Since it was publicly launched in 2009, Airbnb has grown solidly as many people’s choice of holiday accommodation; this is likely due to a number of factors: it gives people an opportunity to experience the living situation of a local so it can make for a more authentic visit, it can suit many levels of budgets and at times, depending on the accommodation, it can provide a superior accommodation experience to its hotel counterparts. There are likely other reasons that it is popular but it definitely has shaken up the whole hospitality industry. From the other side of things, it has also given many people all over the world an opportunity to gain an unexpected revenue stream from their existing homes. Homeowners (and even renters) are actively utilising spare rooms and providing short-term accommodation to worldwide guests. We’ve put together some guidelines on how to get set up as an Airbnb host or if you’re an already established host, we have some advice on how to improve your listing.

Getting Started With Your Airbnb Listing

If you’ve decided that you wish to promote a room(s) or a whole property on Airbnb, getting started is quite simple. The real work will begin when your listing is live but more on that later in this post. If you’re in a lease agreement in your house, it is advisable to seek clarification from your landlord if subletting part (or all) of the premises is allowed (or check your contract as it is likely to be stated there).

Other factors to consider for your Airbnb listing:

• You need to figure out if it makes financial sense to host an Airbnb; in terms of a situation where you are renting, this is called “rental arbitrage”. Rental arbitrage exists when your achievable daily rental rate (on Airbnb) is clearly greater than your actual daily rental cost. We came across a useful “calculator” which can also help you work out possible Airbnb earnings.
• If you’re renting out a room(s) in your own home, you’ll need to make considerations in terms of your home insurance. Airbnb has certain insurance cover but it’s a good idea to call your own insurer and ask their advice on whether you need an extension in cover. In terms of Airbnb’s own cover, each listing is protected by the company’s “Host Guarantee” which (aside from a few caveats) will reimburse hosts for up to €700,000 in damage to a particular property.
• Check other similar properties on Airbnb in your area to see what differentiates their listing and what could possibly be improved.
• Get your listing right by understanding who you are targeting. If your home is situated near a large industrial park, your predominant visitors might be business travellers so keep that in mind when optimising the listing description. They, for example are unlikely to want to know where the nearest playground is but they will like to know things such as the proximity of local transport or restaurants.
• Set clear house rules e.g. no smoking, no pets however don’t stray too far into being obnoxious or overbearing in terms of what is allowed or not allowed as it may put people off booking in the first place. You’ll also need to consider factors such as whether you’re going to leave items for breakfast in a communal area and you’ll need to indicate clearly what parts of the home are out of bounds for guests (when you’re hosting within your home).
• On Airbnb, you set the pricing yourself. You obviously don’t want to under-price your listing but you don’t want to put your listing at such a price that no one books! Do research on similar properties in your area (or similar areas) to get an idea. Do also look into the pricing structures that Airbnb indicates such as cleaning fees etc. You’ll also need to take into account incidental expenditures such as soaps, replacement linens and so on.
• If you plan on becoming an Airbnb host and especially if you plan on listing a portion of a property that you will be residing in yourself, you need to take some security measures. The review system on Airbnb works both ways so you have the option to check a prospective guest’s profile and reviews before accepting a booking. There is an option to instantly book on Airbnb but if you’re concerned about safety (and live alone for example), it might be best especially at the beginner stages to turn off the “instant book” feature. This will then allow you to communicate with your prospective guest(s) to get to know them and understand the purpose of their visit and to gain information until you’re happy to allow them to complete the booking and stay in your home. Guests (and hosts) do have to provide details like a phone number so keep note of all those details.
• Cleaning and preparing the guest areas needs to be considered; are you going to do this or will you get outside assistance? Generally looking after the listing in terms of administration e.g. communicating with guests, meeting them on arrival are other factors that need to be considered carefully. While they may seem small at the outset, if your listing becomes somewhat busy, it can mean you will get overwhelmed fast!

Furnishing Your Airbnb To Attract Guests

Your Airbnb listing photographs allow you to showcase all that is appealing about your home; while you can’t do much about things like outside scenery, you certainly can entice visitors through your choice of furnishings.

One of the main things that the prospective guest will be looking to see is the bedroom so that should be your first focus. Many guests won’t be overly fussy but the majority of people will expect a clean and comfortable bed because a good sleep is so important! If you’re just listing the bedroom only (and bathroom), you really need to make an impact with this room and you want to optimise the space that you have. Obviously ensure rooms are spotlessly clean and consider getting a professional photographer to take the images as they can use wide angled lens to make small spaces appear more spacious.

Most guests will only be staying for a short term (a few days or a week) so huge amounts of storage isn’t likely to be top of their list of requirements. They’ll likely appreciate somewhere to hang their clothes but it’s going to be a couple of suitcases at most, all of which will easily fit into a wardrobe. A good option is a wardrobe that has drawers as it packs in a lot more storage and uses up less floor space than having a standalone wardrobe and separate chest of drawers.

In terms of the bed, if your listing is busy, it’s going to see a lot of guests come and go and so you need a sturdy bed frame and mattress but you also want a bed frame that will look appealing. This Walkworth bed frame below comes in a number of sizes and it also gives amazing amounts of storage space in the base which you can use to store your spare blankets, pillows and linens. It would also be economical to invest in a high quality mattress; speak to our sales staff instore who will be able to guide you on the best mattress for this purpose. Gel mattresses are proving hugely popular due to their comfort and durable nature.

If you have the space for it and wish to offer guests the possibility of a family room, a bunk bed such as this, the Wendy Double Bunk would be a clever choice. This has a lower double bed and the upper bunk is a single bed. The lower double bed could of course also be used by an adult.

In terms of accessorising the bedroom, choose high quality bed linen but of course put a focus on bed linen that will actually last and not lose its quality; you will be washing these bed clothes frequently so whatever you choose needs to be able to withstand this. Keep surfaces clear of clutter in order to allow guests to place their belongings freely. Accessorise with some classic prints on the walls and elegant lamps on bedside lockers.

For your listing images, choose your strongest image (ask for opinions on this from friends or family) and put forward the image that presents the property/room in the best light as your main image. Good luck with your Airbnb listing!