Putting your family home or holiday apartment when you’re not using it on Airbnb is a great way to earn extra cash to help you pay your bills and pocket the savings. Turning your property into a successful Airbnb can give you the freedom of being your own boss and a chance to meet interesting people from around the world.
Many savvy homeowners in Australia use this huge OTA platform, and you can become an Airbnb host, too. You can create your Airbnb listing for free and choose dates when you want to accept guests.
But what must you do to get started on this global marketplace that connects travelers looking for unique places to stay and personalized experiences and homeowners wanting to make extra money? In this blog, we’ll discuss how to Airbnb your home in Australia.
You may also want to check out our article to learn about the badges that Airbnb uses to recognize great hosts who provide excellent hospitality and find out how you can get them.
Things to Consider Before Renting Out Your Home in Australia
Setting up an Airbnb vacation rental in Australia is worth your time and effort—you’ll be able to pay off your mortgage faster and even fund your holidays. And if things go well, hosting on Airbnb can even become your primary source of income. Moreover, if you use vacation rental software like Hospitable to automate your daily tasks, you’ll have more time to focus on providing amazing experiences for your guests and growing your business.
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Still, there are a few things to consider before you take the plunge. First, it is crucial to understand your area’s local STR laws and regulations. Each city and state has different rules about short-term rentals; in some states, laws issued by local governments may differ from state laws.
Amid the nationwide housing supply crisis, many state governments in Australia have announced new Airbnb rules to increase taxes and limit the availability of some properties for short-term holiday rentals, hoping that it may help ease some housing affordability pressures. However, the truth is that housing issues in Australia existed long before the founding of Airbnb, and short-term rentals are just a small percentage of the total housing stock.
For example, an article from the ABC provides stats from the Department of Housing showing that STRs make up only 1% of total private home stock in New South Wales, which has been one of the first state governments to enforce measures.
And yet, the AU government still thinks that increasing taxes/levies on STR is the silver bullet to tackle the housing crisis. Meanwhile, they demonstrate a fundamental lack of understanding of supply and demand as building approvals drop to the lowest level in 12 years.
It’s essential to research and contact your local authorities to learn more about STR regulations, restrictions, and Airbnb tax obligations specific to your circumstances before you start accepting guests. Keep in mind that you may need to obtain necessary permits and licenses, as well as purchase additional Airbnb insurance.
You should also research your local market and competition. Find out if there is market demand for your property. Look at existing Airbnb listings in your area, their prices, amenities, and guest reviews. This information will help you understand what Airbnb guests expect and set competitive rates for your listing.
How to Airbnb Your Home in Australia
No matter the size of your house or apartment, renting it on Airbnb and its alternatives in Australia can be profitable if your property is in an attractive location, for example, a popular tourist destination, a coastal town, or a central business district. So, if you are thinking about how to Airbnb your home in Australia, here is what you need to do.
Prepare your property for guests
Spruce your space to make it comfortable and charming for your guests. Remove your personal belongings from the areas your guests will be using. Make any necessary repairs and renovations, invest in durable furniture and quality bedding, stock your home with kitchen essentials, and decorate the space to appeal to your target guests.
Your goal is to transform your short-term rental property into a welcoming home away from home for guests. Take the time to put in the effort to make your home or apartment the best it can be, and you will be rewarded with happy guests and 5-star reviews.
Clean your home
Many travelers expect a hotel-like experience and consider cleanliness a top priority. So, to meet their expectations and earn positive reviews on Airbnb, you should ensure your place is clean and tidy. You should vacuum and mop the floors, deep clean sofas and pillows, wipe down and sanitize all surfaces and countertops, change all linens, and put fresh sheets on the beds.
It’s also important to ensure consistent cleaning between guests. You can choose to clean your rental yourself, but you should remember that vacation rental cleaning requires more attention to detail and can be very time-consuming.
That’s why hiring professional cleaners who specialize in turnover cleaning and providing them with a comprehensive cleaning checklist to ensure quality control makes sense. If you use Hospitable, you can set rules, and our system will assign tasks to your cleaners automatically based on booking information.
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Create your perfect Airbnb listing
You must go to the Airbnb home page, click the “Airbnb your home” button, and follow the instructions. First, you must sign up for Airbnb using your email, phone number, Facebook, Google, or Apple accounts.
Then, you must fill out a form and provide as many details as possible about your property. Add high-quality photos of each room in your house to show features and amenities that make your home special. Make sure your photos are as inviting as possible. You may want to consider hiring a professional photographer.
Be honest about what you have in your place when writing your description to manage guests’ expectations. Include house rules to give potential guests an idea about the home and the neighborhood so they can decide whether your listing suits them.
Set competitive prices for your listing—it’s vital to attracting potential guests and maximizing your earning potential. Remember to constantly update your rates according to market trends, adjusting your pricing as needed. It will be easier if you use a dynamic pricing tool.
According to Airbnb, your listing should be visible within 24 hours after you publish it. However, it may take up to 72 hours for some listings to show up in Airbnb search results. Once you have published your Airbnb listing, you can adjust settings in your booking calendar, apply blackout dates, choose a cancellation policy, set additional fees, and add check-in and check-out instructions.
Once the Airbnb listing is live, potential guests can begin reaching out to you for bookings, and you can welcome your first guest. Treat your guests with respect and attentiveness, always be available for communication, and they will be likelier to leave you positive reviews, want to come back, and recommend your Airbnb to people they know.
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