Last year, Airbnb marked ten years of operating down under, and it’s difficult to imagine a time when it wasn’t rife in Australia. If you’re anything like us, you automatically scan the site for a temporary home-away-from-home whenever you plan a trip away. It’s become part and parcel of the holiday planning experience.
Some of us have even switched on to the idea of hustling up some much-needed holiday funds by popping our homes on Airbnb to get paying guests in while we’re away. In fact, many of our Metricon customers have gone further, dedicating an investment property to the hosting game.
Build to host
A couple of Metricon offerings lend themselves really well to becoming a dedicated Airbnb investment property, with the most obvious being our brilliant dual occupancy option.
Dual occupancy is a no-brainer because our expertly drawn-up designs aim to maximise your investment by popping not one, but two properties on one regular-sized block. One smart option is to live in one and rent out the other, enlisting a tenant to help pay off your mortgage. But maybe you don’t want to run the risk of getting stuck with an unpleasant neighbour next door.
That’s where a short-term rental solution like Airbnb can offer an exciting alternative. You have the potential to accrue higher rental yields in a much shorter space of time, and by living next door, it’s really easy to clean and maintain the property between guests. Or you can rent both out, perhaps mixing it up with a long-term tenant on one side and short-stay Airbnb guests on the other.
You can read more about the benefits of dual occupancy here.
Breath of fresh air
Another big trend we’ve seen is the sea/tree changers, where folks sell up their city pad and use that cash to buy a block of land and build where there’s more room for their family to grow. That includes stand-out Metricon offerings like the Highlander or the sea-breeze-blown Kalarney beauty that is our refreshed Hamptons look that offer a grander way of life.
You can read about that regional relocation journey from one of our favourite couples we’ve worked with, Tracie and Peter.
Or you could build a swish investment property regionally, perhaps on a slightly more scaled-back block, and rent it out as a holiday house that will appeal to Airbnb guests looking for a glamorous escape from the city. What better Instagram backdrop than a boho barnhouse or a bit of beachside bliss?
Top tips to becoming an Airbnb superhost
Whether you’re listing your home while you’re away – perhaps you’re flipping between that regional bolthole and a city pad depending on the season – or an investment property built to Airbnb, you’ll need to ensure it stands out from the crowd and will score you five-star reviews.
Follow these handy hints to help guide you on your way to becoming a superhost.
It’s gotta look great
You’ve heard about “location, location, location,” right? Choosing a great spot to host folks in is only half the battle. Even the most beautiful block and stylishly designed home will fail on Airbnb if you don’t nail the photos. We highly recommend investing in a professional interior photographer to show off your home’s full potential online.
If you’re going to handle the photoshoot yourself, make sure all the key rooms look their finest – because just like selfies, angles are important! – but also zoom in on cute little details like bookshelves or sideboards. Get great exterior shots too; people want to be sold on the dream home, even temporarily. And if it’s in a beautiful spot, show off lush locations on Airbnb too.
Details go a long way
It doesn’t take much to enhance an Airbnb guest’s arrival experience. Ensure the kitchen cupboards are stocked with basics like olive oil, salt and pepper, and even check in before they arrive to see what type of milk they’d like in the fridge. A bottle of wine or a box of chocolates/shortbread can add wow factor, with local produce for bonus points.
We recommended stocking reasonably nice mini toiletries in the bathrooms too. When you do the walk-through before guests arrive, think about what details you’d love to see if you were visiting? A handwritten welcome note next to a small token gift goes a long way to that five-star review.
Keep it simple
Make sure there’s a simple, straightforward guide on how to use everything in your Airbnb home, from the WiFi password to the washing machine cycles, from how to turn on the TV and switch between terrestrial and streaming options to what to do if the heating goes off. Every gadget that might prove tricky to use should have a walk-through guide written in easy-to-follow steps. Do make sure guests know it’s ok to reach out if they get stuck.
Don’t be shy
No one wants an overbearing host breathing down their neck after a long journey, so make the check-in process as smooth as possible, perhaps even deploying a key safe. But keep the lines of communication clear, friendly and helpful at every stage of the Airbnb process, from booking request through to check out. Answer any guest queries and requests – even annoying ones – cheerily and in a timely fashion. If a possible guest feels listened to and understood, they’ll likely book.
Local know-how
If you want to turbo-charge a guest’s grand escape and increase your chances of a glowing review, it pays to create a local bible that lists some of the great cafes, restaurants, bars, retail experiences and other local amenities like cinemas, gyms or must-see beauty spots. If an Airbnb guest feels like you’ve done the groundwork so they can save time and head straight to the best spots to make the most of the local area, that’s going to have a brilliant impact come review time.
Don’t be greedy
It can be tempting to make the most out of your investment and jack up the price per night, but the key benefit for guests choosing Airbnb is they get more for less: a dream home to dip into with all the amenities that provides but is more affordable than a hotel. If you set a reasonable rate, folks are more likely to book, leave a glowing review, tell others and return. You’re playing a long game here. Make sure you adjust seasonally, so quieter months offer an even greater deal.
Work it
Even when people are travelling for a break, the realities of modern life mean that often we have to do a spot of work on the go. That’s why it’s so important to make sure your Airbnb has a powerful WiFi connection, not to mention for entertainment uses too, like streaming a movie or the kids’ computer games. Providing a proper desk set-up is also a great idea, rather than expecting busy folks to hunch over a dining table.
Delegate it
If you live next door, it may be easy to pop in and clean up after a previous Airbnb guest and get the joint ready for the next, but life may be busy, or you may be renting out a regional spot miles from where you are. So it may be worth engaging a local company that can handle turnover for you. A whole cottage industry has sprung up around maintaining Airbnbs, and you can factor this cost into booking out your investment property, clearly signposting it on the home’s profile.
If you're interested in building a dual occupancy development or investment property with Metricon, enquire with us today here, or simply call 1300 786 773.
