Bought an existing STR, Transition and timing help!

[Alex Todd]

BPers! We're 1031x a long term SFH into an STR and couldn't be more excited about it! Our first jump into STR land. As part of the 1031x, we have an extended close date and with this the seller has asked that we honor current bookings until close date + 1 month (takes us to end of September), which we accepted as a term on the offer.

My questions are around the cutover and how to do it as smooth as possible : All bookings up until End of September will route through current Airbnb listing (and property mgmt team) and starting Oct 1, they would see/book/use/cutover to our new listing/account.  

How soon should we have a new Airbnb account and listing created with backend systems in place?  Seeing as we want to update the listing that people can view (new pictures, language, branding, etc) BUT won't have the keys or own the property until closing...what do y'all think the best way to do this is?

Anything else that should be top of mind for the transition period?

Addtl points : 
1. We wont be retaining the current property mgmt team and self hosting, while keeping all local staff (Cleaners, handyman, etc) in place.

2. Current STR is performing and is being bought turnkey and fully furnished.

Thanks in advance!

[Andrew Steffens]

As a Property Manager I encounter this often.  There are 2 options:

1 - Right at the point of closing you have current PM contact all forward bookings of forward beyond a certain date and have Airbnb cancel and refund all guests.  Your new link will also be provided to them to rebook.  There is no transferring bookings, they cancel and refund and give the option to rebook.

2 - Second option is to have the current PM block out calendar beyond a certain date, and your new listing to be block up until that date and then open beyond the transition date.  It is not a problem with Airbnb to do it this way as far as I know because I have done it dozens of times.

Congrats and best of luck!