42 | The “What If” Episode | with Jesse Gross

Listen Now:

Do you have burning questions about starting up your first short term rental? What if your tenants throw a big party? What if someone gets hurt? The questions are endless!

We had the pleasure of meeting Jesse Gross, CEO and co-founder of Makomi, which is a short term rental management company. He has so much experience, because they manage properties from all over.

We’re going to talk about the “What If’s” that could happen to your property, and hopefully put your mind at ease!

What if you get a call from a neighbor and there’s a massive party?

• Call the police. This is something that happens outside of Airbnb as well, and you don’t want to go there in person and try to break it up yourself. Put safety first. The police report will also be a key part of your claims process.
• How can you prevent or minimize the chances of this happening? Screen your guests. Be wary of people with 0 reviews or strange profile pictures. Ask follow up questions, like whether or not they read and understand the rules. Make sure to set the expectations and rules very clearly. Store valuables and make sure you are insured.

What if I’ve accumulated a ton of stuff, but I still want to open my house up to guests?

• Feel free to! The beauty of Airbnb is that people want different things. It’s not about making things look perfect, but make sure you are setting expectations clearly. Take accurate pictures.

What if a guest goes a little overboard with the amenities?

• This is a grey area. It can be frustrating, but excessive can be hard to define. If there is damage, obviously file a claim. But if your AC bill is high, that’s going to be your call. Give clear rules and guidelines, and let people know to treat it as their home. Most people will follow that.

What if your guest does not want to leave the property?

• This is extremely rare! Jesse has not had to deal with this yet, but he has had to think through this. Call the authorities, your job is not evicting people, and there is a process for that. Then move on and turn to your next guest.

Resources:

• Find them at www.makomi.com
• E-mail and get in touch at [email protected]
• #STRShareSunday: @peachstatepad