{"id":184413,"date":"2025-08-22T12:52:07","date_gmt":"2025-08-22T18:52:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/?p=184413"},"modified":"2025-08-22T12:52:55","modified_gmt":"2025-08-22T18:52:55","slug":"dont-rely-on-airbnbs-algorithm-to-make-you-rich","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/dont-rely-on-airbnbs-algorithm-to-make-you-rich","title":{"rendered":"Don&#8217;t Rely on Airbnb&#8217;s Algorithm to Make You Rich\u2014Do This to Keep Your Bookings Up Instead"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">This article is presented by <\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/hello.pricelabs.co\/?utm_source=biggerpockets&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=blog&amp;utm_term=august&amp;utm_content=airbnb_algo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">PriceLabs<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">I used to think<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> I was pretty skilled at pricing my <\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/short-term-rental-investing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">short-term rentals<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> (STRs).<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> After all, I\u2019ve been in real estate investing and STRs for years. I built a few successful listings, got Superhost status, and filled my calendar pretty consistently\u2014until I didn\u2019t.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Sometime in mid-2023, everything changed. My calendar looked like Swiss cheese. I was still getting view<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">s\u2026b<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">ut not bookings. I\u2019d toggle between Airbnb and Vrbo, refreshing obsessively. <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">I\u2019d lower my rate by $1<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">0\u2026t<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">hen $2<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">0\u2026t<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">hen $40.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Nothing.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">I wasn\u2019t just losing revenue and confidence. What I didn\u2019t know at the time was that I had already lost something else: <\/span><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">the market.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The Myth of the Smart Host<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Most STR hosts price their listings like they\u2019re trading baseball cards: by feel. You know what I mean:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u201cI looked at three similar homes nearby and copied their rates.\u201d<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u201cI raised my price for the holiday weekend.\u201d<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u201cI dropped it $20 because I saw someone else do it.\u201d<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u201cI\u2019m just trying to break even this month.\u201d<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">For a long time, those tactics worked. But 2023 and 2024 brought something the STR world hadn\u2019t faced before: a full-blown identity crisis.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Travel became unpredictable.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">High interest rates killed <\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/rental-property-cash-flow-analysis\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">cash flow<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Operating costs surged.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Guests booked later.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Supply exploded.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Demand got weird.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">In other words, your Airbnb is now in a completely different game. And your past techniques aren\u2019t invited to the new party.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">I Tried to Outthink the Market<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u2026 <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">and Lost<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">In the early days of hosting, I built a spreadsheet. I thought it was genius.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">It had comps from Airbnb, notes on local events, a color-coded calendar, and some light forecasting based on past years. I\u2019d spend two to three hours per week tweaking prices, adjusting for gaps, and <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">running math on<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> revenue. I was the king of the pricing world.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">But <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">my spreadsheet wasn\u2019t built<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> to respond to sudden changes in demand. It didn\u2019t notice when a local festival sold out. It didn\u2019t react to booking trends, competition increases, or short lead times. It didn\u2019t know when to hold firm, and when to cut deep.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">So when I finally had my wake-up call (three unbooked weekends in a row), I stopped spreadsheeting my way to nowhere and started looking for help.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Meet PriceLabs: The Revenue Tool Serious Hosts Use<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Someone in a Facebook group said, \u201c<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/hello.pricelabs.co\/?utm_source=biggerpockets&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=blog&amp;utm_term=august&amp;utm_content=airbnb_algo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">PriceLabs<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> saved my summer.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">I\u2019d heard of it before, but always brushed it off. Sounded complicated. Probably expensive. I assumed it was only for big-time property managers or urban luxury condos.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">But then I saw what it did:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">PriceLabs pulls real-time market data from your exact area.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">It updates your prices daily, based on demand, seasonality, and your market.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">It utilizes custom rules, pacing strategies, and occupancy goals to create a pricing strategy tailored to you, not just the market.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">It even lets you view Market Dashboards, allowing you to scout other cities before investing or optimize your current listing with real context.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">I signed up and connected my listing. Within minutes, it had flagged several nights I had undervalued by over $80. It also told me my minimum stay rule was hurting me midweek. I hadn\u2019t seen that coming.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The results? By the end of the month, I had filled in most of my gaps and grossed $1,200 more than the previous 30 days.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">All I did was let it work.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Your Time Is Worth More Than a Calendar Refresh<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Here\u2019s the real kicker: Using PriceLabs didn\u2019t just help me earn more, it gave me back my time.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">I stopped refreshing Airbnb five times a day. I stopped second-guessing every rate drop. <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">I stopped wondering if I was <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">just<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> pricing myself out of the market or leaving money on the table.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The system just worked. No more \u201cset it and forget it\u201d or \u201cpanic and pray.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Instead, I had data-driven pricing logic working 24\/7 behind the scenes. I can focus on enhancing the guest experience, improving the property, and growing the business, not fighting the algorithm.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">What Most Hosts Still Don\u2019t Understand<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Let\u2019s zoom out for a second. The most successful short-term rental owners aren\u2019t those with the prettiest decor or the best Instagram presence. They\u2019re the ones who operate like pros behind the scenes.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">They understand something hobbyists don\u2019t: <\/span><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">You don\u2019t make money hosting. You make money by optimizing.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">You can\u2019t afford to wing it anymore. Not with 10,000+ new listings being added to Airbnb every month. Not with travel patterns changing weekly. And not with high-interest debt and thin margins.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">If you want to survive the next wave of STR ownership and actually thrive in it, you need better tools.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">How to Get Started with PriceLabs (BiggerPockets Style)<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">You don\u2019t need to be techy.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">You don\u2019t need to manage dozens of listings.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">You <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">just<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> need to want to earn more with less stress.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Here\u2019s what you get with <\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/hello.pricelabs.co\/?utm_source=biggerpockets&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=blog&amp;utm_term=august&amp;utm_content=airbnb_algo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">PriceLabs<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Dynamic pricing engine:<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> Recommends prices and automatically updates your rates every day.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Market dashboards:<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> See what real hosts are earning in your area before you buy.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Custom rules: <\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Set minimum stays, price floors, and pacing strategies to fit your goals.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Portfolio insights:<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> Manage one property (or hundreds) with precision.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Cost: <\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">$20\/month per property.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">And for what you\u2019ll make back in just one booking? That\u2019s the biggest no-brainer since \u201cBuy real estate and wait.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Final Thought: The Market Doesn\u2019t Care About Your Gut<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">In this economy, the STR owners who succeed aren\u2019t the ones with the best gut feeling; they\u2019re the ones who replaced their gut instinct with data.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">With <\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/hello.pricelabs.co\/?utm_source=biggerpockets&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=blog&amp;utm_term=august&amp;utm_content=airbnb_algo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">PriceLabs<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">, that data is finally affordable, actionable, and automated.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">If you\u2019re still trying to run your Airbnb like it was 2019, you\u2019re not just behind; you\u2019re getting beaten by hosts who have adopted the new playbook.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">And this is your invitation to join them.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This article is presented by PriceLabs. I used to think I was pretty skilled at pricing my short-term rentals (STRs). After all, I\u2019ve been in real estate investing and STRs [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":613755,"featured_media":184406,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7271],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-184413","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-short-term-rentals"],"acf":[],"comment_count":0,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/184413","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/613755"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=184413"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/184413\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/184406"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=184413"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=184413"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=184413"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}