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Last Updated on September 9, 2026 by Sarah
I recently got asked a great question in my Airbnb hosting group, and I wanted to answer it 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 Airbnb 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!
I am Sarah, and 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 they can run profitable Airbnbs without all the busywork.
Anticipating guests’ needs is crucial to creating a seamless experience with fewer pain points and fewer messages. This matters 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
QUICK LINK: Are you ready to create your new Airbnb listing? Click here to get started on Airbnb!
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 have your property fully furnished and ready for guests.
Why? Well, your 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.
My room-by-room Airbnb Setup Checklist should help you make sure that you have everything you need ready to go inside your new Airbnb rental property!
In fact, before I publish a new Airbnb listing, I have my cleaners do a full clean before I take photos, so 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 key ring, and keep them in my cleaner’s closet for reference.
Your listing photos should show exactly how it will look when guests arrive at your Airbnb property!
One thing I see mediocre Airbnb hosts do is over-stage, which often leads to guest disappointment upon arrival!
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 won’t have fresh strawberries and candles out upon arrival, don’t show them in your listing photos!
Please don’t rush to post a listing. 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, find the perfect dining room tables and chairs, or buy new white linens, do that before you take your Airbnb listing photos.
Creating the Best Possible Airbnb Listing
Once your listing photos are ready, it’s time to publish your listing! 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 your listing description and other things to note section include all 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 important to 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 questions in advance, and my guests love having all that information before they arrive at our Airbnb.
Opening Up Your New Airbnb Calendar
When you go live with your new Airbnb property, I’d open your Airbnb calendar 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 8-12 months out. I never have mine open more than a year in advance, but in my Airbnb Calendar Guide, I share some exceptions where you may want to open it up earlier
RELATED POST: How To Price Your New Airbnb Listing
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 Airbnb Notifications Are On
First, make sure your Airbnb notifications are on. I may be a little excessive, but I set up my notifications so I receive an Airbnb push notification, plus a text and an email, when I get an Airbnb message, inquiry, or booking. I also love wearing an Apple Watch to ensure I don’t miss a message!
You can read more about the settings I use in my Guide To Becoming A Superhost.
If you have instant booking enabled, you may get a notification when a guest books. I only allow instant booking if they have prior good reviews, so adjust that setting as desired. I like to send my short and friendly Airbnb welcome message as soon as a guest books.
However, in many cases, your first message will be an inquiry with a question. My very first Airbnb guest 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!
Just do your best to answer any questions quickly and in a friendly manner. I do not recommend communicating off the platform, and I keep 100% of my guest communication in the Airbnb app.
RELATED POST: 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 stay at each of my Airbnb rentals in Seacrest Beach, Florida every few months, 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.
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 to 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 Airbnb 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 when you get your first Airbnb booking.
If your new Airbnb has been empty for more than four or five days, I would have your cleaners come back for a fresh cleaning. I still do this before a guest arrives, and while it stinks to have to pay for it, it’s even worse to get a bad review because of dust.
Often, this happens during the off-season when they got a good deal, making it a double whammy. In many of these instances, I tell myself it may have been better to 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 via Airbnb message as soon as our place was ready for check-in. I send a follow-up message the next day (late morning) to make sure they got settled in okay.
Upon checkout, thank them for staying and ask them if they noticed anything that needed your attention.
They’re likely aware they are staying at a brand new Airbnb, so I recommend thanking them for being your first guest and asking if they have 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 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. Sometimes I choose not to leave a review. You can read about that in my blog post, 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 being an Airbnb host is 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 an Airbnb host and get your new rental property listed!
More 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 started yet, my Airbnb Buying Guides are very detailed and will set you on the right path.
Make sure to sign up for my Airbnb Hosting newsletter. I always post about new Airbnb features, 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
Thank you for the excellent post. I was wondering – how reliable and accurate is pricelabs? I understand you’re a brand ambassador, so you’ll probably lean favorably. But I would still like to get some insights about your experience using Pricelabs. Have you compared it with other dynamic pricing?
Price Labs is the leader in this area and I have a lot of people in my Airbnb hosting Facebook group that use it and love it. I have used it in the past, and it’s very easy to use. I have not tried other tools and do not use it currently only because I have been self managing our rentals for years now and very tuned in to our market’s pricing and my price history. But, if you are newer, or don’t have the time to really dig deep and monitor pricing, it is a really great tool! I would do the trial and decide for yourself!