Your thoughts on Airbnb?

[0nyxStation]

Originally Posted by jamies

I think it's destroying the fabric of neighborhoods with transient and sometimes questionable people going in and out at all times. Wish they would be regulated out.

regulate to who? How does it hurt neighborhoods?

[Big-Bucks]

Originally Posted by 0nyxStation

regulate to who? How does it hurt neighborhoods?

Would you want to live next to a Motel 6? That's a good way of putting it.

[prospectheightsresident]

While I use Priceline's Express Deals or Hotels.com over Airbnb, I am not inherently opposed to the service. Heck, if the condo I'm trying to buy allows Airbnb (I have to more thoroughly read through the condo bylaws first), then I'd consider renting out the second room in the unit via that service for about a week per month; I'd prefer this over renting out the unit full-time to someone, which I don't want to do.

[1freespirit]

We have a vacation rental located on the Big Island of Hawaii thus I am a property owner and also a traveler.

Most listing site charge travelers a booking fee to book from their site ranging from 5-15% over and above the total of the rental price of the rental. Sometimes it hard for travelers to see this fee is getting charged to them but it is there.

AirBnB, Tripadvisor, HomeAway and VRBO are a few of the larger ones that I know all charge travelers a fee to book.

As a vacation rental owner the fee's for owners to list on the sites are as follows:
AirBnb they charge owners 5% of the rental amount
Tripadvisor = 3%
HomeAway and VRBO (owned by same company which is now Expedia and they were just bought by them for 3.9 billion) charges property owners either a yearly subscription ($399 annually) or owners can choose a pay per booking which is 8%.

I do get bookings from all of the above but I prefer when guests find our rental on one of the sites I listed below. If guests do want to book from one of the paid sites. I do request that they tell me a little bit about themselves and their travel plans before I accept their reservation request. Otherwise no way to know if your renting to a bunch of young adults wanting to hold a stag party or something in your home.

Being a vacation rental Homeowner and also a traveler. I prefer to receive bookings from guests and book my lodging from "non fee" sites. Me as a homeowner and many of us homeowners feel the same way is we want to have control over our property and who stays in our home. So preferably we like to receive bookings from some of the sites below that do not charge the traveler a fee and are all free to the traveler. Some of the sites below property owners are charged an annual fee to list. I myself when booking property I do want the ability to speak with the owner direct prior to booking so I can see if the property is a good fit for my vacation.

There are more fraud properties listed on the paying sites then the free sites.

Free listings sites are popping up all over due to the buy out of HomeAway and VRBO to Expedia.

Here are some free listing site to which you can still book direct from the owner and contact them etc prior to booking.

www.homeescape.com

www.VacationHomeRentals.com (Part of Tripadvisor but do not charge travelers a fee)

www.unitedvacation.rentals

Vacationstayz - Find a vacation rental with no service fees

And if your a member of facebook I suggest to join this public it is for both vacation rental owners to list their properties and travelers looking to rent can search the properties along with submitting a "rental request"

https://www.facebook.com/VacationRentalsfromOwners/

Hope this information helps.

[Scooby Snacks]

Originally Posted by Big-Bucks

Would you want to live next to a Motel 6? That's a good way of putting it.

It's not a good way of putting it at all because the two concepts aren't even the same thing. My wife and I frequently use Air B&B when we vacation. Typically, we find a property we like on the website, talk to the owner about it, then book it. The owner calls us with info about how to gain access. Renters have to pay a refundable damage deposit in most cases. It's not like a Motel 6 because the landlord rents only one or two units at most. It's no different from being a regular landlord.

We like it because the experience is more personal than a hotel, offers much more privacy, and we get much more space. The condos or homes we rent normally cost the same as a nice hotel room. We do not like booking units located in the owner's home, however, and make sure to be clear with the owner that we want a unit separate from others.

[Jkgourmet]

Originally Posted by mhubert

I don’t think it’s true. The short-term rental market as well as the market of long-term lease, has always existed. I have never heard people complain about the lack of apartments for long-term rental. If someone looking for such property they can always use platforms created for this type of lease.

Dude, this is exactly why cities like San Francisco and NYC have tried to get rid of AirBnb, and have passed ordinances restricting these kinds of short term rentals (should probably be attempting to restrict)

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/29/te...pass.html?_r=0

Airbnb Is None Too Pleased About San Francisco

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