How to Airbnb Your House

Are you considering renting out your property and looking for tips on how to Airbnb your house? Hosting on Airbnb is a great way to connect with new people and make some extra money using your existing asset: your home.

And since travelers are interested in all kinds of places to stay, you can list different property types, including holiday homes, tiny houses, cabins, farms, treehouses, apartments, and more. Moreover, even if you have only a spare room in your house, you can also rent it out on Airbnb.

So, what must you do to get started on this popular OTA platform? In this blog post, we’ll share step-by-step instructions on how to put your house on Airbnb and host with confidence.

Now, Airbnb has more than 6 million listings worldwide, but there are also many other sites where property owners and managers list their rentals to reach more travelers and get more bookings. You may want to check out our blog article comparing HomeToGo vs. Airbnb to help you determine whether it’s a good option for your property.

How to Put Your House on Airbnb

No matter the size of your house, renting it on Airbnb and other booking platforms can be a profitable side hustle. You can pick your guests, and it’s up to you to set the price for your rental space. If you own the property and have some basic furniture, you won’t need much money to put your house on Airbnb.

Although being a host involves many routine tasks, you can easily manage your listing by automating the process using vacation rental software like Hospitable.

If you are thinking about how to Airbnb your house, follow these simple steps to give yourself a good chance of success.

Do your research

It’s important to understand what you’re getting into, so you need to research demand in your area to estimate whether your Airbnb will be as profitable as you hope. Remember that your location and the existing demand for Airbnb travel largely determine the earning potential for your property.

You also need to find out whether running Airbnb in your area is legal and what requirements you need to meet. Short-term rental laws and regulations vary from city to city and constantly change. But in most cases, you at least need to inform your city that you’re renting out your space and must pay taxes. You should also check out rules enforced by homeowners’ associations and condo boards.

Set up your property

Even if your home or apartment is perfect for you, it may not be perfect for guests, so you’ll need to spruce your place and make it guest-ready. Remember to remove all personal items like clothing and photos and eliminate clutter. Style your place to create a cozy atmosphere and impress your target guests.

There’s a lot to consider regarding interior design. If you are serious about making money from Airbnb, your décor choices should be tailored for your potential guests rather than your personal tastes. If you need inspiration, check out our blog article, which shares some interesting living room ideas.

Stock up on amenities essential to providing a great guest experience, like toiletries, high-quality bedding and towels, WiFi, basic cleaning supplies, and kitchen essentials. Adding a coffee maker to your Airbnb is always a good idea because many potential guests will be looking for this amenity when choosing a place to stay.

Do a thorough clean

Before listing your house on Airbnb, you must ensure it looks spotless for your guests. Vacuum and mop the floors, deep clean sofas, and pillows, wipe down all surfaces and countertops, change all dishcloths, hand towels, and other linens, and put fresh sheets on the bed.

You’ll also need to decide how you’ll handle cleanings between guests. You can choose to clean your Airbnb yourself, but it can be very time-consuming, so it makes sense to outsource this task and hire professional vacation rental cleaners.

Then, you’ll need to provide them with a cleaning checklist to ensure they know what needs to be done. And if you use Hospitable, our system will automatically notify your cleaners that they have a job to do based on booking information, even if it’s the same-day turnover.

Create your Airbnb listing

Now that your home is ready to welcome guests, you can create your first Airbnb listing. Visit the Airbnb home page, click the “Airbnb your home” button and then “Airbnb Set Up”, and follow the instructions.

Sign up for Airbnb using your phone number, Facebook, Google, or Apple accounts or email. After that, you need to fill out a form and provide the necessary information about your rental space, including the property type, the number of guests, address, amenities, and the spaces your guests can use.

Add high-quality photos of every room your guests can access. They should accurately represent your space and highlight the best features and amenities. Create a descriptive title and detailed description to show what makes your house special. Use relevant keywords to ensure your listing will be shown in the proper Airbnb category.

Set your nightly rates. Consider what other hosts in your area charge, the amenities you offer, and the time of year. This information can help you find a perfect price for you and your potential guests. Remember that you must constantly check and update your rates according to seasonal market trends. This process will be easier if you use a dynamic pricing tool that will allow you to optimize your rates and maximize your profits.

Create and complete your Airbnb host profile to share information about yourself and let your guests know that you’re a real person. This way, they can feel safe when booking your listing. Add a recent photo of yourself and a photo of your Government ID, and confirm your phone number. You should also add your bio, which offers you a chance to sell yourself as a professional host and establish an emotional connection with your guests.

After you publish your listing, you’ll have to wait up to 72 hours until it appears in search results. Then, you can adjust settings in your booking calendar, choose your cancelation policy, set your house rules, and add a house manual and check-in instructions.

Final Thought

Now you know how to Airbnb your house and start your hosting journey. Airbnb can help market your property, but you must always treat your guests with the utmost care to make them happy. This way, you’ll encourage them to book your place again next time and leave positive reviews that can help you get more bookings.

You may also want to check out our blog article, where we share some advice for Airbnb hosts to help you stand out from the competition and make your listing successful.