Welcome back to the Hosting Hotline! This is an Ask Me Anything where each week we’ll answer your questions on Airbnb, STRs, real estate, and everything in between.

Ingrid from Columbus asks:

What is your advice on guests wanting to bring rentals to our property, such as bounce houses and pop-up tents & chairs? What safety issues should we be concerned with?

Extra thanks to Justin Ford from Breezeway for his expertise on this question.

Thanks to everyone who submitted questions. To hear your voice on the show and send a question to Sarah and Annette, visit Speakpipe.com/ThanksforvisitingAMA

Thanks for Visiting is produced by Crate Media.

It’s time for #strsharesunday! Today we are sharing Little Wolf Lodge

This 1930s cabin is located in Crestline, California.

We love that they have not one, but TWO original fireplaces: one in the main gathering area, and one in the primary bedroom!

We also love that in their listing, they said they take organization and aesthetics very seriously, and they show their kitchen utensils as an example. These kitchen utensils are all black (and they are super chic!) We love how they've woven this in: remember... you CAN make things organized, practical, AND aesthetically pleasing!

Finally, we love how nicely they've used the mirrors in their home to take reflections of what else is in the room. It's a really different, artistic way of showcasing their space!

Well done Little Wolf Lodge! Go check them out and give them some love!

Little Wolf Lodge on Instagram

Little Wolf Lodge on AirBnB

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We would love to feature YOU, so don’t forget to use #STRShareSunday to get your...

Today you’ll hear from a woman who left behind her corporate career for hosting. While it's hard to do, we've heard that story before. But here's a story you haven't heard; she made it her priority to get 70% direct booking, and in this episode, shares how she did it.

Kerri Gibson is a CPA who spent the first 22 years of her career in international technology and development for tax and accounting firms. She has worked as an advisor to the Obama administration on tax legislation and was twice named one of the most influential CPAs under the age of 40 in the USA. After experiencing burnout, Kerri reevaluated her career and priorities. In 2017, she pivoted to the hospitality and real estate investment sector, including short-term rentals, and discovered her passion for entrepreneurship, hospitality, and design. 

Chalets Hygge, founded in 2017 by Kerri and her partner Philippe, has become a recognizable short-term rental brand in Quebec, Canada. They have built a brand that...

Welcome back to the Hosting Hotline! This is an Ask Me Anything where each week we’ll answer your questions on Airbnb, STRs, real estate, and everything in between.

This week’s question:

What advice and information do you have for hosting pets; specifically dogs?

Thanks to everyone who submitted questions. To hear your voice on the show and send a question to Sarah and Annette, visit Speakpipe.com/ThanksforvisitingAMA

Resources:

• Pet Hair Dryer Sheets
• Pet Microfiber Towel

Thanks for Visiting is produced by Crate Media.

It's time for #strsharesunday! Today we are sharing Cedar Mountain View

Amanda and Nathan host this gorgeous spot in Tennessee!

A few things we want to point out

This is a family friendly rental! They have some great games of all shapes and sizes to play. They have foosball, air hockey, some arcade games, and a giant Connect 4 set! Games like this can be fun for children and adults alike and are super interactive!

We love the amazing decals on their stairs. It's a little design element that just shows the guests that you're paying attention, that you're into design. And also it's probably a safety feature too, giving you a little bit of a contrast to the stairs and getting up there!

Amanda writes handwritten notes to all of her guests, and we absolutely just adore that.

Listeners, if you don't provide any games, this is your sign to buy some games, even if it's a deck of cards

Get something in case the guest staying at your home wants something to do that's not in their normal...

Who doesn’t want to book more guests? Jeff Brown is a self proclaimed data geek. He co-founded Loma Homes, a vacation rental company that focuses on unique experiences and themes. Jeff saw the need for better data to optimize his properties and therefore created IntelliHost as an internal tool to help him grow his STR business. IntelliHost is the first platform to show you the entire Airbnb search funnel and how you’re performing in each step. Their mission is to empower hosts to make data driven decisions that optimize their listings and earn more Airbnb revenue.

This episode is juicy. You’ll learn how you can improve your Airbnb booking funnel by paying attention to four things that could be keeping people from booking your property. In this episode, Jeff breaks down the Airbnb search funnel and how to show up in results, how to optimize your property for Airbnb’s filter, Airbnb’s algorithm for determining relevance, tips for launching a brand new...

Welcome back to the Hosting Hotline! This is an Ask Me Anything where each week we’ll answer your questions on Airbnb, STRs, real estate, and everything in between.

Zach asks:

What tools do you use when researching potential short-term rentals to help influence a purchasing decision on a new property?

Thanks to everyone who submitted questions. To hear your voice on the show and send a question to Sarah & Annette, visit Speakpipe.com/ThanksforvisitingAMA

Resources:

• STR Insights
• PriceLabs

Thanks for Visiting is produced by Crate Media.

It's time for #strsharesunday! Today we are sharing Riverside Retreat

First of all, go check out their instagram feed because they have some SERIOUSLY amazing reels.

One of them is basically screen sharing their listing as well as other Airbnb listings in their area, and we thought it was a really genuine way to showcase themselves and other hosts! It's essentially taking all of the photos and giving someone a very concise feel of their listing of what they would see on Airbnb.

Another thing that they did that was lovely (and we want to encourage everyone to take inspiration from them) is they have a reel all about small businesses in their community! They've screenshotted their best coffee shops and basically made a call-to-action to guests to visit their favorite hidden gems and small businesses in the city. We love businesses supporting businesses

They also ask those small businesses in the area that might want to partner with them to reach out. This is someone's dream to...

Andi Diamond Bennett is an on-the-go mom of two, wife, portrait photographer, co-owner of 10 STRs, and co-owner of Sunburst Inn which was just renovated and featured on HGTV's 100 Day Dream Home: Beachfront Hotel. She lives in Tampa, FL and her properties are all in Indian Shores and Indian Rocks Beach, FL. 

Today, Andi sits down with us to spill the beans about her whirlwind television journey, from her hotel being bought for teardown, to making over a million dollars in revenue this year. She’s living so many short-term rental hosts’ dream of being a television talent and hotelier, but the truth is that it’s not all fun and glamorous. 

We talk about the highs and lows of her journey, how she manages multiple properties and a full-time job, as well as how she got on HGTV’s 100-Day Dream Home. She also shares behind-the-scenes secrets of the entire process – including the benefits of being featured on the show, sharing the unique marketing...

Welcome back to the Hosting Hotline! This is an Ask Me Anything where each week we’ll answer your questions on Airbnb, STRs, real estate, and everything in between.

Today’s question:

I’m going to start listing my house’s mother-in-law suite on Airbnb. But, it’s a daylight basement, in an old house with quirks (and charm), and frequent noise from kids and pets. What is the best way to list this and disclose the negatives while highlighting the positives?

Thanks to everyone who submitted questions. To hear your voice on the show and send a question to Sarah and Annette, visit Speakpipe.com/ThanksforvisitingAMA

Resources:

• Noise Machine
• Thanks for Visiting Storefront

Thanks for Visiting is produced by Crate Media.