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Good morning! I am excited to be adding to my blog series all about our vacation rentals in Florida focusing on why we chose to exclusively host on Airbnb.
I hear time and time again that so many of you are interested in doing something like this so I have been very open to sharing our experience from start to finish! You can click here to read all of my Airbnb resources including how to finance a condo in Florida as well as how we remodeled each of ours to fit my vision and optimize space.
And as always, I welcome questions and comments and make it a point to answer them all. Feel free to leave a comment on this post!
Exclusively Hosting on Airbnb
Today, I would love to talk about why I chose Airbnb (and only Airbnb), resources to help you learn more about the platform, and an overview of how payouts work. This post is not sponsored by Airbnb and is truly based on my personal opinions and my personal experiences. I will include my refer a friend link where possible because if you sign up to host through it, it’s a win-win for both of us!
And once you are at that next step, read Getting Started on Airbnb!
Why We Chose To Exclusively Host On Airbnb (and only Airbnb)
So, this may not be the most popular choice, but I decided to host our 30a short-term vacation rentals exclusively on Airbnb, and I also chose to not take direct bookings. I have done it this way since 2020. Let me tell you why!
For me, streamlining the booking process and keeping my calendar organized are my top priorities. I want to minimize the busy work so that I can spend my time connecting with guests, making curated recommendations, and providing a 5-star experience. I have been more than happy with the bookings that I have received through Airbnb and for studio condos that sleep 2-4, I know that this is where my guests look for places to stay.
Truthfully, listing on multiple platforms and syncing calendars between multiple platforms just isn’t appealing to me. Throw booking directly into the mix and I just feel like there is too much opportunity for me to drop the ball.
When owning and managing a short-term vacation rental the end goal is to maximize occupancy and rates, and I feel that I have every opportunity to do that on Airbnb. I would like to acknowledge that every market is different and managing multi-million dollar hours or in a different part of the country may yield a different experience. I am really speaking to my experience with four condos in the Florida panhandle.
But What About All of the Booking Fees? And How Do You Get Paid
I know how frustrating it is to see a nightly rate and then get to the actual booking page and have the price jump substantially. I see people vent quite frequently in the groups I am in about wanting to “book direct to save all of the fees,” and I get it.
As a host, I wish I could please everyone, but I want to break this down because the only fee that booking direct would avoid is the Airbnb service fee which is a floating fee with an average of 14.2% and a maximum of 20%.
When booking an Airbnb, this is a breakdown of the cost:
- Average Nightly Rate – varies by date
- Cleaning Fee – A fixed price that we pass on directly to our cleaners
- Taxes – 12% where we are located on 30A
- Airbnb Service Fee – Average 14%
Sometimes a property manager can add a management or amenity fee as well but for someone like me, self managing on Airbnb, this is the breakdown of costs.
When a guest books with me they pay Airbnb, and Airbnb will hold the money. I don’t see that money until after they arrive. Approximately 24 hours after a guest checks in, my payout is sent to my bank account on file. It includes the total of the nightly rate + cleaning fee + 5% of the tax minus a 3% fee that Airbnb takes out on my end. I never see that service fee. They remit 7% of the tax they collect to the state of Florida, but I have to manually pay the 5% tourist tax to Walton County (where 30a is located). Basically, I see 97% of the nightly rate which I am more than happy with. Also, if you are overwhelmed thinking about all of the taxes, read my Airbnb Tax Guide!
In my opinion, the Airbnb service charge is worth it for the use of the platform for both the guest and owner. It shows your listing to thousands of potential guests per day. It provides protection for both the guest and the host. I love the interface and ability to keep my bookings organized.
If I were to do direct bookings, either the guest saves some money but I have significantly more work manually sending contracts, collecting deposits /payments, credit card and Paypal fees, adjusting my calendar, communicating via email, text, and phone.
Or, I would have to increase the nightly rate to make that extra hassle worth it to me. I know that some may not agree with my line of thought but as I mentioned before my goal is to spend as little time on busy work and devote my time to an organized, curated guest experience. I believe that Airbnb is what allows me not to drop the ball and why almost all of my ratings are 5-stars!
Getting Started on Airbnb and a Few Tips
Before we even closed on our first condo, I was soaking in every piece of information that I could about what it’s like to own a short-term rental and host on Airbnb and I am going to include some valuable resources here!
Here are 4 books that I used and recommend! I read Optimize Your BNB before starting and I believe the takeaways from that book are why I have had so much success.
Next, while it’s not really fun or light reading, Every Airbnb Host’s Tax Guide is a must-read because like it or not, this is a business and you are going to need to know all of this information. Trust me!
Airbnb Listing Hacks is all about your listing. To be honest, I didn’t read much of it because I learned so much in Optimize Your BNB, but if you aren’t planning to read that, this is a quick resource for creating your listing.
And I included The 4-Hour Workweek here. Almost a bible for digital nomads and people choosing non-conventional work, some of the ideas are a little outdated and extreme but it will teach you how to value your time and is a big reason why I manage my property the way I do. Work smarter, not harder and you will be able to scale up more effectively.
I also listened to a great podcast called Thanks For Visiting! I always recommend starting from Episode One and building from there.
A Few Helpful Tips for Host Who Exclusively Host on Airbnb
All of these resources will help you get your listing up and running and help you find success from the start. While I am not going to go through everything they cover, I want to share a few takeaways that I appreciated.
First, do not oversell. While you want to highlight the positives make sure to acknowledge any downsides so that people aren’t surprised. By simply including actual square footage (if it’s a small place) or pointing out that there is a small kitchenette for quick meals, you will manage expectations versus not mentioning those at all.
Second, photos matter for many reasons! Obviously, as a professional photographer myself, I know how important well-lit, color-correct photos are but you do want them to truly reflect your space. Don’t just throw blurry iPhone photos on your listing. Take the time to make sure they are in focus and exposed correctly. Do not use filters on your Airbnb listing photos. Make sure to include photos from every angle and use an appropriate focal length lens. A super wide-angle lens may not represent the size of your space truthfully and could lead to disappointed guests. Take photos when your listing is clean. It should look like it will when they arrive.
Third, connect with every guest. I am not sure I read this anywhere but it’s the “secret” to my success. And really, it’s not a secret. I truly love the area that I am hosting with and really enjoy chatting with all of my guests about the area and helping them make the most out of their visit. You can’t really fake this or learn this. If you don’t love it, chances are they may not either so instead of purchasing a property in a “hot market” or super desirable destination, think about buying one something that you personally love. That passion is contagious and really what hosting is all about. You can steal my welcome message here!
If you can’t tell by now, I love Airbnb and I love being a host. I am honored to have earned superhost status in my first quarter and every quarter since. Self-managing our vacation rentals through Airbnb has been really great for me and I have a post that shares why I choose to self manage my Airbnbs. I am proud that I can contribute to our family by using time and talents in this manner.
Click here to learn more about hosting on Airbnb.
5 Star Airbnb Hosting
If you would like to learn more about being a Airbnb host and essentially pick my brain on everything from buying sheets for an Airbnb to choosing a coffeemaker, make sure to utilize my FREE 5-Star Airbnb Hosting Guide. In addition, you can join my new Facebook group!
Are you thinking about becoming an Airbnb host? Click here to find out what you can earn!
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Lovely Airbnb photos! I am always shocked when hosts post blurry, dark photos. You are so right — photos matter! I would really love to buy a second home to rent out as an Airbnb someday!
Hi! This blog is so thoughtful and helpful! Can you do a piece on your door locks and guest entry process? I notice that you have a lock on at least one of the bedrooms as well. Just wondering how this all works! Many thanks, Deborah
Hi Deborah! Yes, I can add that to my list of future posts. The current main lock we use is no longer manufactured but we are buying another unit and will be moving over to another brand of lock. Once I get that under my belt and feel comfortable recommending that I will! I have a locked door in each of my units that serves as my cleaner’s closet. So, it has extra sets of bedding, towels, etc so that they always have inventory for 4 or more turns.
Thank you for your posts. I’m excitedly reading through them all. I’m just wondering how you handle repairs or emergencies at your condos, since you self manage and don’t live nearby?
Thank you for all the info.
Hi Amy! I have a great handyman and my cleaning company also has a maintenance team that helps me out as needed! We are only an hour and a half away though so I usually lay eyes on our condos at least once a month. I also tend to go down there and supervise any major projects! And thanks for reading all of my posts!