All Forum Posts by: Patricia Andriolo-Bull
Patricia Andriolo-Bull has started 30 posts and replied 464 times.
Post: STR Rentals to Corporations and Businesses.
- Posts 474
- Votes 361
Quote from @Richard Badamo:
Patricia,
Thank you for the response. I thought Covid push some people away from the resorts. I do know that the Dominican Republics' tourism is currently growing and doing well.
Hopefully the prices firm up bit.
Thanks,
Richard
And with that increase in tourism has been an increase in new all inclusives. Another Secrets just opened this month.
Post: Airbnb changed the Algorithm...
- Posts 474
- Votes 361
Quote from @Travis Rasmussen:
And to follow up, the listings under my profile which have not applied the new settings STILL haven't gotten a single new booking - even with the increase to the other properties.
So it's obviously is no longer "host based", but more "property based" for the algo. Hosts don't seem to play a big factor in the updated algo. They probably play a role, just a much smaller weighted role.
Not sure it was ever host based. Some of my properties rank higher than others. I think it has more to do with the number and quality of the reviews and listing quality in general. Host status (e.g. Super Host) is part of the equation for the listing. Oddly, not sure pricing matters as much...my best property is the highest priced and does better on the rankings (maybe because they get more $$ also?). But this is also a Guest Favorite with 1% of all listings....
Post: Airbnb changed the Algorithm...
- Posts 474
- Votes 361
Quote from @Travis Rasmussen:
Quote from @Patricia Andriolo-Bull:
Not sure if I see this. I regularly use incognito mode to search for my listings and they seem pretty consistent for me. Have you done that?
May I ask a few things, it will help with my data:
1. What is your pet policy? No pets allowed.
2. What is your cancellation policy? 30 days.
3. Do you have a minimum nightly stay? 7 nights (but I do reduce to 5 within 2 weeks)
4. % you are usually booked (I end the year between 75 - 85% between my properties, close to 100% in season and lower in shoulder)
5. Do you have all the fees included? Now we all do! I still itemize them but it doesn't matter, they are all lumped in on Airbnb.
6. Are you on Airbnb exclusively? Nope. VRBO, direct, BDC, Houfy, GVR and others but really don't get anything from the others.
Post: Airbnb changed the Algorithm...
- Posts 474
- Votes 361
Quote from @Travis Rasmussen:
Quote from @Patricia Andriolo-Bull:
Not sure if I see this. I regularly use incognito mode to search for my listings and they seem pretty consistent for me. Have you done that?
No, I first just applied my theory to my listings and the ones I have applied it to have gotten a LOT of bookings in a short amount of time.
I will have to see if I can go back and look at views for my properties from before summer, summer, post summer and post my changes.
For those curious, I am taking the mindset of "If I was Airbnb and I wanted a consumer 1st approach, what would I want the algorithm to reward..."
Airbnb has more competition now. It would be aiming to gain more guests - not more hosts. Before they had to win over hosts. Now the aim is to get more guests.
If I were them I'd want stellar hosts so their guests are happy. I would prioritize the best hosts above all else.
Post: Thoughts on Houfy?
- Posts 474
- Votes 361
Quote from @Lisa Graesser:
Love Houfy! I use it in place of my own website. I have been using it since it inception and it gets better every year. Of my 66 bookings this year, 39 were booked through Houfy. These are either repeat guests or leads from other local listing sites, that I direct to book through Houfy. No booking fees for guests or owners, although you can purchase extras(which I have not had the need to add)
Can use either Stripe or Square to accept credit card payment or take payment on your own by whatever payment you prefer. I do charge an extra credit card fee if the guest chooses to pay with a credit card, otherwise I take payment with check, zelle or venmo. Guest sign your rental agreement when they book.
I would highly recommend.
Do you have repeat guests? I've used Houfy for years! I got a few guests initially but haven't had even on in over a year. I haven't changed a thing. Maybe it is market specific? Any tricks to get bookings through them? Do you market them as your direct booking site (I have my own site so I don't).
Post: Airbnb changed the Algorithm...
- Posts 474
- Votes 361
Not sure if I see this. I regularly use incognito mode to search for my listings and they seem pretty consistent for me. Have you done that?
Post: STR Rentals to Corporations and Businesses.
- Posts 474
- Votes 361
Good luck! I had a 3 BD/2BA beachfront unit in Punta Cana from 2016 - 2023. Prices were always soft, even during season. I found it hard given all of the all inclusives. I think your best bet is Candians or others coming for the winter season 1 - 3 months. I'm not sure if these guys just use Airbnb or what to book and then they are repeat guests and book direct, met many of them at Stanza Mare and Playa Turquesa.
Post: Any experience with STR in Old Orchard Beach? DM me
- Posts 474
- Votes 361
I stayed in one in OOB in July. Personally, I wouldn't buy there given the number of rentals and lack of ROI. The prices are high for a lot of crappy places. I was in a place that had 4 units.
Post: 3 Months into my newest Airbnb...still optimistically looking ahead! Thoughts?
- Posts 474
- Votes 361
What others have said. Goals are targets and need to be reevaluated based on where you are. I would slow down and do this one well and definitely dump the PM.
Post: Airbnb does it again
- Posts 474
- Votes 361
Quote from @Denise Supplee:
Quote from @Patricia Andriolo-Bull:
Quote from @Collin Hays:
They are on a roll.
Both VRBO and Airbnb switched to the "all in" pricing in the name of "transparency." What they actually meant to do, and did, was completely disguise their fees.
Eventually, both are going to face a class action lawsuit and end up in court over this one.
What would be interesting, is if you placed in the body of your Airbnb description texts something like: "Please be aware that Airbnb assesses a 15.5% service charge on all reservations, which is then included in your total price."
Think they'd delete that?
Banned from the platform for that but I would love to include that.
I didn't know you could get banned for that.
Nothing would surprise me with them.