You want to become an Airbnb host. You think it will be exciting to have guests from all over the world stay in your home on the sofa while they’re traveling, and you’d like your home to make their vacation a little extra special.
Before you hop onto the platform, these are some important facts about Airbnb hosting that you should know about.
You Can Host Non-Traditional Spaces
You don’t have to put up a traditional house or apartment as a listing on Airbnb. The platform allows listings for all sorts of different lodgings. Travelers can select some of these exciting options:
- Ryokans (traditional Japanese-style inns)
- Cabinets
- Earth homes
- Yurts
- Tiny homes
- Campsites
- Container homes
If you’d like to go a non-traditional route, you can set up an Airbnb that fits into one of these unique categories! For instance, you could purchase a shipping container and turn it into a shipping container home. Depending on the shipping container dimensions that you choose for your home, your rental could fall under the categories of “containers” and “tiny homes” in a guest search.
Choosing a unique structure isn’t the only thing that you can do to stand out in a sea of rental options. You can also decorate your rental in a unique way! Look at this artistic shipping container home that has graffiti on the exterior and bright pops of color all over the interior. This type of design is bound to catch an adventurous traveler’s eye.
You Can Get Insured
The platform now offers host liability insurance as a mode of financial protection. The HLI program ensures active hosts for legal liability for bodily injury and/or property damage relating to guests during their stays. The policy is not available in all countries, but it is available in the United States.
There are some exemptions for coverage under this insurance plan. You can look into the host liability insurance program summary to find out exactly what those exemptions are and how you can fill out a claim. Hopefully, you will never encounter these types of problems as a host, but it’s better to sign onto the program and protect yourself — just in case.
Don’t Relyon Rentals
Airbnb should be seen as a sidehustle and a hobby, not your main mode of income. Why is that? The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated exactly why this plan is flawed.
When the pandemic forced people to quarantine in 2020, they had to cancel their travel plans. This left Airbnb hosts in crisis with no guests paying for their stays. Hosts that rented out multiple properties struggled the most with these circumstances. Canceled stays are unfortunate when you are treating your rental as a side hustle but financially devastating when it’s your main means of income.
You never know when something like the COVID-19 pandemic could happen again. So, don’t set yourself up for financial instability. Use your rental to boost your income and encourage others to travel. Don’t use it to supplement your income unless you can afford to get through dry spells unscathed.
You’re one step closer to starting your Airbnb adventure! You’ll be a top-rated host in no time.
