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Short-term rentals like Airbnb have taken the world by storm, making vacations more accessible to the general population. In 2020, New York alone had over 220,000 Airbnb listings.
Home sharing has become a popular way to take a vacation and fund it simultaneously. However, going on holiday can be stressful if you don't like leaving your home unattended.
For this reason, we have some excellent home-sharing tips for you. This way, you can rent your home the next time you're planning a vacation.
What are you waiting for? Keep reading to learn five ways to make your home a temporary vacation rental and attract guests.
Tip #1: Set House Rules
The first thing you should do before advertising your home as a vacation rental is create a set of house rules. These rules will advise guests on how to behave, what they can and cannot do, and have a list of emergency contacts. It's wise to post these rules in your Airbnb listing so guests know what's expected of them.
Tip #2: Use an Availability Calendar
Having an availability calendar is essential to avoid repeatedly telling guests your house is already booked over specific periods. This is posted online alongside your rental listing, so guests looking to book your property know ahead of time what dates are available and which are already reserved.
Tip #3: Have It Professionally Cleaned
The last thing you want is to get terrible reviews online because your home was not adequately cleaned before the vacation guests arrived. When renting your home to travelers, ensuring it gets cleaned between each booking is vital. This way, guests can walk into an inviting, tidy house that smells fresh and clean.
Tip #4: Removal Personal Things
This is your home, so having personal items around is par for the course. However, when you know you're going on holiday and will rent out your home, taking down and putting away any personal items, such as family photos, is recommended.
Tip #5: Make Check-In Easy
Making check-ins a smooth and easy process is one of our home-sharing tips to help you get better online reviews. A common way to make check-ins easier is to store the keys in a lockbox on the property.
This box can only be opened with a code, which you can change whenever you have new guests. This way, they can let themselves into and out of your property without you being on-site.
Tip #6: Use a Short-Term Property Management Company
Using a short-term property management company can make your life much easier. You let them know when you'll be away on vacation, and they will handle the advertising, property maintenance, guest inquiries, and bookings. This way, the only thing you have to worry about is your own upcoming vacation.
Put These Home Sharing Tips to The Test
Making your home a temporary vacation rental is a great way to fund your next holiday. Our home-sharing tips include setting house rules, making check-ins easy, cleaning your home, and taking down all personal items around the house. So what are you waiting for? Start preparing your home today!
If turning your home into a vacation home sounds too time-consuming, consider contacting us. At PMI Clearwater, we can help you manage your vacation rental so you don't have to.
