Would love your advice on my new Blue Ridge STR

Short-Term & Vacation Rental Discussions
4yFollow

Would love your advice on my new Blue Ridge STR

Jack Cronin
Investor · Member since 2019 · 14 posts · 7 votes

First off, to the OG’s on the forum, thank you so much. You know who you are...

This listing is more or less the brainchild of this forum and this wouldn’t be possible without all the wealth of knowledge from this group.

What do you think of the listing? I’m open to all advice:

airbnb.com/h/emelia

PS: If you're reading this and have a question about anything STR please do the OGs a favor and search the forum before asking your question. There's a good chance it's already here.

Though the responses to the questions that have already been answered multiple times do give me a chuckle when I see them. So maybe do keep asking them? 

4Reply
49 views

Most Popular Reply

Richard Y
Rockville, MD · Member since 2012 · 1 post · 3 votes
4y

The post processing on those photos are a bit aggressive. Some people may hesitate and wonder if they were heavily photoshopped, but I could tell the place is very well done. Perhaps dial down the effect just a tad to give it a bit more authenticity.

3Reply
See this reply in the discussion

34 Replies

Jump to latestLatest
  • John UnderwoodPro Member
    Investor · Greer, SC · Member since 2014 · 13k+ posts · 17k+ votes
    4y

    Place looks awesome!

    Do you have a duplicate ad on Vrbo?

    0Reply
  • Bruce WoodruffPro Member
    Contractor/Investor/Consultant · San Diego / Phoenix · Member since 2021 · 12k+ posts · 15k+ votes
    4y

    Really sweet, I'm on my way...! Pictures are very good, I assume they're professionally done? Some are out of order though, ie Bath 2 goes to Bath 4 and leaves Bath 3 hanging. But well done. I would add more pictures of the outside and also the nearby natural attractions, maybe a little town?

    And yes, absolutely get that sucker on VRBO, your losing half your potential audience.....

    0Reply
  • Joshua MessingerBusiness Member
    Property Manager · Poconos, PA · Member since 2020 · 443 posts · 264 votes
    4y

    Great job on this one Jack! Keep up the hard work! 

    [email protected]484-986-5012
    0Reply
  • Michael BaumPro Member
    Olympia, WA · Member since 2016 · 8k+ posts · 7k+ votes
    4y

    Agree with all comments here. Looks great. Get it on VRBO if you haven't done it yet.

    1Reply
  • Richard Y
    Rockville, MD · Member since 2012 · 1 post · 3 votes
    4y

    The post processing on those photos are a bit aggressive. Some people may hesitate and wonder if they were heavily photoshopped, but I could tell the place is very well done. Perhaps dial down the effect just a tad to give it a bit more authenticity.

    3Reply
  • Bruce WoodruffPro Member
    Contractor/Investor/Consultant · San Diego / Phoenix · Member since 2021 · 12k+ posts · 15k+ votes
    4y

    BTW - What's an OG?

    0Reply
  • Michael BaumPro Member
    Olympia, WA · Member since 2016 · 8k+ posts · 7k+ votes
    4y

    @Bruce Woodruff, OG - Original Gangsta. In this context I would assume it would those of us to contribute to the forum with helpful tips, hints and the requisite amount of sarcasm regarding arbitrage. :)

    0Reply
  • Khaled El DorryPro Member
    Casselberry, FL · Member since 2016 · 110 posts · 54 votes
    4y

    Great looking place!! I’m a month away or so from listing my first unit. The photos are a bit confusing with the Bed/bath order. Pictures are beautiful but maybe a bit too perfect? They were blinding shinny :) 

    0Reply
  • Bruce WoodruffPro Member
    Contractor/Investor/Consultant · San Diego / Phoenix · Member since 2021 · 12k+ posts · 15k+ votes
    4y
    Quote from @Michael Baum:

    @Bruce Woodruff, OG - Original Gangsta. In this context I would assume it would those of us to contribute to the forum with helpful tips, hints and the requisite amount of sarcasm regarding arbitrage. :)


     Aha! So maybe I'm an OG too then? Makes my day, a new title.... :-)

    1Reply
  • Lane C.
    Rental Property Investor · San Jose, CA · Member since 2020 · 47 posts · 4 votes
    4y

    @Jack Cronin did you by chance use the short term shop when purchasing this property?

    0Reply
  • Laura Kastner
    Hermosa Beach · Member since 2021 · 40 posts · 9 votes
    4y

    Hi,

    Really gorgeous! Love the price too (i’m used to socal airbnb prices and they have really increased over the years!)

    Was this turnkey & furnished? Everything looks great for the architecture. Also, how long between purchase & going live? 

    Thanks! Great job!

    0Reply
  • Gerald Pitts
    Lender · Asheville NC · Member since 2016 · 469 posts · 317 votes
    4y
    Quote from @Richard Y:

    The post processing on those photos are a bit aggressive. Some people may hesitate and wonder if they were heavily photoshopped, but I could tell the place is very well done. Perhaps dial down the effect just a tad to give it a bit more authenticity.


     Your place looks amazing! Listing seems to cover all the bases. I agree with Richard on a couple of the photos. I think it's a deck photo and a living room photo that are slightly over processed. 

    You will do great! 👍

    0Reply
  • John UnderwoodPro Member
    Investor · Greer, SC · Member since 2014 · 13k+ posts · 17k+ votes
    4y
    Quote from @Michael Baum:

    @Bruce Woodruff, OG - Original Gangsta. In this context I would assume it would those of us to contribute to the forum with helpful tips, hints and the requisite amount of sarcasm regarding arbitrage. :)


     Ah, I didn't know either. I guess Michael is more hip than us Bruce.

    1Reply
  • Mackenzie Grate
    Real Estate Agent · Ulster County, NY · Member since 2020 · 201 posts · 173 votes
    4y

    Listing looks great. From a design perspective, maybe throw in a few faux plants. It's a lot of brown and some green would really help break it up.

    I love the idea of listing with the discount to start off. Someone also said that tweaking the listing regularly also helps with the algorithm. So play around with it and update it as you go. It's great start though and I'm sure it will book super fast :)

    1Reply
  • Jack Cronin
    OP
    Investor · Member since 2019 · 14 posts · 7 votes
    4y
    Quote from @John Underwood:

    Place looks awesome!

    Do you have a duplicate ad on Vrbo?


     Thank you! Yep VRBO is here: https://www.vrbo.com/2642996

    You'll notice some difference in the listing because of differences in platform. Also the discount is a bit different because on Airbnb you can get that strikethrough price

    0Reply
  • Jack Cronin
    OP
    Investor · Member since 2019 · 14 posts · 7 votes
    4y
    Quote from @Bruce Woodruff:

    Really sweet, I'm on my way...! Pictures are very good, I assume they're professionally done? Some are out of order though, ie Bath 2 goes to Bath 4 and leaves Bath 3 hanging. But well done. I would add more pictures of the outside and also the nearby natural attractions, maybe a little town?

    And yes, absolutely get that sucker on VRBO, your losing half your potential audience.....

    Yep, professionally done and thank you! I see what you mean...I organized the photos with the rooms/spaces section within Airbnb so it looks good there but then when you view them in a row it puts them all out of whack. 
    0Reply
  • Jack Cronin
    OP
    Investor · Member since 2019 · 14 posts · 7 votes
    4y

    But here's the order I put them in before assigning them to rooms. I tried to follow the order of having bathroom photos after the corresponding bedroom

    0Reply
  • Jack Cronin
    OP
    Investor · Member since 2019 · 14 posts · 7 votes
    4y

    @Joshua Messinger / @Michael Baum Thank you! It's been a journey getting this up and running

    0Reply
  • Jack Cronin
    OP
    Investor · Member since 2019 · 14 posts · 7 votes
    4y
    Quote from @Michael Baum:

    @Bruce Woodruff, OG - Original Gangsta. In this context I would assume it would those of us to contribute to the forum with helpful tips, hints and the requisite amount of sarcasm regarding arbitrage. :)


    You hit the nail on the head. The ones that have been doing STR long before it became cool

    0Reply
  • Jack Cronin
    OP
    Investor · Member since 2019 · 14 posts · 7 votes
    4y

    @Richard Y @Khaled El Dorry @Gerald Pitts thank you guys. Regarding the photos looking a bit over processed...I totally agree. I'm trying to figure out how to dial those down 

    1Reply
  • Jack Cronin
    OP
    Investor · Member since 2019 · 14 posts · 7 votes
    4y
    Quote from @Lane C.:

    @Jack Cronin did you by chance use the short term shop when purchasing this property?


     Yessir, great team to work with. Highly recommended

    0Reply
  • Jack Cronin
    OP
    Investor · Member since 2019 · 14 posts · 7 votes
    4y
    Quote from @Laura Kastner:

    Hi,

    Really gorgeous! Love the price too (i’m used to socal airbnb prices and they have really increased over the years!)

    Was this turnkey & furnished? Everything looks great for the architecture. Also, how long between purchase & going live? 

    Thanks! Great job!


     Hey Laura, thank you! I'm starting real low and then ramping up closer to market rates. Pricelabs users, use the seasonal functionality to do this automatically. Month 1 your base and min are x% below market rate, then Month 2 is a little higher until you get to where you want it to be once you get reviews and your systems ironed out.

    The previous owners had used it as a vacation rental under mgmt by a local PM, so a lot of the stuff was there. It was turnkey in that I could've turned it into a rental after close but I chose to make some upgrades like the arcade games, making the home smarter with smart lock/thermostat, etc.

    I closed in late Jan and went live the first week of March. There was a week delay because of some storms that delayed photography

    1Reply
  • Jack Cronin
    OP
    Investor · Member since 2019 · 14 posts · 7 votes
    4y
    Quote from @Mackenzie Grate:

    Listing looks great. From a design perspective, maybe throw in a few faux plants. It's a lot of brown and some green would really help break it up.

    I love the idea of listing with the discount to start off. Someone also said that tweaking the listing regularly also helps with the algorithm. So play around with it and update it as you go. It's great start though and I'm sure it will book super fast :)


     Thank you! Love that idea. Even potentially adding a bit more personality to the deck on the main and basement levels could go a long way

    1Reply
  • Matthew Johnathan Newton
    Rental Property Investor · Woodstock, GA · Member since 2020 · 12 posts · 3 votes
    4y

    @Jack Cronin great pictures. They really sell the place. Good job!!

    1Reply
  • Stacy Edwards
    Virtual Assistant · Langley, WA · Member since 2022 · 43 posts · 23 votes
    4y

    It's absolutely gorgeous! I agree with a poster above that it's really brown - a couple more pops of color would help to brighten up the pics a bit. But even if you don't do that it is still lovely. 

    1Reply
Join the conversationCreate a free account to reply, vote on answers and follow this thread.
Log InJoin for Free