Airbnb occupies a very different place when it comes to accommodations. It's more formal than "letting your friend crash on your couch," but also not quite a stay at a hotel. Still, as it becomes more and more commonplace, guests have developed expectations about a certain level of service. Here are some ways to ready your home for an Airbnb guest.
- Clean Everything
Clean your home. Really, actually clean it. If you went to a B&B and the sink was full of dirty dishes, you'd be somewhere between angry and creeped out. - Make Sure It's Safe
You remember that scene in Parks & Recreation where April and Andy threw a Halloween party, and Ron spent the whole time repairing things like the "shock wire" in the bathroom? People are going to be in your house who don't know to look out for the shock wire. And if they're injured, not only will you feel really bad about it, they'll probably sue your pants off. Airbnb actually has a safety checklist to help with this. - Stock Up
When you stay at a hotel, you expect things like coffee, towels, soap, and more. Just because you throw your shirts in the dryer instead of ironing them doesn't mean that your guest is going to be okay with that. You need to have the necessities and amenities that come with being a guest. Plus, you need to have backups in case something goes wrong. - Wi-Fi
It's 2016. This should just go without saying. - Leave Instructions
You need to have some boundaries. If there's no smoking in the house, be explicit about that. If the neighbors across the hall of your apartment fight you over playing flamenco music at two in the morning, make sure your guests know not to do that. Tell them how to work the shower—because every shower on the planet is different, and there's nothing worse than standing on a cold tile floor while naked and confused trying to make the water turn on and heat up. - Look at Things Like a Guest
This is your home, but when you list on Airbnb, you can't look at it that way. You have to remove preconceived notions of familiarity from your mind. All the flaws that you've decided to find charming over the years are going to need to be patched up. If you can't find that perspective, find a friend whose opinion you trust (and who's honest with you) to come look for problems. - Disaster Prep
Maybe you're a grizzled old prospector who doesn't believe in first aid or a younger person who hasn't gotten around to buying a fire extinguisher yet. You need those things. You need bandages, smoke detectors, all that emergency "stuff." You need to make an emergency response plan. Frankly, you need most of these things whether you're renting your home out or not, but you especially need them when it's not just your safety that's on the line. - Make Your House Rules and House Manual
Airbnb gives you the option of adding house rules and a house manual to your listing. Given some of the horror stories that other people have had, we'd recommend that you go ahead and make those. Nobody wants to be a Debbie Downer, but nobody wants to replace the flooring because a huge puddle of vodka wrecked it over the course of a week, either. - Make Sure You're Squared Away With Others
Make sure you don't have an HOA that forbids this kind of thing. If you're in an apartment, know the building's policy on subletting, even if it's for only a weekend at a time. If you have roommates, write up an agreement about when and how often you can host. Make sure that your neighbors have the Airbnb Neighbor Hotline (1-888-927-4459) in case any problems arise while you are gone. Make sure you're aware of your tax obligations, and keep in mind that Airbnb reports income from their listings. - Consider additional Insurance
Airbnb has a $1,000,000 coverage policy, but people have had issues in the past. There are fewer issues now that some instances have made news headlines, but still—read the terms and conditions, and think about adding to your homeowner's or renters' insurance.
