Olympia, WA · Member since 2016 · 8k+ posts · 7k+ votes
5y
Originally posted by @Account Closed:
@Michael Baum i
People have cameras on their house all over DFW. What’s the concern?
Well, cameras in an AirBNB watching the guests is generally considered bad form. Outside (not watching on a deck) looking at the door or something is OK.
Indoor cameras generally spook guests. So if you haven't started renting the place out, I would seriously consider ditching the common area cameras. Get some sensors that measure noise, lights etc. Gives you an idea of what's going on without violating their space.
Real Estate Agent · Princeton, NJ · Member since 2016 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
5y
@Nicholas Aja - there are many Airbnb Facebook groups and you can search for pet horror stories. The main issue is that Airbnb will now NOT PAY for pet damage to your furniture, house, etc., because of so many claims by hosts. Outside of any security deposit you ask Airbnb to hold for you, you really don't have any recourse to get cash back from the worst guests. Be especially wary of no reviews and local resident. I've found people just create a new account after they're banned or poorly reviewed for bad behavior. You only need one abandoned chihuahua or un neutered cat to pee all over the house and not get cleaned up ASAP to need to refinish the floors or do aggressive odor removal, etc. I've owned dogs and cats. I love animals. I don't believe I can collect enough of a premium for the 1/20 probability of catastrophic $1000+ problem like a dog ripping apart the sofa. If you charge too high or have too much security deposit, you do not get booked. So you find yourself lowering everything and then you're instant booked and hosting two pit bull "lab mixes" for $100 total plus cleaning for one night. Also I've heard of hosts getting banned for having cameras inside the house anywhere. Airbnb security gets one complaint and it takes you weeks if not months to resolve and your house sits empty, destroying your projected ROI.
Rental Property Investor · Dallas, TX · Member since 2020 · 155 posts · 44 votes
5y
@Natalie Schanne great perspective! I was just reading through their covered and not covered section, and was surprised to confirm the no coverage if due to animal...
I will have to discuss the security camera with my girlfriend. I also understand how one unhappy guest could shut down the whole place due to a camera complaint. There is a lot to consider here.
Olympia, WA · Member since 2016 · 8k+ posts · 7k+ votes
5y
We allow dogs, 2 up to 75lbs each. We do restrict breeds so as not to get aggressive animals. So far we haven't had any issues. We provide couch covers but we ask that they don't allow the dogs on the couches.
We also provide a huge crate so people don't need to bring their own.
So many people travel with their dogs that it just made sense to us to allow them. Especially seeing we have a golden Lab. We require a $500 deposit on all our bookings, dog or no as well as a $50 per dog fee.
On the cameras, good idea to search. Just do a Google search for AirBNB and cameras. It will come up with some results that talk about how they are perceived.
Rental Property Investor · Concord, GA · Member since 2015 · 3k+ posts · 3k+ votes
5y
We're dog lovers and have 3 at the present time but we never allow animals of any kind in our Airbnb spaces. No exceptions. Does it affect the booking rate? I don't know and it doesn't matter to us. Note: Our spaces (3) are all in our residence. Our dogs are never in the property either.
Specialist · Los Angeles, CA · Member since 2018 · 291 posts · 231 votes
5y
@Nicholas Aja
Cameras are great I recommend them for STR but we only do outside and we state with have them in listing which I believe is a requirement in most if not all areas.
As for pets we don’t allow them currently so as to not increase turn over time. If your house is set up for it it could make sense but it’s not are model.
People bring their dogs because they are truly part of the family. Most dogs go a little crazy when their "parents" are away - they don't eat much, they sulk etc. Making a pen for dogs is a not a well thought out idea. Family pets are not cows or refugee children that are kept in cages. Sorry to be harsh, but I agree with the person who said most, maybe not all, owners try to be as neat as possible when bringing a pet. Also they probably don't stay that long? A pet that is in a home for a month can start to get a little messy. Add a fee. Show them where the vacuum is stored and request that they do a good vacuum before they leave. You could even leave old (but clean) blankets for them to throw over the sofa/armchairs if their pooch is used to sitting on the sofa. And lets say they have a long haired dog and you find the hair on that old blanket, throw it in the dryer first for 10 - 15 minutes before washing. Like magic, it removes a lot of the hair and you just clean out the lint filter, then wash it. Dogs are faithful and loving creatures and all they want is to be with their owners.
You can definitely make more $ with a pet friendly listing due to the demand. But you absolutely have to make sure you keep the place spotless and hair/odor free for the next guest.
My philosophy is that the two most important components to a successful STR are comfort and cleanliness.
Our rentals are strictly pet free. We've chosen this route because of the management factors of allowing pets. I know this because we get requests frequently from potential guests to make an exception for them. That tells me they can't find a STR in our area that is pet friendly that isn't already booked. If you have good cleaning systems in place, you could definitely charge more through both higher rates and pet fees.
Rental Property Investor · Sioux Falls, SD · Member since 2015 · 9k+ posts · 18k+ votes
5y
@Account Closed I am a dog owner and I use short term rentals when I travel specifically because they give me better options for bringing a dog. I also have a short term rental and I would never allow dogs inside it.
My experience is that STR that allow dogs are not as clean or nice. If you have mediocre property or bad location, allowing pets is a great way to increase demand. If you have a quality property in a great location, it is not worth the risk. If I was traveling without a dog, I would look for places that don't allow pets.
Short term rental owners will put things in the rules like, no dogs on the bed, no dogs on furniture, crate the dog when you are not there, etc. I assure you nobody follows these rules. If you do allows dogs, add extra time for cleaning, put slip covers on furniture, don't have carpet and buy lint rollers in bulk packs.
As far as cameras, placing them outside by entries is a must. Placing them inside will just lead to bad reviews and lost bookings. You can place motion sensors and noise sensors inside the property.
Rental Property Investor · Denver, CO · Member since 2019 · 9 posts · 2 votes
5y
@Nicholas Aja I completely agree with Ryan. I can only speak to being a traveler with a pet - when I have looked for a pet friendly AirBnB it is extremely limited. For instance, I would like to go somewhere warm for a few months during the winters but I would want to bring my dog. I’m having a really difficult time finding a place. I’d happily pay the pet rent.