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AirBNB as a TS rental platform

Sandy VDH

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I had tried renting via VBRO before, and rented a unit from there, and had considered AirBNB. but getting the week or days available (calendar features) and getting the listing set up was a bit of a pain.

I was recently approached by AirBNB Ambassadors who are looking for TS rentals to post via AirBNB. Figured I had nothing to lose so I would try it.

They set up the listing with description and pictures, and I did all the rest ,with date available and rental type etc. They charge no additional fee, but there are given credit by AirBNB to bring the listing to them. So they assist with the listing setup and get paid from AIrBNB. AirBNB is charging me a 3% commission charge. Which is lower than Koloa. Koloa is specifically geared to TS and as such adding a listing is easy, as they provide all the description and pictures. But I just don't know how much traffic they get or if navigating the website is the easiest.

I have rented 1 unit on Koala, I would have had a 2nd rental last week, but as I was completing a rental privately, I got a request to rent it. Which I had to decline. They were not happy with me. But heck I had not even finished with the private rental, as it was just happening.

Koala had my Destin mid June rental, priced well ($2100), good location( Destin Emerald Grande), large unit (3 BR Plus Harborview), posted it 5/17. I know only 6 days, but not a single nibble. I also had it on TUG where I had 1 nibble but they were ultimately not interested. So with AirBNB I put the listing up Friday night, and by Sunday early it was rented. So I had not considered AirBNB, but I am rethinking it now. If you want the Ambassador Info for the guys I used, PM and I will provide the contact.
 

The Colorado Kid

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I had tried renting via VBRO before, and rented a unit from there, and had considered AirBNB. but getting the week or days available (calendar features) and getting the listing set up was a bit of a pain.

I was recently approached by AirBNB Ambassadors who are looking for TS rentals to post via AirBNB. Figured I had nothing to lose so I would try it.

They set up the listing with description and pictures, and I did all the rest ,with date available and rental type etc. They charge no additional fee, but there are given credit by AirBNB to bring the listing to them. So they assist with the listing setup and get paid from AIrBNB. AirBNB is charging me a 3% commission charge. Which is lower than Koloa. Koloa is specifically geared to TS and as such adding a listing is easy, as they provide all the description and pictures. But I just don't know how much traffic they get or if navigating the website is the easiest.

I have rented 1 unit on Koala, I would have had a 2nd rental last week, but as I was completing a rental privately, I got a request to rent it. Which I had to decline. They were not happy with me. But heck I had not even finished with the private rental, as it was just happening.

Koala had my Destin mid June rental, priced well ($2100), good location( Destin Emerald Grande), large unit (3 BR Plus Harborview), posted it 5/17. I know only 6 days, but not a single nibble. I also had it on TUG where I had 1 nibble but they were ultimately not interested. So with AirBNB I put the listing up Friday night, and by Sunday early it was rented. So I had not considered AirBNB, but I am rethinking it now. If you want the Ambassador Info for the guys I used, PM and I will provide the contact.
Thanks for sharing the specifics of your rental experience! This is very helpful for all of us TUG Side Hustlers ;)
 

Sandy VDH

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Just a bit of clarification ....

I just found out that they will help you with the first listing, but then you are on your own, to maintain the 3% commission. They will help after that, but it is 10% commission. But I guess you have to weigh the pros and cons of traffic to the site and bookings to make up the 2% commission difference from Koala (10% vs 8%). But traffic and bookings is a hard thing to argue with. Can't hurt to try and see how successful it is over say Koala.
 

echino

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Beware, airbnb has Extenuating Circumstances Policy. Even if you have a strict non-refundable rental, your guest can claim Extenuating Circumstances and airbnb will force you to refund them.
 

Sandy VDH

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Beware, airbnb has Extenuating Circumstances Policy. Even if you have a strict non-refundable rental, your guest can claim Extenuating Circumstances and airbnb will force you to refund them.


Here is the policy https://www.airbnb.com/resources/ho...-updated-extenuating-circumstances-policy-265

Starting on January 20, 2021, guests with unexpected personal circumstances will no longer be eligible to cancel for a refund under our extenuating circumstances policy. It will be your decision whether you would like to make an exception to your cancellation policy or not.
 

echino

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Here is the policy https://www.airbnb.com/resources/ho...-updated-extenuating-circumstances-policy-265

Starting on January 20, 2021, guests with unexpected personal circumstances will no longer be eligible to cancel for a refund under our extenuating circumstances policy. It will be your decision whether you would like to make an exception to your cancellation policy or not.

One example: if your guest tests positive for Covid a day before check in, then airbnb will force refund and you are out of money and lose your week.
 

Sandy VDH

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Another option is to build the price of cancellation of your points into the reservation fee, this service is offered my many clubs (e.g. Wyndham, HGVC and HICV which I own). That is another option.
 

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So do you prefer VRBO or AirBNB? I find them to be about the same.
I once had a guest complain about bed bugs. The resort moved them into a 2nd unit and they had the SAME complaint!?!? Another time, I offered a guest another resort nearby and they agreed. The guest was incompetent and tried to check into the wrong resort. So I never got paid in these cases. Crap like this happens with AirBNB and VRBO. And I have read about Redweek complaints as well. I don't pay for insurance because it would reduce my profits.
 

Sandy VDH

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So do you prefer VRBO or AirBNB? I find them to be about the same.
I once had a guest complain about bed bugs. The resort moved them into a 2nd unit and they had the SAME complaint!?!? Another time, I offered a guest another resort nearby and they agreed. The guest was incompetent and tried to check into the wrong resort. So I never got paid in these cases. Crap like this happens with AirBNB and VRBO. And I have read about Redweek complaints as well. I don't pay for insurance because it would reduce my profits.

Some people will complain about anything. I think that even some do it because they have expected to get something for free out of it.

Some people are just not the brightest bulb, I would avoid them if I could.

This is a strange year which I find myself with too many points in danger of not being used, and although I know RCI is an option, I do NOT wish to put them there unless it is a last resort. Normally I would rent to family and friends only and I wouldn't have to deal with the points surplus issue this covid situation has created.
 

rapmarks

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I have used Airbnb but have only been able to rent two or three nights out of the week
 

Sandy VDH

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I have used Airbnb but have only been able to rent two or three nights out of the week

You can set it up to be a min and a max stay to be the duration of your booking. I just had mine booked that required 7 night stay.
 

rapmarks

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You can set it up to be a min and a max stay to be the duration of your booking. I just had mine booked that required 7 night stay.
Right, but I got no interest in those
 

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I got the same call, said its geared better toward Timeshares now. Was going to try it.
No money down 3% if booked. Didn't know it was a one time deal.

Trouble is I forgot I did something my first go around with AirBnb in 2015 , and they booted me out.
No explanation of what I did wrong, an email said they don't have to give me a reason.
Can't get on the web sight. Don't want to use other emails or phone numbers.
 

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I've rented hundreds of timeshare weeks on Airbnb and get 50% of my business from Airbnb. I own a lot of winter weeks in Colorado that I rent during the ski season. I was approached a year or two ago by VRBO but their fee was 6% including the payment fee which is double Airbnb which makes no sense. Airbnb has the largest audience for rentals on the Internet and is a great rental tool. My experience is most of the people who rent on Airbnb are younger and are not as price sensitive. I add the 3% Airbnb fee to my listing price so there's really no cost for their service. I'm also on Redweek, Myresortnetwork, TUG, and Craigslist. After Airbnb and repeat business / referrals, Craigslist is a distant 3rd, then Redweek and Myresortnetwork. I have my stuff advertised on TUG but get very little from them.
 
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Sandy VDH

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I've rented hundreds of timeshare weeks on Airbnb and get 50% of my business from Airbnb.

I am always looking for a better mousetrap, good to know you have had success with AirBNB.

Have you had issues with cancellations or complaining clients?
 

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I've had very few problems with cancelations that cost me anything except during the pandemic. In March, 2020 when Vail Resorts shut down the mountains and there were travel restrictions, Airbnb allowed guests to cancel and gave them a full refund. Airbnb later came back and paid host for part of the stay (I think it was 50%). I've had some that canceled inside of a week to check-in and I got paid for the rental. I think it's important to be meticulous with your listing, have a lot of details and pictures, and don't overstate what you have. If you misrepresent your product, you can run into problems but I'm very careful to not oversell any of my condos. I've been doing this for almost 15 years and can count on one hand the number of guests who were not happy with the accommodations, out of many hundreds of guests.
 

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I've used and use both AirBnB and VRBO. Most of my rentals come from AirBnB and for me, I find AirBnB's site easier to use. Less steps to accomplish the same thing.
 

Robert D

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I've used and use both AirBnB and VRBO. Most of my rentals come from AirBnB and for me, I find AirBnB's site easier to use. Less steps to accomplish the same thing.
Plus VRBO charges twice as much as Airbnb - 6% vs. 3%.
 

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This has me very interested. I looked into AirBNB a while back but it just didn't look like it was set up for TS. I know I saw a LOT of them on there, but how to set up a listing did not appear to be straight forward. It sounds like I should look into it again! Any tips or tricks I should know? I appreciate @Robert D's comments on not over stating and being very specific.
 

Sandy VDH

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1) Block out all calendar dates EXCEPT your dates.
2) Make there reservation days min and max both the same as the time you have available (so people can't book part of a stay they can only book a full stay).
 

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Thank you @Sandy VDH! You set it up as an apartment though? I am working through a reservation I have during ski season at Park City. I will see how it goes. Once it rents (assuming it does) does it disable the listing or does it assume it is available for the next year?
 

Sandy VDH

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Thank you @Sandy VDH! You set it up as an apartment though? I am working through a reservation I have during ski season at Park City. I will see how it goes. Once it rents (assuming it does) does it disable the listing or does it assume it is available for the next year?

snooze it until your booking are past, then delist it, until you are ready to put another week there back into inventory.

UPDATED:
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Well, I have something up there. :) Hopefully I did it correctly. If not... I will see how much trouble I get into. I did notice that a mailing address is not required by AirBNB and there was no option to require one. I guess that will take place in correspondence with a renter. I am always up for an adventure... and an experiment. This would be both!
 

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You should also look at the cancelation terms as I think it defaults to Flexible which means the guest can cancel at any time. I use Strict terms which means they get a 50% refund if they cancel at least 7 days prior to check in and no refund if they cancel inside of 7 days to check in. Note that the guest can cancel within 48 hours of booking it with no penalty as long as the check in date is at least I think 2 weeks into the future. Also be sure to enter the check in and check out time. I specify in house rules that daily housekeeping is not included but can be done at an additional cost. I also enter a cleaning charge that covers the Airbnb fee.

I put mine on Instant Book so people can book it instantly but you might want to review all requests first until you're comfortable with the system. Once you rent some dates, the system automatically blocks those dates from your calendar so they can't be rented again. So, if you have more than one condo available for the same week(s), you need to setup a second listing after the first one rents.
 

PhilD41

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Thank you @Robert D! I had found the cancellation policy and the check-in / check-out times. I included the Airbnb fee in my per night cost. Maybe I should consider doing that differently. I am always a little nervous when platforms don't seem to be set up for the way I am trying to use them. That is one of the nice things about Koala, there is really no, "hum, wonder if I am setting this correctly," concerns. :) Well I will give it a go and see what happens. Thank you for the help!
 
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