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I recently got asked a great question in my Airbnb hosting group that I wanted to answer here on the blog! A new Airbnb host listed her new Airbnb property but wasn’t sure what would happen next. This moment in your hosting journey is so exciting, but it can also be a little scary for your new Airbnb business. So, let’s talk about what to expect after you list your first rental property on Airbnb!
And if you are new here, welcome! We own several Airbnb rentals and consistently earn top 5-star reviews. Here at Our Little Lifestyle, I help other hosts work smarter, not harder, so that they can run profitable Airbnbs without all the busy work. It’s crucial to anticipate guests’ needs to create a seamless experience without a lot of pain points or frequent messages. This is so important to me because I like to spend my time traveling the world, not sitting at home running in circles for my Airbnb properties.
START HERE: My free 5-Star Airbnb Hosting Guide
Listing Your New Airbnb Property
Clicking that publish button on your new Airbnb property is so exciting! If you’re like me, it’s been a long-time dream. Congratulations on finding an Airbnb property in a great location, purchasing it, getting it set up as an Airbnb, and getting your new listing ready to go. This is quite an accomplishment, so be proud of yourself!
If you haven’t listed your new Airbnb quite yet, that’s ok, too! In fact, it may be a good thing because you want to make sure you are set up correctly and 100% good to go. So, let’s go over that real quick!
Also, if you haven’t signed up to be an Airbnb host yet, I would really appreciate it if you would use my link. It connects us on Airbnb so that I can provide you with extra help setting up your Airbnb listing, and the referral bonus helps me keep all of this Airbnb hosting content free for you and not hidden behind a paid course!
Click here to sign up to host on Airbnb!
What Should You Do Before Listing Your Airbnb?
Before you list, you should, of course, have your property fully furnished and ready for guests. Why? Well, you’re listing photos should look exactly like what your place will look like when a guest walks in the front door. For that, you need all of your Airbnb furniture, including linens and Airbnb kitchen essentials, in place.
In fact, I actually have my cleaners do a full clean before taking my photos so that even the consumables are out. These are also great to have because I print off a set of my listing photos, punch a hole in them for a keyring, and keep them in my cleaner’s closet for reference. This is exactly how it should look when guests arrive at your Airbnb property.
The only staging I do is a set of photos with the table set (and one empty) and a couple with a throw blanket out. A big part of managing expectations is setting them correctly. If you aren’t going to have fresh strawberries and candles out upon arrival, don’t show them in your listing photos!
Please don’t rush to get a listing posted. It’s so important that your listing is great when you launch. Do not just take basic photos and plan to go back and perfect them later. If you want to make updates or buy white linens, do that all before your photos are taken.
Creating The Best Possible Airbnb Listing
Once you have your listing photos ready, it’s time to get your listing published! Use your best 5 images as the first 5 photos. These should be a good variety that highlights the best selling points. That is your elevator pitch since most people won’t swipe past those. You can have full visual tours in the next 30-40 photos!
Make sure you use your listing description and other things to note section to include all of the details about your listing. Go through Airbnb’s questions and mark yes or no to various amenities.
Get Your House Manual Ready
It’s also very important that you have your Airbnb House Manual ready to go! I have a free template here. I don’t use fancy templates or even print my House Manual. It’s all in the Airbnb app, which allows me to make changes as needed and keeps it at my guests’ fingertips. Honestly, this is one of my secrets to success. It answers all questions in advance, and my guests love having all of that information well in advance of their Airbnb booking.
Opening Up Your New Airbnb Calendar
When you go live with your new Airbnb property, I would just open up for the next month or two right off the bat. That gives you time to look at the listing, share it with family and friends for quality feedback, and make changes after hosting your first guests. Then, you can open it up for 6-12 months out. I never have mine open more than a year in advance.
You Listed Your New Airbnb Property, Now What?
So, you did all of that and clicked publish on your new Airbnb listing. But now, what do you do? To be honest, it can initially feel like a big build-up to nothing because your listing may not show up in search results for a day or two. So, relax and celebrate what you have accomplished thus far because once it’s live, you are going to be an Airbnb host from here on out. Pour yourself a glass of champagne!
READ: What Is It Actually Like To Be An Airbnb Host?
While you wait for your first booking—or, really, your first inquiry—here are some things you can and should do!
#1 Make Sure Your Notifications Are On
First, make sure you have your Airbnb notifications on. I may be a little excessive, but I set up my notifications so that I receive the Airbnb push notification as well as both a text and an email when I receive an Airbnb message, inquiry, or booking. You can read more about the settings I use in my Guide To Becoming A Superhost.
If you have an instant booking, you may get a notification that a guest has booked. I only allow instant booking if they have prior good reviews, so adjust that setting as desired.
However, in many cases, your first message will be an inquiry with a question. My very first message was for a booking just days after I listed. My first guest inquiry asked me where he could ship an engagement ring the next day! So, do your best to answer any questions quickly and friendly. I do not recommend communicating off the platform, and I keep 100% of my guest communication in the Airbnb app.
READ: Protecting Your Peace, Property & Profits As An Airbnb Host
#2 Monitor Pricing & Adjust Rates
Depending on whether or not your destination is “in-season,” it may take a while to get your first Airbnb booking. Don’t fret! If it is the off-season or shoulder seasons, you can offer a discount to the first handful of bookings through Airbnb.
This is also a good time to offer a special discount for extended family or friends to stay at your place. I still have them book their stays through the App and often do a Special Offer through Airbnb. That way, they can help ensure all of your communication is straightforward and give you any necessary feedback.
Also, consider staying at your property as a guest would. I do this every few months at my places and it helps me make sure everything is where it should be and working properly!
As the days pass, spend time browsing other listings in the area. Review pricing and amenities. You can pick 5 similar listings and save them in a Favorites folder. Check them often to monitor pricing and bookings and get a feel for what you should expect.
Or consider using a product like PriceLabs to set your pricing. I am a Pricelabs ambassador, and when you sign up via my link, you get a free month trial, a market dashboard, and a $10 credit.
#3 Getting Ready For Your First Guest
You may have some bookings coming in, but now it’s time for your very first guest. You’ve got this! I have a post sharing my quick and friendly Airbnb Welcome Message that you are welcome to use!
If your new Airbnb has been empty for more than five days, I would have your cleaners come back for a fresh cleaning. I still do this before a guest arrives because while it stinks to have to pay for that, it’s even worse to get a bad review because of dust. And oftentimes, this occurs during the off-season when they got a good deal, making it a double whammy. In many of these instances, I often tell myself that it may have been better to just leave our place empty during that slower period.
On the day of arrival, I set the door code in my Airbnb smart lock and sent it to the guest in an Airbnb message as soon as our place was ready for them to check-in. I sent a follow-up message the next day (late morning) to make sure they got settled in ok.
Upon checkout, thank them for staying and ask them if they noticed anything that needed your attention. Also, they are likely aware that they are staying at a new Airbnb, so I would recommend thanking them for being your first guest and asking if they had any private feedback to share. Doing so often helps them keep it out of the actual Airbnb reviews and ratings.
#4 Your First Airbnb Review
The Airbnb review window opens later in the afternoon after a checkout. Airbnb prompts both the guest and host to leave a review. Neither of you can see each other’s Airbnb reviews until you leave one in return. If 14 days pass, the window to leave a review closes, and the review becomes public.
Often, your star rating won’t show up on Airbnb until you have received three reviews, so don’t worry if you don’t see it after your first one. There are some occasions where I choose not to leave a review. You can read about that in my blog post called Why Didn’t Your Airbnb Host Leave You A Review?
And that’s it! You have hosted your first Airbnb guest and are now officially an Airbnb host! I can’t promise that it’s always easy, but for me, it’s the best possible job. I appreciate the freedom and flexibility that it offers, and buying our vacation rentals has been one of the best financial decisions our family has made. I hope you decide to become a host on Airbnb and get your place listed!
More 2025 Airbnb Hosting Tips
If you liked this Airbnb hosting blog post, check out all of my other tips for Airbnb hosts! There is something for everyone from buying an Airbnb mattress to doing taxes for your Airbnb property. If you haven’t yet started, my Airbnb Buying Guides are very detailed oriented and sure to set you up on the right path.
Make sure to sign up for my Airbnb Hosting newsletter. I always post about new features on Airbnb, news, and links to my new Airbnb posts. Lastly, join my Facebook group for additional Airbnb hosting support and access to help from both myself and other seasoned Airbnb property owners.
Click here to view all of my Airbnb Hosting posts!
PIN: My New Airbnb Property For Later
