to a reinstatement of stay-at-home orders. And then the cycle continues till we get a vaccine.
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Denise H.
Member since 2018 · 40 posts · 21 votes
6y
We are still have a moratorium on str at our Lake Arrowhead, CA cabin through at least the end of the month. My summer bookings are at about 50% but I'm not counting on it as our Governor has put some unattainable metrics as a requirement for opening back up. I am keeping my fingers crossed though.
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Anand S.
Plantation, FL · Member since 2009 · 329 posts · 119 votes
6y
DeSantis just announced that vacation rentals will remain closed in Florida but encouraged individual counties to submit plans for how they want to operate.
They're planning on opening bars and gyms but still not sure about short term rentals? The leverage from the hotel lobbyists must be tremendous. The corruption is seething with this one.
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Denise H.
Member since 2018 · 40 posts · 21 votes
6y
The thing that makes me the craziest in all of this is how there is little rhyme or reason to so many of the decisions being made here in California. You can go to the beach but not park near the beach, sunlight and heat is supposed to kill the virus but you can't sit on the beach alone you must keep moving, you can shop at Target but not HomeGoods, you can stay at a hotel but not a small cabin suitable for only 1 family, liquor stores can remain open but our local candy store can not. I would have so much more respect for the leadership if their decisions were based in science and not fear and politics.
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Denise H.
Member since 2018 · 40 posts · 21 votes
6y
So I just received word that San Bernardino County is opening STR for immediate household only as of today. Good news!
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