--reach out and thank them upon getting the booking and ask if they have any questions--send a "Welcome" email or automated message during the week prior to arrival--reach out the day after arrival to ask how everything was the first night and ask if there is anything that the property needs--reach out at the end of the stay (that morning or within 24 hours) and ask how everything was, anything to improve, anything to add to the house and then offer an incentive for returning guests.My 2 cents,Mike Absolutely stay in your place as Mike said.You will see things the cleaners will never let you know about.We stayed in our PF will putting up the Christmas decorations and found a cracked plastic shelf in the fridge. 

So if yours is like the old time beach rentals - mismatched thrift store furniture, linens, and decor, you're going to struggle with reviews.

I would assume that it should be blocked off with some type of decorative tile or something of that nature.

Some houses have so many decorations, misc. items around the house it is difficult to notice when things go missing over time.Hope this helps! 

@Mike Gi be sure to check Airbnb longer stays and Furnished Finder to see what your competition's pricing and decor are like and make your properties pet friendly if you can as this is always a way to out compete the competition.

Planner 5DPlatform: AndroidFeatures:Supports both 2D and 3D floor plans.Allows you to scan walls and create floor plans as you walk through a property.Offers a vast library of furniture and decor items to customize your plans.Bonus: Projects can be synced and edited on Windows through their web platform3.

The rental had ratty furniture, a record player prominently featured in the marketing but it had no speakers, missing basics items in the kitchen, lots of drunks in the concrete hallways that reverberated right into the bedroom at 2am, a strong odor of urine outside, and more.We have super hosts in this forum that have hundreds of 5-star reviews and are masters of the craft, but I look at their rentals and see they don't have any artwork on the walls, decor is basic, they do nothing to make the guest feel welcome, etc. 

.- Art/Decor:  We have sourced local art from farmer's markets and the like.  

Inside mounts look cleaner and you can still add decorative window dressings.

I say we because my wife does the decorating and I do the rest. :) We currently have 24 units and looking to at least double that in 2025.