All Forum Posts by: Jake Knight

How did you come up with $1.18M?

@Dawn Brenengen Every time we've stayed at a place we've diligently followed their check-out instructions. If they had asked to run a load as we left, I'm pretty sure we would've! And if there are others out there like us, it will definitely help the turnover process. Thanks for the tip.

@Bill Higgins I like that idea. There are a couple laundromats within a mile and I'll call for more info. I'll see if I can have the guests start a load on their way out then compare to just having the cleaners take everything in. Trial and error.

Thank you @Bill Higgins and @John D.... great advice. I haven't contacted any commercial laundry services yet. Do you have the cleaners drop the dirties off at the laundromat, or have the commercial service come pick them up? 

@Waverly Rennie I like the idea of being proactive. I'm going to use Hostfully for the guestbook (web-based) so I'll have to message guests for feedback as opposed to reading what they write in a physical book. If I were local I would do a regular guestbook. 

To your last part, I'm sure that they are tied together. Good reviews = more bookings, even if not easily quantified. 

Those are great tips and I'll base my model around them. I have interviewed a few people and will take the time, no matter how painful, to create a thorough checklist so that expectations are clear. I'll also create a second-level cleaning to be done every couple months that encompasses all the other stuff such as cleaning the trash bins.

I also like the idea of not hitting for them replacement of linens. And if you acknowledge it and let them know how nice you are for not charging them -they were such great guests- seems like an easy route to a 5-star review (if the guilt hadn't led them there already!).

Thank you, @Waverly Rennie. I was hoping to not have to replace the machines, but may consider it for energy/water saving purposes in a year or so. I like the idea of paying a fixed fee for cleaning, and I think I will buy duplicates of all linens. How long does it take your cleaner to do everything?

I have a vacation rental going online next month and one thing I haven't completely figured out is the laundry on a short turnover. I was hoping to have my cleaners come and spend about 2 hours preparing the 2bd house for the next guests, but if I'm accommodating up to 8 guests (4 beds + towels), how can I ensure that all of the linens are ready to go and not have the cleaner there for 3-4 hours waiting for a few loads to be done? Is my only choice to pay them for 3 hours of work?

This city doesn't have any good STR services such as Properly that can do this for me and I am not in the same state as the house.

Most all banks you could locate in a google search will be able to do this. Bigger banks all have small business lending departments that can do this type of request and most community banks like CRE deals. But you can also do this as conventional as @Upen Patel said. Buy it as individuals and have it quit claimed to the LLC after closing.

Thanks, Blair. I plan to at least do the front door lock and thermostat, but hadn't considered lights and/or security. Do you have any experience with specific manufacturers?

That's nuts! I will definitely look into that camera. Thank you @Paul Sandhu

@Sam Shueh I was able to renegotiate the lease on my house in Berryessa down 10% a few months ago. A direct example of the residential rental market softening.

Re office space in SF, and echoing what @Jay Hinrichs mentioned, there is an incredible amount of new construction slated for the city: 1.5 million sq ft (MSF) this year, 3.0 MSF next year and 1.8 MSF scheduled for 2018!