Someone ask to see your property before booking?

Question

Had a guest inquire about staying at our home. They have local friends in the area and asked if they can see the house before booking. No reviews or cover photo. Wants to stay six days. Gut tells me this sounds a little sketchy....

Ethan Cooke · Answer

@Mark Futalan - I have 9 furnished rentals in San Francisco and just south, and the minimum stay is 30 days. If a credible guest who wants to stay 3+ months asks to see a place, I will make it happen. I have done this just a few times, and usually they book the place. Last time I showed a place, the guest booked for 6 months. It was WELL worth my time!

Paul Sandhu · Answer

In my situation it goes without saying that the potential renters want to see the place first.  They are travelling contractors at a refinery.  The normal thing for them is to stay in a motel where they are working.  Motels are pretty much the same, 2 beds and a bathroom.

They've never stayed in a furnished house before, so they want to see what it's like before they stay.  Maybe 1 out of every 20 groups people say "We'll take it" as soon as I open the door and they walk into the man-cave living room.  The other 19 groups need to see the kitchen and the bedrooms first.  Once they see the bedrooms, the arguments start over who gets which one.  Bedrooms are PG13, R, and NC17.  People want the NC17's, but I have to keep a few PG13's to keep the cleaning lady happy.

People that don't want to see the houses first are my repeat customers that have stayed in 2 or more places before. They know that they'll get something good sight unseen.

Eric A. · Answer

@Mark Futalan I decline every time. Complete waste of time and we are not local in very market we are in.

Luke Carl · Answer

@Mark Futalan No Chance. Decline.

Kevin Lefeuvre · Answer

Did once years ago and decided to never wasting time again : it's not our business model. The cost of time spent is not in our business model. Do we ask local friends to check a hotel room for a 6 days stay?  We rely on reputation and published materials.  Same thing here.

My response : This place is always fully booked, just like right now.  Sorry won't be able to bother my guests to arrange showing.

Mark Futalan · Answer

Thank you all for your input. I passed on it. Luckily guest can’t instant book on Airbnb because they haven’t met my booking requirements.

Bruno C. · Answer

I allowed a guest who was going to have his family there, but I required him to book first before making that happen. Once they booked (with a flexible booking) it gave me confidence they were serious, and the 30 minutes I spent with them was fine - they were perfectly good guests and treated the place well. They had a very specific situation for visiting the place. However, as others have said proceed with caution.

Julie McCoy · Answer

I'd say no.  Might be innocuous, but it's a waste of your time at best, and at worst they might be casing the place.  You've got photos, they should make their choice based on them and the rest of the information you provide just like all the other guests do.

Lisa Graesser · Answer

I have done that in the past and won't do it again, I think they are just shopping around. Tell them that you currently have renters and are unable to show it and that your pictures are a good indication of what to expect.

Someone ask to see your property before booking?

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