How to Manage an Airbnb Property Out of Town
By Investor Forms
If you are thinking about joining the wonderful network of Airbnb property owners, then you need to decide how you will manage your property. This is especially important if you live away from your vacation rental property, but it can also be important if you do not want to mess with all the details of renting your property. In either case, you will need to create a plan allowing you to know exactly what you are going to do in different circumstances.
Caring For Your Property Long Distance
In order to earn good Airbnb reviews, you need to take proper care of your property. While many new owners start out by visiting the property ensuring that everything is ready for their first guests, that does not cover the recurring tasks that must be completed on an ongoing basis.
Landscaping
One of the factors that you need to think about is the landscaping. Keeping the grass mowed and the trees pruned can be done by hiring someone to do needed tasks regularly. Of course, that means that you must be able to trust the company that you hire to keep the property spruced up perfectly without you being there on a regular basis.
Cleaning
You also need to consider who will clean the property. While over 90 percent of your guests will leave your property in great shape, it will still need a complete cleaning between guests. As with landscaping, you can hire someone even when you are not present, but you must be able to trust them to do a great job without any supervision.
Emergency Repairs
One of the most important factors that you will need to figure out is who will do emergency repairs. Things are going to break at the most inopportune moment. You can try to hire a professional without being there, but that often requires time and effort. You can also try to talk a friend or relative into taking care of these emergency repairs, but relying on them too often can cause stress even in the best relationships.
How to Handle Guest Check-Ins and Check-Outs
If you live away from the property, then you need to consider how you will check guests in and out. You can try leaving the key at a local business in smaller communities, but that requires you to trust each employee that they hire with access to your business. You can also put up a lock box with a combination lock where guests can obtain the key, but you must be prepared to deal with the guest who accidentally walks off with the key. There are many type of electronic lock solutions on the market, but which one can you trust?
The Best Solution
You can earn a lot of money by listing your property on Airbnb if you manage the property properly. Often the best solution is to hire an [Airbnb property management company][/]. That way, you know that you always have a professional working at your side. They can hire and supervise professional landscapers and cleaners. They can take care of emergency repairs or find a professional to do the repairs. Furthermore, they can take care of check-ins and outs. We can also take care of a host of other duties including marketing your property, qualifying the guests staying there and running your customer relationship program. The amazing news is that you will only pay 20 percent of your rental fee to hire an Airbnb property management company, which pays for itself with the higher booking rates we typically achieve.