Tampa, FL · Member since 2019 · 16 posts · 13 votes
5y
If you aren't listing on multiple OTAs you are leaving money on the table. An experienced STR Property Manager can eliminate the headache of figuring out what strategy and platform to best market your vacation rental. If you are utilizing a channel manager on your own, I recommend VRBO (90+ days out) for long range guests (older clientele, who typically have more time and can plan our their stays further in advance) and let ABNB (0-90 days out) bat clean up.
All OTAs aside, the best bookings are direct bookings from repeat guests or referrals. Eliminate the fees from ABNB and VRBO and put more money in your pocket.
Investor · Saint Paul, MN · Member since 2015 · 663 posts · 512 votes
5y
@Bruce Woodruff
Here’s what’s crazy about Airbnb, we haven’t been doing short term rentals for over a year, and we still get messages saying that we are now nine times Super hosts.  What a joke!
Rental Property Investor · Tyler, TX · Member since 2018 · 28 posts · 17 votes
5y
@Bruce Woodruff
For our lake house STR it was almost 55% Vrbo and 45% Airbnb. You have to use both if you are going to maximize occupancy. Vrbo was more dominant during the summer and Airbnb a bit more active for Spring and Fall.
I think the either/or mentality is odd. But my experience of comparing the two...
On VRBO, the amount you put the rate in at, is the amount you receive. They will adjust it up for their fee. On AirBNB, the amount you put in is not the amount that you get. The adjust it up a bit for the guest (the portion of their commission that they charge the guest) but will take their commission out the amount you set the rate at. Some people describe this as who pays the commission, hosts or guests, but as long as you understand before setting rates, it does not matter.
VRBO charges higher commission (but again you can compensate for that by set the rates differently.)
AirBNB will refund guest without your consent, and can be very inconsistent in doing so, depending on what agent answered the phone. They are showing a trend of favoring guests over hosts. Also, they frequently keep their commission when a host refunds the guest, so guest is out the commission amount. VRBO will check to ensure that it is not an extreme or unsafe issue, but will not refund a guest without hosts consent. If host refunds, they will refund the commission too. (During COVID, AirBNB even gave guests AirBNB credits only, instead of cash, but hosts got nothing. Hosts thought guests were getting full refunds.)
In some markets, AirBNB does not collect all occupancy taxes. Hosts must collect and pay this on their own. (Depends on county). VRBO takes care of taxes.
AirBNB has many more rules (for both guests and hosts). They will not hesitate to lock hosts out of your account based on accusations that the will not even share with you, and take a very long time to investigate. VRBO leaves guests and hosts to work things out on their own. They will try to mediate, but not strong arm.
AirBNB has developed a specific culture that many people enjoy. They give out accolades like “Superhost”, and advocate a “right” way of hosting. They have a lot of resources to help people get started.
During high seasons, or in markets that have a long history of STR, you can do well on VRBO, but AirBNB gets more traction in most markets.
However, it is not a good idea to be too dependent on any one platform. I am trying to work toward direct bookings.
Contractor/Investor/Consultant · San Diego / Phoenix · Member since 2021 · 12k+ posts · 15k+ votes
5y
Originally posted by @Account Closed:
@Bruce Woodruff
I think the either/or mentality is odd. But my experience of comparing the two...
However, it is not a good idea to be too dependent on any one platform. I am trying to work toward direct bookings.
Once again, I am not trying to go either/or......just wanted to see what people thought about the 2 hosting giants. You did a great breakdown which pretty much agrees with what I've seen and experienced.
And direct bookings.....absolutely should be everyone's goal. We had a few of those this week and it sure feels nice!
If you aren't listing on multiple OTAs you are leaving money on the table. An experienced STR Property Manager can eliminate the headache of figuring out what strategy and platform to best market your vacation rental. If you are utilizing a channel manager on your own, I recommend VRBO (90+ days out) for long range guests (older clientele, who typically have more time and can plan our their stays further in advance) and let ABNB (0-90 days out) bat clean up.
All OTAs aside, the best bookings are direct bookings from repeat guests or referrals. Eliminate the fees from ABNB and VRBO and put more money in your pocket.
Pompano Beach, FL · Member since 2016 · 12 posts · 16 votes
5y
Wow interesting information in this thread. People seem to overwhelmingly favor vrbo. i’m a bit soured on vrbo right now because I’ve experienced a high cancellation rate, usually the day after booking. Meanwhile while Airbnb guests pack out my calendar and leave glowing five star reviews.
Pompano Beach, FL · Member since 2016 · 12 posts · 16 votes
5y
hi Joseph,
I use hostaway. The automations are great, I have 80% of interactions with guests and my cleaners automated. Also has a really good api which I use for automatically programming door locks and stuff like that. The built-in self hosting portal is functional if Spartan, and I do get bookings out of it! People can see it in google maps, and it's a single mouse click for them to be at my portal looking at my listings. They also do a great job of onboarding newbies and teaching you the basics of str property management software which I appreciated.
It's geared towards folks with multiple properties, and is definitely overkill for a single property. I went with it because I didn't want to start with something I would later outgrow.
Real Estate Broker · Watertown, NY · Member since 2016 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
5y
@Bruce Woodruff - Used to be Airbnb. Now it's changing to VRBO. I feel like I have significantly less BS w/ the people who book through that site as well. It's like Airbnb draws a certain kind of person who believes that life is and should be perfect at all times.
Property Manager · Miami, FL · Member since 2019 · 12 posts · 6 votes
5y
For my properties, depends on where is located. One of my properties is located in a community with 5 golf courses in the West coast of Florida, VRBO is my great seller here, because the demographic of my tenants are more sophisticated and more mature.
In another property we have in South Beach in Miami, Airbnb works great. So, first, I analyze what property I have to market, where is located, who is my basic type of client. With all this information, I make the decision where to put marketing efforts.
Wow interesting information in this thread. People seem to overwhelmingly favor vrbo. i’m a bit soured on vrbo right now because I’ve experienced a high cancellation rate, usually the day after booking. Meanwhile while Airbnb guests pack out my calendar and leave glowing five star reviews.
I think mainly because VRBO tends to attract older, more mature guests....That are more interested in leaving your place actually clean and not bitching about ridiculous stuff. Plus their host support is light years beyond AIR......
Realtor · Branson, MO · Member since 2018 · 272 posts · 283 votes
5y
Some markets are heavier Vrbo markets, some are heavier Airbnb markets. I get most of my business through Vrbo though and haven't had too many issues with problematic guests.