How to become an Airbnb host

So, you have a batch or apartment that you want to rent out to Airbnb guests, but you don’t know where to begin? Read this article to learn how!

According to Nerdwallet, before you go listing your property on Airbnb, you should first consider:

• Investing in your Airbnb space (including spending money on amenities that will make your property more appealing to guests) 
• Getting permission from your landlord, co-op board, or homeowner's association to rent out your space. If you are renting, then your lease should already include a part about subletting, so make sure you check this out first!
• Research other Airbnbs in your area and settle on a competitive (but well-selected) rate
• You could hire or enlist some help to manage emails and maintenance. This could be a co-host or an Airbnb company (such as Zodiak Management)

As BnB Duck says, the first step to becoming a host on Airbnb is to list your property. You must select:

• The type of place you want to list eg. the Entire Place, a Private Room or Shared Room.
• The number of guests you are willing to accommodate
• The name of your city

Next are your property details. You must select:

• What type of property you have eg. Unit, house, apartment, B & B, etc
• Then narrow down your property type eg. cottage, barge, townhouse

Following this, inform Airbnb of your intentions. Eg. Is your Airbnb a business or hobby? And is it made for guests, or will you keep your personal belongings in your rental?

Then we move on to: 

• How many guests your property can accept, how many bedrooms you have, and how many beds on the property
• Also, include a description of the types of beds in each room, and in other spaces eg. a fold-out bed in the living room
• Then you select how many bathrooms your property has. Note: a bathroom without a bath/shower is considered half a room
• Then you need to select the location where your property is located and confirm your location is pinned correctly on the map. 

Following this, you select: 

• What amenities you offer from the list of essentials (which you must provide) 
• Optional extras such as wifi and a television (that will tempt guests to stay)
• Safety amenities such as smoke detectors, locks, and a first aid kit
• Next, you have to select what spaces your property includes eg. gym, parking, kitchen

Now it’s time to add in some photos! 

• You can take your own photos, but if you’re not a great photographer then it’s worth investing in a professional photographer to get the best possible pictures. Because we all know that the pictures are probably going to be the difference between someone booking your place or not booking!
•  15- 20 photos is a good amount for an Airbnb property but make sure you display your best/most important photos first to grab potential guest's attention. 

After this comes a 500-word bio to draw people into your property: 

• Make sure to let the guests know what charms your property offers and why they should stay there! 
• In the next step, you must also give your property a name. Remember to use abbreviations and describing words, but leave capitals out of it. 

Finally, it’s time to finish your listing! 

• The last steps are to write an Airbnb description, including information such as check-in, the neighbourhood, and any other important details. 
• Then you pick the booking settings such as Instant Book 
• You can also write your Airbnb policies and upload the house rules. 
• This also includes a section for guest requirements. 
• Then you have to set the pricing including the nightly rate, the currency, and any discounts. 
• You can also include the minimum and maximum stay length. 
• Then you fill out the availability options such as check-in and check-out times and calendar syncing. 
• Lastly, you go through laws and taxes (it’s boring, but it must be done)!

So now you know how to create your own Airbnb listing, what are you waiting for? This process does take half an hour to an hour to complete. But once you’ve completed it, your listing will be published immediately, and you can start to accept bookings! You can get started hosting on Airbnb here or join a management company like Zodiak Management, and we can manage your listings for you while you relax, and let the profit roll in.