Renting out your property on Airbnb can be a lucrative investment strategy to get real estate passive income. However, it requires a lot of attention to detail and commitment to providing an exceptional guest experience. It can also be challenging, especially when starting as an Airbnb host.
Unfortunately, some common mistakes Airbnb hosts make may result in negative consequences and prevent you from building a successful and sustainable short-term rental business on Airbnb.
To help you navigate your way in the world of Airbnb rentals, here are some of the most common Airbnb mistakes you should avoid because they can harm your success on the platform.
6 Common Mistakes Airbnb Hosts Make
By avoiding these common Airbnb mistakes, you can improve your chances of attracting bookings, getting excellent reviews, and earning the Airbnb Guest Favorite badge for your listing.
Underestimating the workload
One of the main Airbnb mistakes is that new hosts often underestimate the time commitment and effort required to manage their properties. Even if you only list a tiny house or a single room, you have many responsibilities as a host. Some include updating your calendar and prices, communicating with guests via messages, managing check-ins and check-outs, assigning tasks to your cleaners, managing guest reviews, and more.
If you fail to keep up with any of these tasks, you won’t be able to meet guests’ expectations about the level of customer service, which can seriously damage your business reputation. Your guests will feel disappointed, resulting in negative reviews and declining bookings.
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Ignoring local STR regulations
Due to the rapid growth of the short-term rental market, many local governments have enforced strict STR laws and regulations that limit the ability of property owners to host paying guests for short periods. Ignoring these regulations can lead to fines or legal action.
Remember that STR laws and regulations are very specific and vary from city to city, so what may be allowed in one location may not be allowed in another. Airbnb regulations are also constantly changing. That means you should thoroughly research local laws governing Airbnb rentals and ensure compliance.
Inaccurate or misleading listing description
It’s important to set the right expectations for your guests. While it can be tempting to write a listing description that oversells your rental space, it’s a bad idea to exaggerate the truth, trying to make your Airbnb sound better than it is.
You should always be honest because a misleading description may lead to bad reviews and cancellations, hurting your rating. Describe exactly what your rental looks like and highlight the features and amenities that make your listing unique. Provide as many details as possible to ensure your guests know what to expect. Mention nearby attractions, restaurants, shops, and transportation options to help your potential guests make informed decisions.
Not having a pricing strategy
Running an Airbnb is a business, so it’s important to price your listing correctly, and you can’t do just trusting your gut. Before you start renting out your space, you need to do thorough local market research and find out what your competitors with similar listings charge their guests.
Your prices should be competitive to attract customers. It’s also important to adjust your pricing based on the high or slow season and special events in your area to get the most out of your Airbnb rental and maximize your profits.
Relying only on Airbnb for marketing and bookings
Airbnb is a huge OTA platform, but if you rely only on it, you limit the exposure of your listing, as there are many other booking websites out there. Listing on major OTA platforms, such as Vrbo and Booking.com, will increase your visibility, reach a broader audience, and increase the chance of getting more bookings.
Unfortunately, booking websites charge hefty service fees and often make changes in their policies and algorithms that can affect your business. That’s why you should also create your direct booking website to build a brand, establish relationships with guests, and drive direct repeat bookings.
If you opt for Hospitable, you can easily create your direct booking website within minutes using our professional, easy-to-customize templates. The added benefit is that you can list your Hospitable direct booking website with Google Vacation Rentals and increase your property’s visibility at no extra cost.
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Not taking advantage of guest reviews
Both hosts and guests can leave reviews for stays booked and completed on the Airbnb platform. When travelers are looking for a place to stay, most of them check online reviews written by people who have stayed there. This allows potential guests to get insider information about the rental, the host, and the overall guest experience and make an informed booking decision.
Getting a lot of positive reviews from your guests is essential for your success on the platform. They can help improve your Airbnb search ranking, attract more guests, and win more bookings.
Don’t be embarrassed to remind your guests to leave you a review for their stay in your check-out message. Remember that you’ll get more reviews back by writing a review for each guest. If you don’t know what to say when reviewing your guests, check our blog article, where we share some review examples.
Not responding to reviews is also a common Airbnb mistake. You should always respond to all reviews, both positive and negative, to show your guests that you’re attentive and responsive. Thank your guests for their feedback, and let them know you’re working on any negative issues they mention.
Our list of common Airbnb mistakes made by other hosts isn’t exhaustive, but hopefully, you can learn from them and avoid making the same ones in your business.
You may also want to check out our tips on how to help your guests with Airbnb luggage storage if they arrive too early before check-in.
