All Forum Posts by: Andrew C.

Thanks @Caroline C.  I will check out that podcast.

@Ethan Cooke Thanks for your advice and I will pm you for the re-stocking info.

@Myka Artis Thank you and your Podcast has been very informative and entertaining. I heard about Turnoverbnb there but unfortunately there aren't really any cleaners in the area. Homee is not available in that location yet but will be at some point in the future. As for the VA's, how do they answer more specific questions and inquiries being that they might not have been to the property or even the area.

@Luke Carl Much appreciated

@Account Closed you’re right, it was unnecessary to share that information. I originally intended to only seek advice but angered by some continuing fallout, I went that route and for that I’m sorry. However I think it could have been avoided if there was communication with some explanation and clear plan forward at the time. To be clear, I enjoyed working with you in the beginning and found you to be very knowledgeable and good at what you do. Perhaps you took on too much as you were building your business.  

@Jon Crosby Thanks for the suggestions.  I have guests coming tomorrow and each weekend for the next few weeks so I don't want to turn off my listing and cancel the bookings.   However, if my brother-in-law wasn't around I would have no choice.  He has actually be a life saver and I think it's in decent shape.  I probably should get a handyman to fix up some minor things.  And I'm not sure if he wants to continue cleaning...

It's not really a STR market...up in Buffalo, NY which is why I never considered it, but the PM said there was strong demand in the summer because of Niagara Falls and in the winter, with youth hockey leagues, the Bills, etc. I couldn't find any STR property managers though Rented.com said they could connect me to some who might consider it but most focused on Niagara Falls.

Surprisingly, demand in the first few weeks is pretty good but there are not many listings close to me at all.  And most seem to be people renting an extra room or 2nd unit of a duplex.  Dumb question though: How do you contact AirBnb hosts?? It only lets you message them if booking and when you message them, all e-mail and phone #s are blocked.

Evolve sounds like a good service but the booking part seems okay...at least for now as It hasn't been long.  I'm sure it can get tedious.  Cleaning and maintenance issues are definitely where I need to find people to help with.

The title pretty much says it all. I bought a property long distance as a STR. Had a full service PM who basically disappeared after setting up and a few guest stays and now I have to manage it. I have a family member in the area which saved me since he cleaned, fixed a door knob and changed the passcodes. I had to learn the ins and outs of using the AirBnb platform in the last few days.

Main questions: How do I find a reliable cleaner?  I got good quotes from Handy.com but the reviews of the service are horrible.  TurnoverBnb looks like a good platform but only 1 cleaner in the area and I googled her and she has a criminal history.  Other cleaners want to come get an estimate and then schedule for a week later!

What questions and issues usually come up with guests during their stay?

Should I try to find another PM company?  I'm in contact with Rented.com which matches owners with PMs.  I tried to contact a former BP podcast guest who offers PM services but no response.  Should I try to self manage?  My big fear is that something comes up during a stay that I can't fix...like no heat/hot water.  Finding a reliable handyman is even harder than a cleaner...and especially if it's short notice.

For those who want details as to what happened...I found the PM on BP forums (Michael Melendez of MVP Management). I was looking to buy a LTR but saw his post where he mentions how lucrative a STR in that area could be. I couldn't find other BP members who had used him...he's a pretty new member, but he worked as a GM of a NYC hotel. In any event, the set up of the property took longer than expected. He listed it before it was even ready and surprisingly people booked. He was scrambling to have it ready before the first guest arrived. He finally uploaded photos the day before guests arrived and the place looked decent but there were a lot of things that were shoddily done.

 The first two guest reviews were very negative.  Broken door knob, smell of cigarettes, messy, etc.  He promised to do better and placed some blame on the guests.  By the time I saw the negative reviews, the next guests were arriving and the local area manager quit on him and I was stuck as primary host responding to the guests. 

Michael said he found another manager and said he would have her take over but I still received messages.  A few days later, the manager messaged me saying she was quitting too, wanted her cleaning fee and that Michael was not responding.  I had a guest arrive that day and of course I got the call.  He wasn't able to get access...and I didn't have the code.  I called Michael and the manager with no response.  I was furious.  The next morning, he sent me brief e-mail apologizing.  I sent a letter terminating our agreement.  I haven't heard from him since. 

I don't have experience with Unison but received a flyer in the mail and looked into it.  I would consider using them in the future as housing costs are so high in NYC.  I would want to use it to buy maybe a 2-family house which would be way out of my price range but the downpayment assistance with no payments might make it a possibility.  Giving up on appreciation in an area with likely appreciation can be tough to do but it might work in the right situation.  Plus, many believe we're at the top of the market so I guess you can try and use Unison and pay it off after 3 years if you want the appreciation for yourself.  Let me know if you use them...I'd be interested in learning more about the experience.

I know someone who has flipped in that area and I could see buy and hold being viable as @William Rugen mentioned.  A lot of times, there is a stigma to a neighborhood and it stays even when things have improved.  I'm from the city and there are many areas of BK that were thought of as a "war zone" but are very expensive areas now.  I'm not saying that it's true about Wyandanch and I don't know that area well, but I did see there is a lot of revitalization projects going on especially around the LIRR area.  The state has invested a decent amount of money in the area so that's a good thing. 

@Rachel Fang Sorry for my ignorance, but how does an investment in a hotel unit work? Do you have any ongoing expenses after the investment. How do investors share in revenue? And I'm curious to know what the developer projected as the ROI for investors. I ask because for that amount of investment, perhaps it might be better to buy an investment property instead. Of course, that might be more work and possibly riskier.

They converted an old school into luxury lofts on Mineral Springs near Seneca St.  They also converted another old school into luxury lofts on Abbott Road.  I would imagine there must be demand for luxury apartments for them to build them.  The revitalization of the old theater seems promising and hopefully it'll lead to more development along Seneca. 

@David Niles Do you think the Tesla Factory will improve the Hopkins/SP area eventually?