Get Paid For Your Pad | Airbnb Hosting | Vacation Rentals | Apartment Sharing

When Eric and I bought the existing Airbnb business at Strawberry Creek Village, the previous host didn’t use any technology tools at all.Running the community as a traditional vacation rental, she tracked bookings with pen and paper, texted the cleaner personally and physically plugged in and unplugged the outdoor lights herself each day.On this episode of Get Paid for Your Pad, Eric shares the home automation technology he’s installed at Strawberry Creek and describes the system we created around the digital locks and temporary access codes in our short-term rentals to streamline our business.Listen in to understand why Eric and I are setting up the tech ourselves and get our best advice on implementing new technology in your Airbnb hosting business.Topics CoveredWhat tech we’ve installed at Strawberry CreekLights turn on/off automaticallySchlage Encode digital locksNoiseAware in units and outdoorsApple TV and Nest thermostatsThe benefits of using digital locks in a STRSecurityGuest convenienceManagementHow

If you manage listings remotely, operations can be a challenge.With no supervision, how do you maintain quality control? How do you make sure that your cleaners and maintenance workers are meeting expectations?David Golshan is the entrepreneur and real estate investor behind StayWithDave, a short-term rental business with properties in Los Angeles, Orange County and the Smoky Mountains. On this episode of Get Paid for Your Pad, Dave asks me questions about the operations of his Airbnb business, describing how hard it is to find contractors he can count on when unexpected issues arise.Listen in for insight on putting systems in place to prevent operations issues and learn how to hustle to find good team members for your short-term rental business—despite the current labor shortage!Topics Covered The ins and outs of Dave’s Airbnb businessListings in LA, Orange County & Smoky MountainsTransition from arbitrage to management model Manage operations remotelyHire cleaner or cohost who’s invested

Today, Eric and I are focused on buying property and building a hospitality brand. We also run a Short term rental mastermind as well as the Legends X coaching program.We started just like everyone else, hosting a single property on Airbnb.And the reason why we can teach at such high level is because we’ve been through it all; Run into challenges, made mistakes, figured out how to problem-solve and move forward.On this episode of Get Paid for Your Pad, Eric explains how he got started with Airbnb: his transition from house flipping real estate investor to STR entrepreneur.He describes what inspired his vision to build an online business in the real estate space, how he discovered STRs and why he pivoted from rental arbitrage to a management model.Listen as Eric shares his craziest guest experience and learn how you can benefit from our mistakes and scale a STR business of your own!Topics CoveredEric’s real estate investing background10 years raising money to flip housesAdded Section 8 apartment buildingsEric’

Short-term rental operators understand that technology helps automate certain aspects of our hosting business, saving time and streamlining our operations. But there are few tools that smaller Airbnb hosts can afford.So, what is the ideal tech setup for STR hosts with five units or less?Henry Bennett is the Cofounder and CEO of YourWelcome, a guest engagement tablet currently used in 15,000 STR properties. Henry and the YourWelcome team are in the process of launching PropertyCare, a complementary platform to automate guest engagement and manage STR cleaning and maintenance.Listen in to understand why text messaging is the best way to communicate with guests (and how PropertyCare facilitates SMS) and find out what affordable technology options are available to small Airbnb hosts!Topics CoveredHenry’s take: COVID changed the STR industryProperty managers looking to reduce costsDifficult to find cleaners and maintenance staffHow Henry thinks about Chesky’s predicted BOOM in STRsRecord domestic bookings for ‘rev

As Airbnb entrepreneurs who help people start and scale their own short-term rental companies, you may be surprised to hear that, right now, we don’t think you should start a STR business.You should buy one.There's value creating your own hosting business. If you’re brand new to the industry, it’s a good place to start.But if you’re an experienced host with funding, you can create wealth by taking over another business and increasing its value. So, what does that look like?This episode of Get Paid for Your Pad, Eric and I sit down to discuss the opportunities we see in buying an Airbnb business rather than starting one from scratch.Listen in for insight on where to find vacation rental businesses to buy and learn how YOU can acquire and then increase the profits of existing Airbnbs!Topics Covered Why we’re taking over an existing Airbnb businessSave money on operations to increase profitsImprove guest experience, property valueEric’s insight on raising money through investorsAll based on NETWORKInvest in

As short-term rental hosts, we ALL want to build a listing that stands out from the competition. And we know that having the right photos is crucial in getting prospective guests to book.But what if you’re not a professional photographer, and you don’t have the money to hire one? Can you still take gorgeous listing photos if it’s just you and your smartphone?Kati and Brian Greene are the Cofounders of Overlooked 2 Overbooked, a service that helps hosts optimize their listings to attract their ideal guests at optimal prices.On this episode of Get Paid for Your Pad, Kati and Brian join me to share their top tips for taking photos of your property and describe how to choose the best ‘magnet photo’ for your listing.Kati explains the optimal way to order photos in an Airbnb listing and Brian discusses how to take your listing to the next level by including experience shots.Listen in for insight on using guest reviews to improve your listing and learn how Kati and Brian can help you build a listing that beats the c

In a recent interview with Skift CEO Rafat Ali, Brian Chesky predicted a near-future revolution in travel. A revolution that presents a big opportunity for short-term rental hosts.As more companies offer employees the option to work remotely, Chesky believes people will take advantage of the flexibility to travel. This will increase demand for STRs, especially in secondary markets.On this episode of Get Paid for Your Pad, Eric and I discuss the biggest opportunity we see right now in short-term rentals, describing how we’re finding older vacation homes in drive-to destinations and converting them into unique STR experiences. Listen in for insight on the benefit of investing in real estate for Airbnbs and learn how to upgrade an older STR property—without losing sight of what makes the local area special!Topics Covered Key takeaways from the recent Brian Chesky interviewPeople won’t go back to working in offices full-timeAffords much more flexibility to travelOpportunities for STR hosts in this revol

If you want your guests to delight YOU with five-star reviews, return visits and referrals, then you need to delight them first by delivering the unexpected.But what, exactly, does that look like? How can Airbnb hosts WOW their guests in every step of the short-term rental journey?J.T. McKay is the author of Airbnb on Autopilot: Save Time and Boost Profits for Your Vacation Rental. J.T. has been investing in real estate for over 25 years, and he currently operates 10 vacation rental units in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.On this episode of Get Paid for Your Pad, J.T. joins me to discuss how to delight your Airbnb guests by delivering the unexpected, beginning with becoming a story-seller in your listing.J.T. offers advice on building a personal connection through your house manual and automating guest messaging with authenticity.Listen in for J.T.’s insight on WOW-ing your guests during their stay with selfie props, QR codes and V.I.G. (Very Important Guest) discounts to local restaurants and attract

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It’s your job as an Airbnb host to understand the struggles your guests might face and set them up for success. But what if your guests are international tourists who don’t speak the local language? How can you create a multilingual short-term rental to serve guests from anywhere in the world?Tracey Northcott is the Founder and Owner of Tokyo Family Stays, a vacation rental property management company based in Tokyo, Japan. Tracey is also the Guest Experience Specialist behind Tracey Northcott Consulting, a firm dedicated to helping other hosts improve their hospitality standards and maximize STR profits.On this episode of Get Paid for Your Pad, Tracey joins me to discuss how to set up a multilingual Airbnb, describing how she attracts large extended families of inbound tourists to her properties in Tokyo. Tracey shares her strategies for supporting guests who don’t speak the local language, explaining the benefits of providing infographics and professionally translated information.Listen in to unde

Yes, we learn a lot from personal experience. But smart short-term rental hosts also learn from each other.We take advantage of our peers’ and predecessors’ experiences, implementing best practices from the very beginning.Koryn Okey is the Vice President of Client Experience at Breezeway, the leading property operations and services platform for short-term rentals. Prior to joining Breezeway in 2017, Koryn spent seven years as Director of International Accounts at FlipKey. On this episode of Get Paid for Your Pad, Koryn joins me to explain how the FlipKey model differed from that of Airbnb and explore what gives Airbnb the brand recognition it enjoys today. Koryn offers advice on optimizing your property listings, and we discuss when hosts should start using a tool like Breezeway to manage their STR portfolio.Listen in for insight on investing in tech early on in your Airbnb business and master Koryn’s top three habits of highly successful STR hosts!Topics Covered What differentiated the FlipKe

On Monday, September 20, the US government announced that it is lifting its Covid-related ban on international travel starting in November.The new rules allow entry for vaccinated visitors from the EU, India, China and 30 other countries deemed high-risk back in March of 2020 when the ban went into effect.So, what does this mean for you and your Airbnb business?On this episode of Get Paid for Your Pad, Eric and I discuss the details of the March 2020 travel ban and describe how lifting it is likely to impact the US short-term rental market.  We look at the AirDNA report comparing STR demand in August of 2019 with August of 2021, exploring why domestic travel compensated for the loss of foreign tourists in North America—but not Europe.Listen in for insight on the increasing demand for unique Airbnb stays and larger properties and find out what recovering lead times means for your hosting business!Topics Covered The travel ban that went into effect in March 2020Travelers from EU, China and other

You might be surprised to hear that the most downloaded episode of Get Paid for Your Pad so far this year is a show about systems. While operations is not the sexiest aspect of running a short-term rental business, it may be the most important.So, what is involved in building out the operations for an Airbnb business? And how does creating systems benefit you as a host?On this episode of Get Paid for Your Pad, Eric and I sit down to discuss the ideal operations to scale your STR business, describing how to identify the most efficient processes and save time and brain power. We explain why it’s crucial to write down everything you do for your vacation rental business and offer advice on how to start the documentation process.Listen in to understand what STR operators can learn from McDonald’s and find out why focusing on operations is the prerequisite to scaling your Airbnb hosting business! Topics Covered The 3 things you need to grow an Airbnb businessVisionOperationsScale   Wha

Are you still trying to do it all yourself in your short-term rental business? If you’re afraid to be away from your phone even for a few minutes or worried that you forgot to follow up with a guest, it’s time to consider hiring a virtual assistant or two—before you burn out!So, what do you need to know about hiring VAs? How can they help you scale your STR hosting business?Kim Herrlein is the founder of Purveyors of Leisure, a short-term rental management company headquartered in the Coachella Valley of California. Kim’s team focuses on large group travel, combining the comfort of a vacation rental with the luxury of resort-style concierge services.On this episode of Get Paid for Your Pad, Kim joins me to explain how hiring virtual assistants has been a game changer for her Airbnb business, describing what her VA team does and how she trained them.  We discuss the common misconceptions around hiring Filipino VAs, and Kim describes the advantages of hiring virtual assistants through an agency like S

Don’t think you need a vision for your Airbnb business?If you’re trying to grow a short-term rental company, but you haven’t given any thought to what you want the business to look like, you’re likely to get caught in the trap of trying to please everyone. And in trying to please everyone, you please no one—least of all yourself!On this episode of Get Paid for Your Pad, Eric and I sit down to discuss why you need a vision for your Airbnb business, explaining how it guides the systems you build and helps you stand out in the marketplace.  We explain how a clear vision helps you attract the right team members, challenging you to get clear on your core values and invite your employees to hold you accountable.  Listen in to understand how having a vision benefits even hosts with one or two listings and learn what questions to ask yourself as you build out the vision for your STR business! Topics Covered How to create the right conditions to build your visionGet out of day-to-day

Imagine having chemical sensitivities to the cleaning products used in most short-term rentals and knowing that every time you travel, you are likely to get sick.Katrina Papé solves this problem with green cleaning. And in addition to attracting travelers with multiple chemical sensitivities, she feels good about minding the health of her guests, her cleaning staff and the environment.Katrina is the founder and CEO of BnB Equity Group, an investor-focused professional vacation rental property management company based in Seattle, Washington. Katrina has 27 years of experience as an entrepreneur, and her background in business management, interior design and real estate investing give her a competitive advantage in the short-term rental space. On this episode of Get Paid for Your Pad, Katrina joins me to explain how her own sensitivities to chemicals following a health crisis inspired her shift to green cleaning—both at home and in her STR units. She discusses the prevalence of multiple chemical sensi

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So, you’re an Airbnb host in a saturated market. The investment blogs said it would be easy to build a thriving short-term rental business in your area, but you've got a lot of competition.How do you stand out? Can you use design to create a guest experience that sets you apart?Kate Shaw and Betsy Moyer are the cofounders of Retreat Experiential Design, an all-in-one Airbnb experiential design firm that transforms Airbnb properties into true retreats. Betsy is also the creator of the home décor and interior design brand, The Estate of Things, and Kate is an Airbnb Superhost with a portfolio of 10 units near Joshua Tree National Park.On this episode of Get Paid for Your Pad, Kate and Betsy join me to share the fundamentals of experiential design, explaining how they identify the unique value proposition of a new property and design with the with guest in mind.They discuss how to succeed in a saturated market like Joshua Tree and offer advice on creating a win-win between Airbnb hosts and the local community.Li

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Savvy short-term rental hosts have pivoted in the last 18 months, shifting their business model to provide family-friendly accommodations that welcome kids and pets for long-term stays.  So, what does it look like to set up an Airbnb that works for large families and their furry friends? Legends X Alum Rachel Gainsbrugh is the Cofounder of Short Term Gems and the Chief-of-Staff at All Pocono Rentals. She also works as a full-time pharmacist and has a husband, three dogs and two kids! On this episode of Get Paid for Your Pad, Rachel joins me to share her top tips for hosting families with pets, explaining how she pivoted the Short Term Gems brand to cater to displaced homeowners. She offers advice on dealing with insurance companies and describes how to adjust the guest experience for families who are there because something happened to their home. Listen in for Rachel’s #1 lesson learned from participating in Legends X and learn how to provide a 5-star guest experience for pets—a