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How to make money on Airbnb! Live where you want to live, Invest where the money makes sense.

Here is a short explanation on how to open a furnished Airbnb account, what the benefits are and what to expect from being an Airbnb super host from the Jay Bru group in Arizona!

Would you pay for two hotel rooms in a single night, but use only one? Probably not, but when you go on holiday and continue to pay your rent or mortgage while you’re gone, that’s essentially what happens. Paying for space you aren’t staying in not only bleeds your travel budget but leaves a perfectly usable space, well, unused.

Search the best airbnb properties for sale right here on the MLS, click here

What I find most painful about all of this is that there’s a solution that can even hand you a profit while you’re gone. In turn, it can also help other travelers explore your hometown. So why not return the favor, and earn some travel cash on the side? Here’s how to rent your home on Airbnb, find a second home in Arizona to rent out,  and be an AWESOME host, too!  Here is a link for some sample homes to buy in great locations, under $350k, with a pool, no hoa, and 3bd/2 ba homes, click here

If you go to the bottom, I give the exact dollar amount for expenses and profit you can make coming from my experience.  But first here is how to open an Airbnb account.


Here are some links to some airbnb friendly communities:

The Maya apartment complex in Old Town Scottsdale 85251 – https://myre.io/0BABa8Vfw55t

Signature Scottsdale Condominiums 85260 https://myre.io/0ykOPVkyT6Lh

 

 

 

 

1. Make an Airbnb account

Signing up for Airbnb is safe and easy. If you haven’t yet made an account:

Please go to this link to sign up on airbnb.com.  You’re traveling account can switch back and forth from a hosting account.

airbnb

Here’s my link to get you started:

www.airbnb.com/r/jbru

Some quick tips for setting up a trustworthy profile:

  • Fill it out & be detailed! Hosts are wary of accepting guests who don’t adequately complete their profiles and in turn, guests are skeptical of hosts with barren profiles. Airbnb even gives you prompts on what to include.
  • Get verified & include a clear headshot of yourself. Confirming your identity instills much more trust in hosts or guests. Include a clear image of yourself and complete the identity verifications (e.g. a scanned Passport (not made public), connecting your mobile number (not displayed publicly), or linking your Facebook, Google, or LinkedIn account.

2. Set up your listing

Airbnb will practically hold your hand through this entire process. And by entirely, I mean it will also address these common questions:

  • How much should I charge per night? You needn’t calculate this, Airbnb does it for you! A suggested nightly rate is provided based on the # of rooms, amenities, location, tourist season, prices of other listings near you, and whether you’ve had any bookings yet. In many cases, you can charge much more than you think. Ultimately, you decide the listing price and it can be adjusted anytime and changed for specific dates, weekends, and more. In Arizona, this varies widely as October through April are the highest rates.  March is baseball season, prices can double, even triple in March.
  • What if I only want to list certain dates? No problem – you can even set this up and only rent your place once and then never again! You’ll be provided a calendar which you can block out, open up, and adjust any time you like.

3. List amenities and describe your space accurately.

When describing your listing, you want guests to be able to envision themselves in your home. Clearly, portray the vibe. Is it chilled out and relaxing? Footsteps from delectable eats and markets? Does it have that perfect little balcony for a morning tea, or a cozy couch and a great selection of books? Remember: your description is what will ignite people’s interest to choose your listing over someone else’s.

airbnb host amenities

Provide accurate descriptions

I cannot emphasize this enough, but accuracy is key. Inaccuracies will hurt your reviews. And in the world of Airbnb, reviews are highly influential in getting bookings.

So, how to get great feedback? Be upfront! Acknowledge any potential turn-offs for guests. Bad surprises are what lead to docked stars. In turn, list charming qualities and offer other perks instead to off-set lesser aspects – here’s how!

Address downfalls tactfully

People often worry about the not-so-great aspects of their home or neighborhood, and it can even convince people to never list their space at all. Trust me when I say this: so long as you aren’t living in the local dumpster, there will always be someone looking for a place, no matter how “average” it may be. If your description matches reality, guests shouldn’t be disappointed with your space’s downfalls.

Here’s common deterrents hosts face, and some ways to address them:

  • Noisey neighborhood? Say so, but include why. Is it lively? Does a prime location just step from all the action? A quick walk to the train station or close to the airport? Are there cafes, exciting nightlife, a thriving community feel in the area?
  • “Boring” residential area? If your home is removed from the action, state this. You could list transport options and distances/times to give guests a realistic understanding of how far out you are. A plus of residential areas is peace and quiet, quick access to local shops, markets, or cafes, and a local, community feel.
  • Small living space? State this, but describe what makes it great. Is it cozy, intimate, minimalist, space-wise? Are the trade-offs of wanting to spend most of the time in the vibrant neighborhood better? (E.g. “This is a small space with a bustling neighborhood at your doorstep”).
  • Older unit? Say so. But is it charming, historical, retro, or cozy? You can let people know you have an older home without making it sound too uninviting, but do acknowledge it in some way.
  • Got pets? You MUST list this as guests can have allergies or strong oppositions to pets. But are the pets cute, great company? Are they an adorable “local”, and do they keep to themselves?

Provide perks

Small perks add a sense of invitation and are a low-cost investment for what you will earn per stay. Here’s our suggested must-have’s, as well as “above and beyond” provisions.

Must-Have’s

  • Internet
  • A kettle
  • Coffee & tea
  • Sugar & Creamer
  • Towels

Bonus Perks

  • Toiletries (shampoo & conditioner, soap)
  • Basic breakfast (yogurt in fridge, juice, granola bars, muffins and/or bread)
  • Local or national snacks/treats
  • Organic teas, hot cocoa, or fancy coffee
  • A list of your personal suggestions for eating, drinking, and activities
  • A map (awesome if you can take a minute to mark down your favorite local places)
These aren’t essential, but I’d argue that these low-cost staples are likely to make you a “super host” (more on that below). If you really want your listing to stand out from the rest, consider offering these low-cost perks.

List all nearby attractions & activities

No matter how mundane some of them may seem to you, be sure to list any or ALL of the following. If possible, also list the walking/transit times to reach them, which shows how accessible your place is.

  • Parks (national and local)
  • Walking trails
  • Popular neighborhoods/areas
  • City center
  • Shopping malls
  • Markets
  • Public transit
  • Grocery stores
  • Cafes
  • Restaurants
  • Tourist attractions
  • Look-outs/viewpoints
 

4. Post great photos of your space

Above all else, photos are arguably the most important aspect of your listing. Do not be lazy when it comes to showcasing your home since you’re likely to only take those photos once!

Here are some quick tips for posting photos:

  • Clean your apartment (As in, de-clutter, tidy overstuffed shelves, push aside trinkets & personal items, make sure bedsheets are not wrinkled and pillows are straightened).
  • Take photos in natural lighting – ideally on a sunny day with all curtains opened.
  • Capture the whole space. Step as far back into a room’s corner or doorframe to capture its full size. If you can, stand on a chair or stool for a more aerial view. Use a landscape or panorama setting on your camera to get a wider shot, and snap the most attractive aspects of a room such as a large window space or beautiful balcony.
  • Add photos of the neighborhood & street. Try to convey what space and/or neighborhood is like by adding a few photos of what’s around. Even one photo of your street can help guests envision their visit.
  • Go to My listing at 
 
 

But what if someone steals or breaks something?

AirBNB’s host coverage insures for up to $1,000,000 in damage or loss (this is part of what the ~3% Airbnb booking fee for guests and hosts covers). Keep in mind that incidents of theft or damage are rare. It’s always advised to only accept booking from guests with previous positive reviews. See more info on the host guarantee here.

How to become an Airbnb Superhost

Being a host on Airbnb really is just 4 simple steps. But becoming a Superhost, which then adds a badge of recognition to your profile, is a step up. This is a major attraction point for guests, as it reflects a lot more trust in your listing. This is more likely to result in consistent bookings for you.

The criteria for becoming a Superhost is:

  • High overall rating (4.8 stars overall or higher)
  • High response rate (90% or higher)
  • Active user (10+ stays per year)
  • Reliable (0 cancellations)

This criterion is reviewed by Airbnb every 3 months. Here are 4 quick tips to becoming a Superhost (and avoiding any hosting hiccups).

1. Keep a good acceptance rate & keep your calendar up-to-date

Your acceptance rate is based on how many times you accept bookings, so make sure your calendar reflects when you are actually available. It’s okay to decline a booking once in a while, but this is tracked on your profile on a scale of 0 to 100% and may deter guests if it seems the hosts frequently decline.

If you continuously decline guests because your calendar is incorrect or you don’t respond within 24 hours of the request, your acceptance rate will drop.

2. Maintain a strong response rate

A response rate is based on how quickly and frequently you respond to messages on Airbnb. This rewards host that are prompt, which is attractive to guests who want a reachable host. Unfortunately, a “glitch” in this system is that hosts must always have the last word, even in a string of back and forth messages. Make sure you always have the final message, even if it’s simple “thanks!” or “great!”, as Airbnb will otherwise track this as a non-response to the last message, bringing down your rate.

3. Review your guests

Airbnb has now changed their review system so that guests and hosts cannot see the others review for 14 days after it’s published (unless you leave a review, too). Leaving a review is courteous, and shows you are a responsible host. Remember, potential guests can see all of your written reviews (both about you and ones you’ve written on guests), so be respectful and detailed, as this gives potential bookers a flavor of who you are!

4. Have an emergency contact if you won’t be nearby

Be sure to have someone reachable who can deal with any emergencies or issues guests could have. You should let this person know you’ll be using them “just in case”, and leave this contact info with guests. Problems that can arise range from clogged sinks and Internet flops to household floods and broken BBQs. It’s not likely, but it can happen (and has happened to us – thankfully when we were physically nearby). An unreachable host is an Airbnb guest’s worst nightmare and will definitely ruin your reviews!

5.  HOA’s that have a one-month Minimum policy.

There are other sites like Travel Nurse Housing and Furnished Finder.com that have traveling professionals that are looking for 3+ months.   Travel Nurse Housing’s average is 3 months and the service only costs $99 per year!!!  Airbnb is almost like a saying like a furnished rental, you don’t need Airbnb to have an Airbnb if you know what I’m saying!  Other sites you can use to find monthly rentals is Craigslist, MLS with a Realtor, VRBO, google vacation rentals in Arizona and a bunch of sites will pop up that you can use.

6.  Other items you may need to manage from afar.

You can control the thermostat, door code, and possibly even security cameras.  Nest has a great thermostat you can control from anywhere with wifi, including a Nest punch code door lock that you can control through wifi as well.  You also need a maid service that you can trust that checks up on people and your home.

 

How to become a AirBNB host & earn easy travel cash

How to be a GREAT AirBNB host & earn easy travel cash

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Costs and figures. Here is a home that you could look for.

Home = $300,000
Mortgage Payment $1446
Down Payment 20%
Furnishings $10-20k
Do research or have someone like me do it for you to see what the average you’d get per month.
Go on VRBO or Airbnb and find a home like yours and you can see the price per night and the calendar on how full the calendar is.
 
 
 
 

And there you have it! Everything you ever needed to know to be more than just a mediocre host on Airbnb.

This condo below was bought for $72,000 in 2011 and I put in about $12000 in paint and furnishings but probably $15,000+ if you factor in being vacant for a while and other costs and my time.  Click here to view.  At the time it would rent out for $900 per month non-furnished but I saw one in the complex for $1450 per month the other day which is fairly attractive and I’ll tell you why!  So non-furnished = $10800 -$16,800 per year with barely any work involved with a lease in place.  Airbnb can be time-consuming.  Please look at my Airbnb payouts below.  It’s hard to get an exact number for profit but in Scottsdale Arizona, you can make $4000-$6000 per month in January – March depending on the property. It’s a short high season and the summer is tough.  This year has been good in Arizona with so many people moving here.  Some of the expenses you would not normally pay for in a non-furnished home are:

  • TV/Internet = $130
  • Utilities = $100 avg per month
  • Cleaning – guest pays but time consuming

That’s about it really.  So the furniture you choose can be paid off fairly quickly.  I figured I can make $10k extra per unit if i Airbnb it out.  But time is money so it depends if you like doing it, have the time, and want control because there are companies out there like www.evolve.com that handles your Airbnb for 10%.

Hope this helps and call me if you have any questions at

480-466-4917

Jay

Search here for some Airbnb friendly communities for under $800k

Go here to look into airbnb, with my refer hosts link:

Please go to this link to sign up on airbnb.com.  You’re traveling account can switch back and forth from a hosting account.

airbnb
Video on what to look for and find out how much money people are making on Airbnb.

Arizona is seasonal, here are the best and worst months.

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