4 Ways to Prepare Your Home for Airbnb Rental
Learn how to style up your space for Airbnb rental!
As the trend continues for real estate investors to transition their home from lease contracts to Airbnb rentals, owners are discovering higher monthly returns and less hassle with their investments. But there are a few things that an owner needs to do in order to become the kind of host that receives consistently high reviews for their property stays. In this article, we are going to share four surefire things you can do to prepare yourself to be a successful host on the Airbnb platform, while earning you some extra bucks in the process.
Update YOUR Property.
Yes, Airbnb guests want the experience of being in a home. But let’s make a distinction here... they want a nice home experience. When someone spends their hard-earned money on a place away from home to lay their head, they have certain expectations. One of the expectations is a place that is well put-together and aesthetically pleasing. If your budget doesn’t allow for full renovations, at least make sure that your home looks updated, fresh and stylish. A can of paint, yanking carpet from nice hardwood floors and adding some stylish accents (pillows, art and end tables) can do wonders for a home. At a loss for how to decorate each room? Think of each space in themes like coastal or glam or farmhouse chic. Turn on HGTV and check out some of the small, yet inexpensive ways that you can transform your property.
Provide Some Amenity.
Providing amenity does not have to be an expensive venture. Amenity for an Airbnb guest means allowing them to have things that they need and would expect at a hotel, or better. If your house has a full kitchen, with clean appliances obviously, provide additional things such as a a coffee pot with coffee and tea. If you can afford a Keurig, that would be better, less frustrating and easier solution. Keep the cabinet or pantry stocked with seasonings, cooking oil, dishes, wine glasses, eating and cooking utensils and pots and pans so that they can save money by cooking in. Also, keep cleaning products under the sink with some dish towels and leave a roll of paper towels under the sink. In the bathroom, have a couple of bottles of travel-sized soaps, shampoos, conditioners, toothpaste and some unwrapped toothbrushes. Have some bathroom cleaner and a sponge in the linen closet for their use. Also, a plunger and toilet brush, clean and neat, hidden behind the toilet will be very helpful for them. Have enough toilet paper stocked for them and include a bath mat or towel so that they don’t slip on the floor after their bath or shower.
Clean Your Home, But Be Efficient.
The best thing you can do is to keep a cleaning supply closet that’s locked when guests are present. Keep it stocked with a broom and dustpan, a mop and bucket, bleach, all surface cleaners, window cleaner, disinfectant sprays and wipes, cleaning towels, paper towels, furniture polish, bathroom cleaning soaps and a vacuum cleaner. You can also store additional items that you will replenish after each stay such as bath soaps, laundry soaps, fabric softeners, dishwashing liquid, toilet paper and travel size toiletries in bulk. Make sure that you clean every corner of your house. From the floors, to the walls and counters, deep cleaning is required, particularly in the bathroom and the kitchen where water and dirt create nasty build-up. Clean your appliances inside and out. And make sure to wipe down window ledges and blinds. These are crucial areas to focus on to garner great reviews.
Linens, Linens, Linens.
When hosting an Airbnb rental, linens are extremely important. Not only do you want a nice looking bedspread and pillows, you also want to make sure that you have good quality sheets. But washing one set of sheets after every checkout would be incredibly time-consuming and inefficient. The best thing to do is to have four or five sets of sheets and pillowcases per bed in the home so that you only have to drop them in the washer and dryer once a week. You also want to do the same for towels. You’ll probably want to have about five sets of body towels, hand towels and face rags for every 1 bedroom in the home. Wash all your linens thoroughly with fragrance-free detergent to prevent your guests from having allergic reactions. A great, liquid fabric softener will keep them in good condition. Fold them nicely and store them neatly in a clean linen closet or drawer for easy access.
Extras
You definitely want to make sure to have a fire extinguisher in the home and to assure that your smoke detector is in good working condition.
Make sure all light bulbs work and keep some extras in your cleaning supply closet.
All windows should have blinds or curtains for privacy.
Leave a welcome check-in letter for your guests with instructions for the house. Let them know where they can find the items that they need, how to use cool appliances and how you can be reached for an emergency.
A couple of other things to consider would be snacks. Grab a big bag or box of cookies, crackers and/ or chips and leave a basket full on the counter for guests to snack on. Just refill them after each check out and store them away for the next check-in.
Snag some local attraction and tour pamphlets from a local hotel and keep them in a nice neat rack or basket in the living room. This will give your guests the opportunity to know what’s going on in the city and to experience some of the local attractions. You might want to include a binder of local area restaurant menus so that they can go for a meal or order take-out.
