Tips to cut down on Airbnb stress
Truthfully, Airbnb can be a fun and profitable way to make money – however, it’s also a cause of stress for a lot of homeowners across the country.
Airbnb accounts for 15% of my income but also, 90% of the stress in my personal and work life combined.
Hosting your property on Airbnb can be like a full-time job, which can make it a stressful experience if you do not take steps to minimise the workload.
Fortunately, we’ve come across some great tips and resources to help you make the money without the stress!
The stress of Superhost
Hosts on Airbnb are pressured to become super hosts, or they might lose out on substantial income increases. This, in turn, makes them stress over their guest reviews and the impact this might have on their business.
For example, one Reddit user commented:
“We have been at this for about 4 months now, and last month…three months in…we got superhost. I was very surprised…figured it would take a long time to get that. Since then, I am finding myself more stressed out about reviews because I am always thinking that something is going to make me lose that status.”
Others joined in on the commenting by saying they lost their status through bad reviews from guests complaining about silly things, for example:
“Lost mine because my basement suite was in a basement and they gave me 1 Star.”
Take a look at what this user had to say in Airbnb’s Community Center
“I am counting the weeks before I can walk away from Airbnb. I hosted hundreds of guests in a little over a year, and what started and a very pleasant experiance, now has become source of constant stress and anxiety. All the good things about hosting have been taken away by the now flawed review system.
Last summer, I used to say that Airbnb was a blessing in my life; It was a pleasure to host people from around the world plus it was a good source of supplemental income.”
So, what can be done to minimise stress here?
- Have a second mobile number – nothing is more stressful than having your phone being constantly hounded with questions that are likely on your Airbnb page. Therefore, get a fixed-line number, from platforms like Skype and set a voicemail message that asks them to leave a message and details when you will get back to them. This means you can respond on your own terms without having to check every five minutes.
- Call guests back on a landline – do not use a mobile number as they might text you day or night with questions, and trust us, there will be guests who will.
- Ask for help – there are companies who can help manage your short-let for a small fee, for example, this company offers Airbnb management in Bristol – check their website for more locations.
- SMS guests from a name, not a number – use services like TextLocal or similar to send texts as a name rather than a number. You can then send information ahead of their stay.
- Review your diary – have a clear idea of arrivals and departures over the next seven days; if you have seven days of bookings only check it every three days.
More from us on beating stress:
- Stress: Causes, Symptoms and Support
- Stress Caused by Commitment
- How Health Issues Contribute To Stress