AirBnB in city of LA

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AirBnB in city of LA

J Brendan
Los Angeles · Member since 2020 · 5 posts · 0 votes

Hey everybody. So I'm a recent graduate living in LA- I've been here for about a year. I'd like to rent a 3 bedroom, 2 bath apartment with in unit washer and dryer. I'd live in the master (with ensuite bathroom), and then put the other two bedrooms on AirBnB. They would share the other bathroom. I am thinking Korea Town, for it's access to transit and it's obviously large Korean community. I'm hoping that most of my guests will be visiting from Korea. Most Koreans I know are incredibly clean domestically- they don't wear shoes in the house. Sounds good to me!

I'd like the revenue generated from the other two bedrooms to cover the total rent. However, checking on the LA housing department website, you can list two bedrooms separately, but they can not be booked concurrently. This throws my plan into a loop. Is there a way around this? Can the numbers work on a two bedroom? I'm sure I'm not the first person to try this so I know I'll get some good feedback. Thanks in advance

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Michael BaumPro Member
Olympia, WA · Member since 2016 · 8k+ posts · 7k+ votes
6y
Where are you guys coming from? I am not sure you will get good feedback. They don't wear shoes in the house? These posts can't be from real people.
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  • Michael BaumPro Member
    Olympia, WA · Member since 2016 · 8k+ posts · 7k+ votes
    6y
    Where are you guys coming from? I am not sure you will get good feedback. They don't wear shoes in the house? These posts can't be from real people.
    1Reply
  • John UnderwoodPro Member
    Investor · Greer, SC · Member since 2014 · 13k+ posts · 17k+ votes
    6y

    How much more is a 3 bedroom than a 2 bedroom? It would make it easier to alternate and have one room ready to go. 

    What if one reservation needed 2 bedrooms. Is that within the rules?

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  • Julie McCoy
    Real Estate Agent · Sevierville, TN · Member since 2015 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    6y

    @J Brendan (not sure why I can't tag you) - it's good that you're reading up on LA restrictions on STR, you'll need to be very familiar with them before you embark on this journey. Also, be aware that if you have a rent controlled apartment, you may not use any part of it for STR, to the best of my knowledge. The other thing to look into is the apartment/lease restrictions - do they allow this kind of scenario? Will you qualify to be the only person on the lease without disclosing this additional income (which they likely won't accept anyway because it's speculative)? If they don't have anything written in the lease about whether or not it's allowed, are you willing to take the risk that they won't be pleased if/when they find out about your overnight guests?

    My final comment is, while I agree K-town is a great transit hub and very walkable, do consider that parking in K-town is IMPOSSIBLE.  You'll want to be clear about the parking limitations with any guests.  I would address these concerns before worrying about 2BR over 3BR.

    @Michael Baum It is my experience with Korean culture (and many Asian cultures) that shoes are not worn inside. Careful what you disbelieve if you do not know.

    1Reply
  • Anand S.
    Plantation, FL · Member since 2009 · 329 posts · 119 votes
    6y

    I'm Indian from India and we don't wear shoes in the home. Very common with East Asian cultures. 

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  • Michael BaumPro Member
    Olympia, WA · Member since 2016 · 8k+ posts · 7k+ votes
    6y

    Hey @Julie McCoy, I do understand that. It's not that I don't know, I just found the comment annoying. I am not sure why. Making assumptions about people based on race rather than individuals...it's just bugging me.

    0Reply
  • J Brendan
    OP
    Los Angeles · Member since 2020 · 5 posts · 0 votes
    6y
    Originally posted by @Michael Baum:

    Hey @Julie McCoy, I do understand that. It's not that I don't know, I just found the comment annoying. I am not sure why. Making assumptions about people based on race rather than individuals...it's just bugging me.

    Hi Michael. Thank you for your concern. I want it to be clear that when I said Koreans, I was referring to PEOPLE FROM KOREA and NOT making assumptions based on physical appearance. 

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  • J Brendan
    OP
    Los Angeles · Member since 2020 · 5 posts · 0 votes
    6y
    Originally posted by @John Underwood:

    How much more is a 3 bedroom than a 2 bedroom? It would make it easier to alternate and have one room ready to go. 

    What if one reservation needed 2 bedrooms. Is that within the rules?

    A two bedroom does solve this problem but having one bedroom cover mine, instead of having two to cover mine, would be tough. One reservation taking both rooms as one listing is fine, but I have not seen that on Airbnb because at that price point you can get your own place entirely and not one where you are still sharing the common areas with the host. Could be wrong though.  

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  • J Brendan
    OP
    Los Angeles · Member since 2020 · 5 posts · 0 votes
    6y
    Originally posted by @Julie McCoy:

    @J Brendan (not sure why I can't tag you) - it's good that you're reading up on LA restrictions on STR, you'll need to be very familiar with them before you embark on this journey. Also, be aware that if you have a rent controlled apartment, you may not use any part of it for STR, to the best of my knowledge. The other thing to look into is the apartment/lease restrictions - do they allow this kind of scenario? Will you qualify to be the only person on the lease without disclosing this additional income (which they likely won't accept anyway because it's speculative)? If they don't have anything written in the lease about whether or not it's allowed, are you willing to take the risk that they won't be pleased if/when they find out about your overnight guests?

    My final comment is, while I agree K-town is a great transit hub and very walkable, do consider that parking in K-town is IMPOSSIBLE.  You'll want to be clear about the parking limitations with any guests.  I would address these concerns before worrying about 2BR over 3BR.

    @Michael Baum It is my experience with Korean culture (and many Asian cultures) that shoes are not worn inside. Careful what you disbelieve if you do not know.

     Thanks so much for this Julie. Looking at city Government resources and those posted on AirBnB, I'll have to have a signed letter from the landlord specifically allowing me to list my unit on AirBnB when registering with the city. Of course that means I'll have to screen properties for AirBnB upfront when I am looking for the unit. It's the city gov, not AirBnB, that states bedrooms can't be seperate listings and booked concurrently. I'm really hoping I'm wrong on that. I've seen a few listings on AirBnB that appear to be just that but they could have just slipped through the cracks. Not a risk I'm willing to run given the fines. And if I'm shut down, I'm still on the hook for the duration of the lease- I can cover and qualify for it, but it's important that I achieve the financial goal I set out to do. 

    On the subject of location, I can of course go anywhere in the city where the numbers work. I first thought of K town because of the influx of Korean visitors. Thinking about how urbanized Korea already is, they should be all about the subway and Ubering, unless most tourists in LA rent cars. Then that plan will have to be rethought. 

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  • Lee RipmaPro Member
    Rental Property Investor · Prairie Village, KS · Member since 2015 · 2k+ posts · 2k+ votes
    6y

    @J Brendan

    I don’t wear shoes it my house, it’s gross, they have been tracked through who knows what outside.

    Parking is key and if parking is hard for guests they won’t be happy. What about a 2 bed 2 bath unit with at least one parking space for the guest? Landlords are not going to like this setup. If I had a tenant tell me this plan I would not allow it. So many reasons to say no, I won’t list them all here. Is there another way you could achieve this goal?

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  • John Cornelius
    FL · Member since 2019 · 73 posts · 54 votes
    6y

    @J Brendan  Yea LA and California has a bunch of regulations. I lived there for 13 years but just moved (for the time being) to Florida to buy some properties..

    I'd check into Monterrey Park and Alhambra, the regulations might be a little more business friendly than in K Town, also the Ontario Airport just added a trans-pacific flight so there should me more people flying into and staying in that area (assuming that flight route survives the corona).

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