All Forum Posts by: Chad McMahan

I believe STR success has many many many factors that play into a success story or a failure. Success involves going all out on design, having as many onsite amenities as possible to attract future potential guests, being in a market that provides enough demand yearly to bring paying customers, etc. I believe many more factors come into play than... lets say LTR. Your running a business with an STR, it is not a set and forget strategy. As such, its hard to say if the one who is crushing it is doing so much more than the one that is not... etc. Is the one who is doing "okay" actaully maximizing their OTA listing as well as the property itself. Are they using pro photos for their OTA listing? Did they stage it well? All these questions go into that play.

Ultimately saturation means nothing when you simply do more than the average host... which doesnt take much, and provide your guests an inviting fun experience at the home. 

RUN! Run from them as fast and as far as you can. 

Hello there, I recently received a 3-star review that read “Impossible to find a place to park the car. The neighborhood is noisy.” I tried to dispute it with Airbnb customer support and fortunately they agreed to remove it. I then inquired about what can lead to a review removal and the CS representative kindly explained to me those simple things:

_ Any user can remove their own review. You can always ask the other party to contact CS and ask for their review to be removed.

_ Any discriminatory language. There’s a zero-tolerance policy against discrimination at Airbnb.

_ If the review includes personal details. Phone number, address…

_ If the review doesn’t include relevant information. A review has to be about the stay, the property itself, the host, their communication. You can ask for a review which is not relevant to be removed.

_ If the review is about external aspects of the listing. Like in my case, if the review is about the vicinity only and not the space you rented you can ask for it to be removed.

I thought it’d be useful to share. Don’t hesitate to add your examples below!

(Note–clicking going here doesn’t get you a link to this Lunch Workshop.

To get the link you have to register at www.MAREI.org/VirtualLive14 ) Many Airbnb hosts are facing strict city ordinances and licensing requirements that severely limit their ability to make extra income.

At our Virtual Vive discover how you may be able to generate the same above-market income by providing Airbnb as extended stay rentals. Don’t throw in the towel or give up, join us at MAREI Virtual Live. It’s Free and will open your mind up to all the other possibilities.

We have been successful hosts with Airbnb for nearly two years. But the time has come for us to call it quits. We have posted the below add on several platforms and are not receiving serious responses. Please let us know where we should post this. Thanks

Are you an Airbnb Host? Are you thinking of expanding your business? Know anyone else who wants to try their hand at hospitality through the vacation industry? Would you (or they) like the majority of the set up work done for you?
We have successfully operated our 3 bedroom, 2 bath Airbnb for nearly two years now. We’ve loved it! But sadly, we’ve had to come to terms with it being too much to add to our already full lives (parents of nine, still homeschooling five). We are wanting to sell EVERYTHING needed to open and run your 3bed/2bath Airbnb, in a lot. THE HOME ITSELF IS NOT FOR SALE. Everything from furniture to cleaning supplies, linens to ALL kitchen supplies (and more!), area rugs and books, to themed wall hangings and board games! You’re welcome to go to FamilyBlessingsRetreat .com to view our Airbnb listing and see for yourself.
We are “closing our doors” as soon as another door opens, and are asking $7,995 for EVERYTHING that furnishes FAMILY BLESSINGS RETREAT, inside and out.
If interested, please reach out here.

Looks just fine to me @Josh Brost. There are so many negative Nelly's out there preaching how terrible STRs are and the end is neigh, it is getting annoying.

The bottom line is you can do a STR just fine in the right area, at the right price with the right amenities.

I just finished building a pool that will be used by STR guests when I go to the mountains each winter.

1. fencing is around the entire property with gaps no larger than 4" 

2. each gate has hardware above 56" and the gates swing out from the pool so a kid can't accidentally work the hardware and get into the pool area. 

3. we flipped the screen doors to open INTO the house areas and raised the hardware above 56" 

4. we will add a baby gate at the bottom of the stairs from the house to the pool since the screen door at the top of the stairs has a dog door that a kid could crawl out of. 

5. make sure your liability insurance covers the pool and guests on your STR home policy

You can't plan for every possible outcome but as long as you have every code required safety mechanism in place and you're covered by insurance you do mitigate your risk. 

Hey BP! I could use some advice here to have my SFH not turn into a money pit...

Its a 1946 SFH in Tampa, Florida with a detached garage that has plumbing and electric, and was half-baked to a livable unit.

Ideally I'd like to finish the AirBnb conversion, but am assuming nothing was permitted. (Water supply from the main house, a new drain, a small electrical panel, outdoor washer/dryer).

The question is...what's the best way to move forward?

- Get some inspector to come view the area and tell me what is currently wrong with the unit? If this inspector is from the city...will they start fining me for any current violations?

- Just start the work with a new architect and ask them if anything existing needs to change?

- Keep it all under the hood and dont permit things?

- Don't do the conversion at all and just use the garage as a garage.

Of course there's a lot of variables, but its my first house and investment and I want to learn before I just go for it, fearing losing lots of money in fines, fees, etc.

Thanks!

Andre

Do you not already have these in your market? 

We have it all spelled out in listing agreements, than again in required estimated seller net sheet. And for buyers in representation agreement, and again with any/all PA's being written in a buyers agent compensation disclosure. 

Our sellers see and agree to all compensations and fee's no less than 4 times just to list. Buyers no less than twice. Than in actual PA it's again spelled out at least twice more for sellers and twice more for buyer's.