25 Steps to Putting Your Home on Airbnb

25 Steps to Putting Your Home on Airbnb

Anyone who owns a home has wondered whether it’s worth the time and effort to list your home on Airbnb. Here are 25 things you have to do before and after listing your home.

Research

• Learn about occupancy requirements
• Obtain necessary permits
• Check with your HOA or co-op
• Decide how much of your property to rent and when to rent it

Sorting out finances

• Look at other homes listed in your area to benchmark price
• Calculate your break-even and profit margins
• Make a plan for paying taxes
• Does your homeowners’ insurance cover short-term rentals? Secure additional or different insurance if not
• Don’t count on vacation rental income when refinancing a mortgage loan

Getting your place rental-ready

• Complete as many upgrades as possible
• Consider security
• Make the rental area as nice as possible: clean, attractive
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Preparing to post

• Read and commit to hosting standards
• Take pictures
• Write your headline and description
• Decide on any rules for guests
• Create a guest binder
• Stock up on bulk supplies
• Arrange for cleaning
• Figure out entry and exit
• List your home

After the listing

• Respond quickly to questions
• Screen guests
• Pay attention to reviews
• Be an attentive (but not hovering) host