I operate a one-bedroom Airbnb in Southwest Virginia in a small community called Mendota. I came into Airbnb in a backwards way. We had a small apartment located over a detached three-car garage that had been empty for years. When I operated Adventure Mendota (a small kayaking company for those who don’t know me), my husband urged me to open up the guest house for short-term rentals–as if I didn’t have enough to do all day! I was not a believer. At that time, we didn’t have a store or a gas station or even a Coke machine in Mendota. Adventure Mendota was the only “thing” and that was only from Memorial Day to Labor Day. However, to prove my point, I went over to the guesthouse which was clean but not “styled” for pictures, took a few iPhone pictures and slapped them on Airbnb. No one was more surprised when two days later, I had someone booked.
From there, I began booking the place almost every weekend outside of the times I take it offline by “blocking” it on Airbnb.
The above occurred four years ago, and now I am an experienced Airbnb operator running a one-unit Airbnb and supplementing my income nicely. On an average, I book 12-15 days per month. Fifteen is my sweet spot on the number of nights rented. Since it is located right across from my house, there are times we need privacy more than I need the income from my Airbnb. For this to work and be so close by, I have to know when to say “when.”
I have some tips for people who are thinking of doing short-term rentals on sites such as Airbnb or VRBO. Many use both platforms, but I’m happy on Airbnb and their percentage rate is lower.
Provided a large investment is not required to start your Airbnb business, just try it! You might be surprised. I was. My guests come for nearby weddings, family reunions, Devil’s Bathtub (35 miles from my place), Virginia’s Great Channels (45 minutes) and occasionally they are heading to the Carter Fold. They are starting to come for the Mendota Trail!! Other reasons are to get away to a quiet place, to work on their resume, up and coming physicians working on medical papers, authors writing books, to get away from hotels along the interstate corridor where they do not feel their cars are safe, and on and on.
Cleaning. If you have only one place and have some extra time, do your own cleaning. You’ll make more money and you will know your product is clean and ready for guests.
Clean, yet, but don’t spend a lot of money on cleaning supplies. You are in the business to make money, and this is an area you can save on. While I do use a few other things, my cleaning arsenal is made up primarily of vinegar and baking soda. Dawn dish detergent and some peppermint essential oil are also helpful.
Linens. While you don’t have to spend a large amount on sheets and towels, you do need to be mindful of the quality and invest accordingly. I’m fortunate to live near American Merchant which makes very nice towels that I can buy for $5 from time to time. Guests love these fluffy towels. I look for high-quality, high-thread count sheets at places like TJ Maxx. I also use–and wash after each guest stay–pillow protectors as well as pillow cases.
It doesn’t hurt to have a welcoming entrance. My Airbnb is above a three-car garage so I struggle with this. It has a great rear deck but the front does not have the charm I’d like to have. I try and mitigate this with a flower border at the entrance.
I iron my pillowcases. By doing so, guests know they are clean not only by their smell but by the ironing creases.
For quick turns when I have a guest leaving at 11 am and a new guest arriving at 3 pm, I have duplicates of most of the above. I’ve gotten so fast with the quick turn that on Sunday, a guest leaving at 10:45 am gives me enough time to run over and throw towels in the wash, attend church at 11 am and return to finish cleaning and have the place immaculate by 2 pm for a 3 pm guest check-in time.
Get rid of the cleaning fee and built it into your nightly rate that appears on the reservation booking. It is more honest. Prior to 2022, the cleaning fee could be excluded as income so having a moderately priced Airbnb with a large cleaning fee was common. Today, it’s all income.
For about $300, I had a thermostat installed that I can remotely control. Guests are not concerned about my electric bill– but I am. While I can schedule the temperature, they may override it; forget about it and leave for 8 hours. I would never enter the unit and re-adjust the thermostat during a guest stay, but I’m not above remotely moving it from a chilly 65 degrees up to a moderate 73 degrees while they are gone.
Soaps. Those little individual bars of soaps that are so cute become scummy sticky glue blobs in the shower. Instead, place a bottle of men’s body wash and women’s body wash in the shower. You are welcome.
Leave a flashlight by the bed. It’s scary for the power to go off and not be familiar with the surroundings.
You need internet. Guests tell you that they want to disconnect. But they really don’t. You also need it for safety, etc. We don’t have cell phone service where I live, but guests have the ability to make wi-fi calling from their cell phones. While I have not had a guest make a 911 call, I feel reassured that they can because I have internet in the unit.
My guests love seeing current magazines instead of old recycled castoffs. In fact, I now subscribe to magazines for Rivercliff Cottage and they are a business expense. Guests get them first, and then I read the castoffs.
Know your limits. For me, I have a one bedroom but I also have a sofa bed in the living room. I started out renting to four guests at a time. I was greedy and thought more guests = more money. Sure I could get a few dollars more, but I also had double the laundry, double the trash, and double the trouble. The more guests in the unit, the more likely that a friendly chat becomes a bit louder as the alcohol and music flow; and before you know it, a party has come to life! Now I limit my number of guests to two. It works so much better and the accommodations are perfect for two. Four was a bit crowded.
Have spaces that you can lock out. I used to leave my duplicate linens in a corner of the closet in a plastic bin, but occasionally a guest would still use items from the bin and during quick turnarounds, I’d be scrambling because those extra pillow cases were crumpled and dirty. Now, I have an area that its locked out from guests.
Know your value. I have a very fair rate. I do not offer extra services. My guests have a nice, affordable place to stay. It is quiet and clean. It has a private deck and lovely view. They sleep under my pretty quilts, and I line dry the bed linens and they smell so good. I typically have fresh flowers on the kitchen table.
BUT….what they have requested over and over is a fire pit and a grill. A fire pit would mean that I would have to supply wood, and I would have to ensure that guests understand burn laws or how important it is to be mindful of grass fires. They don’t realize that our fire department is a volunteer fire department. Likewise, we’ve had a grill at this unit and the siding was melted. So, for me, the no grill no fire pit stays.
Share what you are. Or are not! Every guest reaching out to me during the booking process is advised that I am 17 miles from the interstate and there is no gas or grocery store for at least 12 miles. By advising them up front, they adjust their planning and, even though many do not believe it until they arrive, they are accepting of the limitations of this rural location.
Likewise, I do not allow smoking on the property–not just the unit but the property. I don’t make exceptions. I like to keep my business plan simple and as stress free as possible. I have rules, and I have them for a reason.
#15. It’s best to undercommit and over deliver. And that’s it!
