Could use a little advice....

Mark Reitman

Rental Property Investor · Chicago, IL · Member since 2018 · 53 posts · 54 votes

3y

Hey Bruce, two things stood out for me:

1. All nights are listed at $129. If that's the rate for a weekend, it probably needs to be less on weeknights. If it's rented every weekend, maybe it could be higher Fri/Sat and then lower Sun-Thur. PriceLabs is well worth the small investment. You can set a base rate which it will then use to set rates for each night individually, based on current market demand. From there, PL has a ton of other customizations you can add as well.

2. I think professional photos would be a huge help and worthwhile investment.

6 Reply

Will FraserPro Member

Real Estate Broker · Salt Lake City & Oklahoma City · Member since 2018 · 3k+ posts · 2k+ votes

3y

Quote from @Bruce Woodruff:

@Will Fraser Thank you!

It's my pleasure, Bruce!

John UnderwoodPro Member

Investor · Greer, SC · Member since 2014 · 13k+ posts · 17k+ votes

3y

I would adjust price and minimum stay for those unbooked week days.

You could offer deals like book 3 get 4th free or stuff like that.

3 Reply

Bruce WoodruffPro Member

OP

Contractor/Investor/Consultant · San Diego / Phoenix · Member since 2021 · 12k+ posts · 15k+ votes

3y

@Mark Reitman Thank you! I will look at PL. And those are pro photos...do they not look good?

Bruce WoodruffPro Member

OP

Contractor/Investor/Consultant · San Diego / Phoenix · Member since 2021 · 12k+ posts · 15k+ votes

3y

Quote from @John Underwood:

I would adjust price and minimum stay for those unbooked week days.

You could offer deals like book 3 get 4th free or stuff like that.

Thanks @John Underwood How do you do that kind of deal?

Ken Boone

Investor · Greenville, SC · Member since 2015 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes

3y

Hey Bruce. Nice place. So here are a few thoughts that I had looking at it. Some of the pics do look dark, some look good. So the comments that someone made earlier about a pro photographer is understandable. Again, I just think some of the pics need a little help not all of them by any means. If it were my place this is what I would do.. I would make changes to the backyard area. I would replace the fencing with something that looked new and nice. I would probably replace the chain link with all wood where you can't see through the chain link fence in the back yard and make that area more of a private space.

Also agree with others.. when you book weekends and not weekdays and you know plenty of visitors are in town.. it usually comes down to pricing. You Sunday - Thursday rates need to be less than the weekends.

3 Reply

Mark Reitman

Rental Property Investor · Chicago, IL · Member since 2018 · 53 posts · 54 votes

3y

@Bruce Woodruff If you look at most professional STR/real estate photos, the walls and other things are straight. It looks like this photographer shot down, handheld, from eye level, making them crooked and not the best way to highlight the space (look at the edges of the pics especially). The rooms are also darker, with the lights and window views too bright. Someone using a tripod could use HDR or another method to balance that out, making the rooms show brighter without blowing out the light areas. I'd get it reshot.

Here's an example where everything is straight and they balanced the light and dark areas: https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/5...

4 Reply

Leslie Anne Morris

Real Estate Agent · Smoky Mountains, TN · Member since 2022 · 1k+ posts · 984 votes

3y

I had success going from 2 night min to 3 night min. My dynamic pricing will drop to a 2 night min when the nights are still available 5 days out.

4 Reply

Ryan MoyerBusiness Member

Property Manager · Orlando Kissimmee Davenport Salt Lake City, Park City · Member since 2019 · 991 posts · 1k+ votes

3y

Agree with the others on the photos not being great (too dark), and the need for dynamic pricing. On a specific note, while the idea of sitting by a creek in the back is nice, the photo of it (#19) is very unappealing. We're in November now but maybe next spring re-take that one when there is a little more color in the back yard?

Not sure if this will make a huge difference, but I'd maybe move some of the stronger points out of the wordy description and into a bullet-point style list. Reading the description reminded me a bit of writing an essay back in school where I was trying to pad the word count and put in a bunch of superfluous words and sentences. I don't think I'd have kept reading if I were someone searching for a place. Hard, stand-out bullet points with the highlights right at the top of the description, IMO. You need to grab them right away.

Cosmic Vacations4.9174 Reviews

Website View Page

Scott Mac

Austin, TX · Member since 2019 · 5k+ posts · 5k+ votes

3y

Great little house.

I can see why it's rented so much--it's very nice.

From the picks, the "Outdoor Grotto" with the sunbrella table looks more Ghetto than Grotto and does not keep with niceness of the rest of the house or the rest of the pics.

The table looks like trail dust has been on it forever, ditto the chairs, and the leaves look messy compared to the rest of the excellent house.

Maybe clean it up and get a blue new looking sunbrella (???) just to make it match the rest of the pics.

or (if you could get more money for the rental--upgrade the grotto to something that more matches the quality of the house.

But if it were mine, I'd probably just clean the area and take a new pic.

I can't see any weakness that would cause a weekday vacancy other than that might be the traffic pattern for that area.

You could always drop the weekday rent and see if you fill up. For instance if weekday rent would only pay half the amount of the weekend, at least you get something.

Las Vegas does this with rooms, cuts the price to the bone when they need to fill up.

Good Luck!

4 Reply

Michael BaumPro Member

Olympia, WA · Member since 2016 · 8k+ posts · 7k+ votes

3y

Hey @Bruce Woodruff! That is a nice looking place. I would add a bit more artwork to the bedrooms. They are kinda bland. Splashes of color etc.

I think the photos are OK, but as someone who took their own photos, I did use a tripod to level out the pics and a good DSLR.

The back yard could use some sprucing up. Is there a vine you could plant that would grow over the chain link fence that would survive in the area? Here in WA we have clematis going to town along our side yard chain link fence. Not sure if that would grow in the arid climate. What about a surface deck with a gazebo?

Now, I would make the minimum stay 3 days. That will help drive more days. You could refund an extra day for every 3 days you book. Or just block it off when they book 3 days if they want the extra day.

Bruce WoodruffPro Member

OP

Contractor/Investor/Consultant · San Diego / Phoenix · Member since 2021 · 12k+ posts · 15k+ votes

3y

Quote from @Ken Boone:

If it were my place this is what I would do.. I would make changes to the backyard area. I would replace the fencing with something that looked new and nice. I would probably replace the chain link with all wood where you can't see through the chain link fence in the back yard and make that area more of a private space.

I get what you mean, but the reason I like the see through fence is there is a creek that flows right there. I think it is a positive......

John UnderwoodPro Member

Investor · Greer, SC · Member since 2014 · 13k+ posts · 17k+ votes

3y

Quote from @Bruce Woodruff:

Quote from @John Underwood:

I would adjust price and minimum stay for those unbooked week days.

You could offer deals like book 3 get 4th free or stuff like that.

Thanks @John Underwood How do you do that kind of deal?

I have lowered my weekday rates and minimum stay especially for off season.

I have never offered the 1 free with 3 deal, but I have seen people that have.

Bruce WoodruffPro Member

OP

Contractor/Investor/Consultant · San Diego / Phoenix · Member since 2021 · 12k+ posts · 15k+ votes

3y

Thank you, @Michael Baum, @Scott Mac, @Ryan Moyer, @Leslie Anne Morris, @Mark Reitman, @Ken Boone and all. I will re-evaluate and definitely try the 3 night minimum. Keep those ideas coming!!

Bruce WoodruffPro Member

OP

Contractor/Investor/Consultant · San Diego / Phoenix · Member since 2021 · 12k+ posts · 15k+ votes

3y

Thanks, @John Underwood. There is not really an 'off-season' here. The people from the Valley make up 80% of visitors to the town. They come in the spring/summer to escape the heat and for Bluegrass Festival, Frontier Days, Rodeo, Etc, They come in the fall/winter for the snow, Christmas activities (it's called the Christmas City). And just generally for hiking. boating, fishing, biking and mountain town kinda stuff.

If you were to drive to the old Town Square right now, it would be packed with tourists. Every week, every weekend. That's why I don't get the complete lack of weekly guests when it's full every weekend. I don't think it's price based on my competition......?

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/4...

Steven Foster Wilson

Rental Property Investor · Columbus, OH · Member since 2017 · 3k+ posts · 3k+ votes

3y

Quote from @Bruce Woodruff:

Hey all - Thought I'd throw this out there.....One of our places is fully booked - but on weekends only. It has been booked every single weekend of the entire year. And that is great! However, we really need to get this booked up more in order for it to become more financially attractive. I'd like to have more weekly bookings.

The way it is making money now, we could get more by just doing a typical LTR, but I'd rather not do that.

It does cash flow (because we paid cash for it), but not like I want it to.

Does the listing look ok to you guys? Any ideas? This is close to a super popular area of a popular vacation city that is packed with visitors every week and weekend. We are also within walking distance to the local hospital, so I had thought of nurses or doctors...?

Any input greatly appreciated!

There is not a huge WOW factor. I think the backyard defiantly could be fixed up and made to look more appealing. Pictures are what really sell a place and the reviews.

Ken Boone

Investor · Greenville, SC · Member since 2015 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes

3y

Quote from @Bruce Woodruff:

Quote from @Ken Boone:

If it were my place this is what I would do.. I would make changes to the backyard area. I would replace the fencing with something that looked new and nice. I would probably replace the chain link with all wood where you can't see through the chain link fence in the back yard and make that area more of a private space.

I get what you mean, but the reason I like the see through fence is there is a creek that flows right there. I think it is a positive......

Yea I didn’t realize there was a creek there when I posted that. Especially if you have trout in the creek. ;)

Paul Sandhu

Investor · The worst town to live in, KS · Member since 2016 · 4k+ posts · 4k+ votes

3y

If you offer the weekend for $XXX dollars, offer the entire week for 1.5 x $XXX dollars. It a lower nightly rate, but you are getting more money each week. Besides, the place sits empty during the week.

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/4...

Bruce WoodruffPro Member

OP

Contractor/Investor/Consultant · San Diego / Phoenix · Member since 2021 · 12k+ posts · 15k+ votes

3y

Quote from @Steven Foster Wilson:

Quote from @Bruce Woodruff:

Hey all - Thought I'd throw this out there.....One of our places is fully booked - but on weekends only. It has been booked every single weekend of the entire year. And that is great! However, we really need to get this booked up more in order for it to become more financially attractive. I'd like to have more weekly bookings.

The way it is making money now, we could get more by just doing a typical LTR, but I'd rather not do that.

It does cash flow (because we paid cash for it), but not like I want it to.

Does the listing look ok to you guys? Any ideas? This is close to a super popular area of a popular vacation city that is packed with visitors every week and weekend. We are also within walking distance to the local hospital, so I had thought of nurses or doctors...?

Any input greatly appreciated!

There is not a huge WOW factor. I think the backyard defiantly could be fixed up and made to look more appealing. Pictures are what really sell a place and the reviews.

We have (46) 4.8 reviews on AIR, and (27) 4.8 reviews on VRBO so I think we're doing ok there. We never get complaints. But I agree it could be a little sexier :-)

John UnderwoodPro Member

Investor · Greer, SC · Member since 2014 · 13k+ posts · 17k+ votes

3y

Quote from @Bruce Woodruff:

Thanks, @John Underwood. There is not really an 'off-season' here. The people from the Valley make up 80% of visitors to the town. They come in the spring/summer to escape the heat and for Bluegrass Festival, Frontier Days, Rodeo, Etc, They come in the fall/winter for the snow, Christmas activities (it's called the Christmas City). And just generally for hiking. boating, fishing, biking and mountain town kinda stuff.

If you were to drive to the old Town Square right now, it would be packed with tourists. Every week, every weekend. That's why I don't get the complete lack of weekly guests when it's full every weekend. I don't think it's price based on my competition......?

Definitely check your competition. Look for the most sucessful ones booking weekdays and look at their location, pictures and descriptions to see if there is something your missing.

Leora Merrell

Rental Property Investor · Member since 2019 · 276 posts · 235 votes

3y

I really like the flooring. :) That’s first thing my eyes went to. But probably because I’m looking at flooring for a cabin we’re remodeling. Ha!
Anyway, the interior looks great. Lots of personality that matches the local area. Then I got to the yard pics…..it needs work. My eyes went straight to the mobile homes and trash in the backyard and straight to all the dirt on the side. Either get pics when the trees are filled in in the back or do a little something to spice it up. A nice looking fire pit outside would be inexpensive and have me booking in a heartbeat. We have one at all 6 of ours and it’s what I get the most comments on when it comes to exterior features. I really think it could look much more attractive for booking with a little bit of yard work. And highlight that deck! It looks awesome for relaxing and one of your guests even mentioned enjoying it. A little swing or some outdoor rockers and some pics of the deck with some hot mugs of coffee in the pic would be great.

Leora Merrell

Rental Property Investor · Member since 2019 · 276 posts · 235 votes

3y

Oh! Oh! Window covers would be nice too. Whether it’s curtains or blinds, it does not give any sense of privacy which is important to most guests.

Bruce WoodruffPro Member

OP

Contractor/Investor/Consultant · San Diego / Phoenix · Member since 2021 · 12k+ posts · 15k+ votes

3y

Quote from @Leora Merrell:

Oh! Oh! Window covers would be nice too. Whether it’s curtains or blinds, it does not give any sense of privacy which is important to most guests.

Aha, good catch! We do have curtains now. That photo was taken before we opened.... :-)