All Forum Posts by: Julian S.

I stayed in a converted basement Airbnb in Sandy Utah before, which is not too far from you. It was very easy access to the ski resorts. I liked the privacy and didn't hear the people upstairs really at all. To entice winter season stayers to go the extra couple miles away from the mountain, you might put in a little extra effort on making the place stand out in photos with the decor and furniture quality. And you at least have a leg up on your local private room competition--I typically prefer a private unit rather than a private room, unless I'm solo traveling and want a local's input (which you can still offer anyway, being right upstairs).

I also agree with @Jimmy Woodard to list on both STR and MTR marketplaces.

Robuilt from the BP podcast put up a different perspective on why hotels and motels are the antiquated model instead, and Airbnb probably will keep a foothold on the STR industry.

Thanks for the tips @Scott Mac 

Do you operate a STR in Texas? Have you had guests complain to you or Airbnb about bugs?

 That is a great idea, thank you for suggesting it, Lauren!

Newbie here. I'm preparing my first STR in the Austin area for guests. I'm near a river, so there are plenty of bugs around. The house was built in the mid-70s, on slab foundation, and has the original windows (which I'd rather not replace if I can help it), and a real fireplace. Being an older house, there are gaps here and there where bugs might get in.

Note, I have a pest control service. I've called them out between services already, but I still find about 1-2 bugs inside daily, even weeks after servicing. On the west coast where I grew up, I'm used to seeing dead bugs for a couple days after a service and then they're gone, so maybe it's my expectations not being aligned with life in the South... Anyway, about 90% of the time they're dead, meaning the pest control works even weeks out, but I'd rather they not get inside in the first place and die outside instead. My fear is that if guests see any insects inside, dead or alive, they would complain to Airbnb and get their money back... I don't want to give away free stays (saw that in another host's post about a mosquito bite).

Since I'm new to managing properties, I'm reaching out to the community for help. Below are some of my ideas to keep them from entering, if you can improve upon these or add new ideas, I would greatly appreciate it.

• Update the weather stripping & door sweeps on doors -- advice on the best types of weatherstripping or how to do it best is appreciated!

 • Add weatherstripping to windows -- advice on weatherstripping types needed!

 • Caulk the windows shut since you don't need to open windows in Texas (although, this is probably a fire safety violation)

 • Caulk the gaps where the laminate floor panels meet the floorboards

 •  Caulk gaps around exterior door thresholds, caulk gaps at outlet covers, caulk gaps where cabinets meet the floor/walls, caulk where pipes enter drywall, caulk where toilets/showers/tubs meet the floor...

 • Find a way to seal gaps in HVAC ducting -- need ideas!

 • Go through the attic to find any cracks to seal with caulk/spray foam.

 • Caulk where house meets foundation (not sure how to do it, but it's an idea)

Thanks everyone.

Great, thanks everyone for the input. It looks like most people are doing what I had in mind, which is to only provide the initial supply stock.

Hi, I'm a soon-to-be host and I am wondering how others deal with refills on items that were stocked when the guest arrived. Things like coffee, tea, bottled water (our tap water is really hard and tastes gross), as well as items like toilet paper, shampoo, conditioner, hand soap, dish soap, etc. My property is ideal for longer term guests, up to 6 months, so refilling will come up.

Do you all wait for guests to ask for this service? Or do you proactively refill, sending a message weekly?  I live on the same lot, so it's not too much trouble to drop off the supplies. 

Thanks in advance.