Today, travellers around the world have a new way to find the accommodation they need. Hotels and motels are quickly becoming outdated, as adventurous souls prefer to borrow the homes and apartments of people listing their properties on sites like Airbnb and Stayz.
Companies like Airbnb are growing more popular by the day, with more than 5 million listings in 81,000 cities around the globe. Thanks to the sharing economy, renting a second home has never been easier, but what do you do if you’re one of the people looking to rent out a property? Here are some tips that will prepare you for renting out your holiday home in the modern gig economy.
1. Decorate Your Home
The way that you decorate the home or apartment you plan on listing with Airbnb or Stayz will generally depend whether you’re using the structure as your primary property or a second home. Either way, if you want to attract guests, remember that things like extra pillows and blankets go a long way, as well as access to a coffee maker, alarm clock, and hair dryer.
When it comes to finishing touches like wallpaper and paint colours, your principal décor is likely to reflect your individual tastes. However, if you’re designing your home specifically for Airbnb purposes, it’s a good idea to keep things simple. Stick to neutral colours, while making the space as friendly as possible with throws and convenient accessories.
2. Remove Personal Belongings
When renting out your primary home to travelers, it’s essential to remove any belongings that might be damaged, stolen, or broken when you’re not around. These items might include things like family heirlooms, financial and personal documents, artwork, and birth certificates. Although most people who share Airbnb and Stayz homes are relatively trustworthy, it’s difficult to know for certain what someone might do when they’re in your home.
Personal items shouldn’t left lying around for a range of reasons. Not only do you want to protect your belongings, but you also want to make your visitors feel at home when they’re in your property. Seeing reminders that they’re in someone else’s house everywhere can make people feel uncomfortable.
3. Make Sure You Manage Your Property
Renting out a holiday home to Airbnb or Stayz customers can feel very similar to renting out a standard apartment or property. You’ll need to take on many of the responsibilities of a standard landlord when dealing with a changeover in tenants, such as:
- Clearing away clutter
- Changing sheets
- Cleaning and leaving fresh towels
If you don’t live close to the property that you’re going to be renting out, then the best thing you can do is get the help of a professional property management company. These organisations can handle the running of your apartment for you, so you can focus on simply earning money from your travelling friends.
4. Remember to Market your Property
There are thousands of vacation properties on the market today, and plenty of options for travelers to choose from. If you want to make some cash from your unused space with Airbnb or Stayz, then you need to give people a reason to choose your apartment over anyone else’s. A good way to do that is to optimise your listing on the rental site you choose to work with. Make sure there’s plenty of great pictures of your home for people to check out, and that travellers can contact you if they need to.
Remember, renting out a property – even part-time isn’t always easy, but it’s a great way to make some extra money. If you’re willing to put the time and work in, the results can be fantastic.
