In part 1 of this article series, I discussed some of the pros and cons of becoming an Airbnb short-term rental host. One of the biggest negatives is the fact that running an Airbnb is just like running a hotel. In between those guests, the place must be cleaned, trash cans emptied, linens changed, towels replaced, and consumables like soap, shampoo, water, coffee and tea must be replenished. Unless you actually live on or close to the property, and you plan to do the turnover work yourself (“if” your schedule permits) you may be thinking that listing your property on Airbnb is simply not an option for you.
However, due to the increasing popularity of short-term vacation rentals, an entire industry of service providers has also emerged to provide everything from guest messaging and check-in services, to house cleaning and maintenance. A quick Google search for “Airbnb housekeeping services,” will turn up a wide variety of results. The company Molly Maids has actually expanded their services to include short term rental turnovers.
A search for “Airbnb rental management” will allow you to locate companies who can manage every aspect of your short-term rental. Some companies provide everything from optimizing your property listings and pricing, to providing around the clock response teams. Local staff and managers handle everything from operations (i.e. cleaning and maintenance) to actual concierge services.
Without a doubt, I would say that your housekeeping choice is probably the single most important part of the selection process, as they will probably be responsible for a lot more than just cleaning services. This person or team will essentially be the eyes and ears of your rental property and will likely be interacting with your tenants even more than you will. You will also want to find a reliable handy person you can count on for emergency repairs and to take care of periodic maintenance, such as replacing heating and cooling system filters on a regular basis, etc. Your handy person should be flexible with his or her schedule and possess the necessary skills to address all aspects of home repair.
And finally, if you’ve ever been a property manager or owned a vacation rental, I’m sure I don’t have to tell you that lost keys can be a real hassle, not to mention, a huge time waster. Inevitably, tenants will lose keys. Your maid service will lose keys. Your handy person will lose keys. And who ends up having to make copies and deliver them? That’s right… YOU DO!
The solution? Say no to keys and install E-Locks! E-locks are Wi-Fi based, allowing you to unlock remotely in the event of a tenant lock out. They also allow you to set up individual codes for each of your team members, as well as change codes from anywhere. Again, I can’t endorse or recommend any particular brand, so you’ll have to do your own research to find a solution that’s right for you. I will say that a small investment in this technology will save you countless hours of time and frustration now and in the future.
Stay tuned for part 3 of this series, when I’ll be discussing how you can conduct research to find popular Airbnb areas and then use our unique “SmartMap “After Repair Value” (ARV) Comping System” to locate “ready to rent deal properties” in that area. In the meantime, if you’re currently buying fix & flip or buy & hold properties, I strongly recommend that you check out our “SmartMap “After Repair Value” (ARV) Comping System.” We call it the smartest comping system available, because it quickly and accurately delivers the best “after repair value (ARV)” comps. That’s right. Now you can buy that next property with confidence, knowing exactly what the property will be worth (after repairs) BEFORE you buy it. Successful investors are saving valuable time and protecting their profits, and so should you! Check it out now at www.SmartMapComps. com and sign up for your FREE 10-day trial (no credit card required). Also, if you would like us to find bargain properties with built-in equity for you, tell us what you’re looking for at www. TheEquityFinders.com/get-started/ and we’ll be happy to help you.
by Marco Leone