A Day in the Life of an Airbnb Host

In the short-term rental industry, an Airbnb host must be agile, dynamic, and experienced in dealing with people from all walks of life. The job of being an Airbnb host is so much more than someone who simply collects the rent. If you’re curious to know what these champions go through on a daily basis, then read on.

Guest communications

When an Airbnb host wakes up to start their day, this is one of the first things on their mind. Not only must they check booking enquiries, they must also respond to other important matters that knows no schedule. There is no telling as to when guests might contact them. If a pipe breaks in the middle of the night or if some guests have locked themselves out of the apartment at the break of dawn, an Airbnb host must be ready to respond and deliver to the needs and requests at any moment’s notice.

Urgent maintenance issues

The second on this list is urgent maintenance issues. If left unattended, Airbnb property maintenance and snags are one of those things that creep up on you. If there is a clogged sink or a broken toilet flush, there is great urgency to address these issues right away. If not, it might lead to unhappy guests who share their experience when leaving a rating on the host’s Airbnb listing.

Housekeeping

Let’s say everything is running smoothly and no guest has made any special enquiries and nothing broke in the middle of the night, the typical day of an Airbnb host would include cleaning. Cleaning in a way that is meticulous and up to Airbnb’s Enhanced Clean Protocol’s standard. This means vacuuming, mopping, wiping, and making everything spotless and sanitised for the next guests’ arrival.

The linen must also be changed and perfectly clean as part of the Airbnb management service. Most guests would appreciate brand new sheets and pillowcases that have been laundered and ironed instead of ones that show some wear. Housekeeping also includes accounting for all the items within the home and making sure that nothing is missing and all the supplies for the next guests have been replenished.

Other tasks

An Airbnb host must also track how much rental income they are making as well as taking care of their listing.

Keeping track of your property’s performance means taking everything spent on the property into account in order for it to be an accurate reflection of its revenue. This means tabulating all the details including how much was spent on new linens, cleaning, repairs, inspections, and so forth so you can deduct them from the rental payment you received in total.

An Airbnb host will also have to take care of how the property is being marketed and positioned. Good photography plays a crucial role in a listing’s performance so an Airbnb host will also have to ensure photos of the property look professional and competitive enough for the market. Adjusting the nightly rates will also have to be done while considering the season, day of the week, and the prices of other listings in the area.

To be a successful Airbnb host requires a wide variety of skills. They are organised, knowledgeable in the ins and outs of the short-term rental space, and are flexible as well as reactive.