New to Real Estate · Pittsburgh · Member since 2019 · 10 posts · 2 votes
Hello! My parents and I are new to the AirBNB community. Our first inquiry is a couple who wishes to stay in this single family home for 3 to 6 months for work. This would be our first guests to stay in this home through AirBNB. Does anyone have advice as to going about a longer term rental like this? To my understanding, you can still go through AirBNB but also have the guests sign a short term rental agreement separately. I want to be sure we go about this the right way if we are to accommodate this guest. Thank you for any advice!
Real Estate Agent · Hartford, CT · Member since 2019 · 12 posts · 14 votes
6y
Hey @Jennifer Maiolo - I am an Airbnb host in CT so things are a bit different than your market I'm sure but I have had 2 instances this past year where the guests each wanted to rent for ~5 months through Airbnb. The first guests were baseball players coming into town for the season to play for a minor league team and the second group was a set of interns that would just be in the area for a semester. I make sure they have reviews on the system and try to hop on the phone or a Skype chat first to show them the place but also get a good sense of if this will be a good relationship. I haven't taken it off of Airbnb yet and don't have plans to but I do plan to speak with a lawyer and draw up a separate supplemental contract as my Airbnb is growing rapidly and I feel like the extra level of protection couldn't hurt.
I've found it a fantastic way to find great tenants who are not in a position to sign a traditional 1 yr lease. My baseball players ended up leaving a week early and it was an easy adjustment that immediately allowed me to get guests in to fill the gaps. They're referring another round of players this year, too! Overall, a win-win for all parties involved so far. The Airbnb protections have been great for me so far as well and give me more peace of mind than what I have with my traditional leased tenants.
Rental Property Investor · La Place, LA · Member since 2014 · 109 posts · 82 votes
6y
As usual @Paul Sandhu is spot on. Check with the local motels that offer weekly rates and the nicer extended stay hotels. This will give you the best idea of what to charge. Aim to not only give workers a great stay but save them a little per diem. This is why they travel and you'll quickly get a reputation for being the go-to place to stay for the plant nearby. As far as a background check I don't waste my time. I treat it more like a hotel stay. One thing that could be a good idea is charging a cleaning fee up front. There are also some great Facebook groups associated with this niche.
Investor · The worst town to live in, KS · Member since 2016 · 4k+ posts · 4k+ votes
5y
@Robert Howard I have them sign the Square app on my phone after I swipe their credit card for the weeks rent. Trying to enforce a STR agreement with travelling workers is like trying to push a rope.