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

Wish you could create space in your life to explore new things? To spend more time on creative interests or pursue the hobbies you love? Shawn Laidlaw is leveraging Airbnb to do just that, investing in a short-term rental (STR) business in Mexico that gives him the time freedom to live life on his own terms.Shawn Laidlaw is an investor and STR host in Villas de Cerritos Beach near El Pescadero. He purchased land in an existing development there and built a three-unit property on the site, allowing him to rent the units on Airbnb and live there himself for six months of the year. Shawn is also a photographer, writer and avid surfer.On this episode, Shawn joins me to discuss how he came to invest in an Airbnb in Mexico and explain the process of buying and developing land in the country. He shares the perks of running a STR business in a development with an onsite staff, the cost of doing construction in Mexico, and the mindset difference when it comes to scheduling work. Listen in for insight around what it’s

Does your Airbnb have the delight factor? The most successful short-term rental (STR) hosts surprise their guests with unique hospitality experiences. They leverage the playful headspace we’re in when we travel to create quirky spaces that keep people coming back.Amy Gilbert is the creator of Givingtree Hospitality, an STR property management firm out of Blue Mountain, Canada. An Airbnb host since 2011, Amy has a special talent for turning unlikely spaces into popular and profitable vacation rentals.On this episode of Get Paid for Your Pad, Amy joins me to explain how she creates unique hospitality experiences with quirky listings like the Lovable Karma Cabin and the Retro Airstream Glamping Retreat. She shares some of the delight factors that make her listings special and discusses how she pitches cohosting clients with the prospect of making more money—by working less! Listen in for Amy’s insight on running with your fun ideas and learn how to turn imperfections into features that guests will love.Topics Co

As the short-term rental (STR) space gets more and more competitive, hosts are looking to promote their listings beyond Airbnb. Joshua Hittinger leverages Instagram to generate buzz around his vacation rental and engage with potential guests. So, how can YOU use social media to market your listing?Joshua is a new Airbnb host in northwest Arkansas. He and his wife relocated to the area near the Ozark Mountains 14 months ago and purchased an A-frame cabin with the intention of listing on Airbnb. After a year spent renovating the space and documenting the journey on Instagram, they are enjoying 85-90% occupancy just two months into their hosting career—in the off season!On this episode of Get Paid for Your Pad, Joshua joins me to explain how he is using Instagram to promote his listing, turning followers into guests and growing his audience organically. He walks us through the process of finding and renovating the cabin and documenting the journey on social media. Listen in for insight around telling the story o

Think you need to operate in a major metropolitan area to run a successful short-term rental (STR) business? Think again! As STR hosts in larger cities are faced with more and more competition and mounting regulations, Airbnb property managers in small towns are thriving. So, how do you identify a small community with BIG potential in the STR market?Christian Gissing is the CEO of True North Property Management, Northern Michigan’s short-term rental experts. TNPM is dedicated to building strong relationships with clients and providing memorable experiences for guests. In 2018, Christian and his team expanded to Mexico, Barbados and the UK, and today, they manage 100-plus units around the world. TNPM is a VRBO, HomeAway and Expedia Premier Partner, and the company has been recognized by Airbnb, TripAdvisor and Booking.com.On this episode of Get Paid for Your Pad, Christian joins me to share the romantic story of how he got into STR property management in Traverse City, Michigan. He offers advice on optimizing

In under three years, Julie George went from listing her one-bedroom apartment on Airbnb to running a successful property management company that turned over $5.5M. So, how did Julie scale from one to 130 units in 19 months? And how can you follow in her footsteps to become a million-dollar host?Julie George is the founder of Host My Home, Queensland’s top short-term rental (STR) property management company. She leveraged her background in hospitality, marketing and real estate sales to help property owners replicate the success she had hosting on Airbnb. In June 2019, Julie sold Host My Home, and today, she travels the world and runs Million Dollar Host, a consulting platform designed to help aspiring Airbnb entrepreneurs grow their business. Julie is also the author of Million Dollar Host: Julie’s Airbnb Portfolio Earned Over a Million Dollars in Her First Year … Yours Can Too!On this episode of Get Paid for Your Pad, Julie joins me to share her Airbnb origin story and explain how she built, scaled and sold

If you’re an Airbnb entrepreneur looking to start or scale a property management business, you need leads! So, what is the best way to find property owners who might be interested in the STR model?Randy Zimnoch is the cofounder and broker-owner of Realty National, an investor-friendly, boutique-style brokerage based in San Diego, California. With more than 13 years of experience in real estate, Randy has flipped 250-plus houses, and his team of agents has done 1,600 transactions since Realty National launched in 2011. His impressive resume also includes seven years as the Acquisition and Sales Director for CT Homes, a residential re-development company featured on A&E’s Flip This House.On this episode of Get Paid for Your Pad, Randy joins me to explain how STR property managers and real estate agents can work together to grow their businesses. He discusses how to provide value for realtors through education, revenue projections and cross-promotional opportunities and offers advice on where to go to start

Creating a unique experience for your guests leads to five-star reviews and returning clients. And if you live near the water, you can take advantage of this open market for one-of-a-kind spaces by renting out houseboats on Airbnb. So, how is hosting on land different from hosting by sea? What are the special considerations for running a STR that floats?Nicole Young is an Airbnb Superhost based in Norfolk, Virginia, with two houseboat listings on the platform—a 37-foot Holiday Mansion that sleeps two and a 50-foot Gibson that sleeps six. In addition to overnight stays on Airbnb, Nicole leverages Groupon to attract locals for date nights and does a food tasting Airbnb Experience on what she calls her ‘floating bed and breakfast.’On this episode of Get Paid for Your Pad, Nicole joins me to share her experience with listing houseboats on Airbnb. She explains the ‘date night’ concept she uses to increase bookings during the week, discussing how guests book through Groupon and what you can do to apply a similar id

“Honestly, it was a gamble … but I knew, if I put in the same amount of time that I did at my job, I knew I could make that much or even more through Airbnb because I saw how much it could actually grow.”So, you’ve got a good, steady job, but it doesn’t light you up. You know you’re self-motivated enough to be an entrepreneur, and you LOVE the idea of deciding for yourself how to spend your time. You CAN achieve financial freedom through short-term rentals (STR), and today’s guest took a leap of faith to do just that.Azubuike Dike (better known as AJ) is the Cofounder and Logistics Manager with EA Lodging, an STR property management company based in Houston. The EA Lodging team provides reliable services for property owners looking to create positive experiences for their guests, boasting a proven track record for optimizing short-term rentals in Southeast Texas. In addition, AJ and his partner, Erica, offer an array of services for hosts, including STR setup and design, listing photography, furniture sourcin

What do top short-term rental (STR) operators from around the world have in common? This past summer, Eric Moeller and I hosted the STR Legends Live Mastermind in Puerto Rico, and we uncovered three buckets that successful Airbnb hosts focus on, whether their business is in South Africa or Siberia or San Diego. So, we are compiling this information in a three-part series and providing you with the blueprint to launch and scale a profitable STR business!Beyond partnering with me on STR Legends Live, Eric also serves as host of the Airbnb Mastery Summit, a program designed to help aspiring hosts build a professional and profitable business on Airbnb, and founder of Cohost Mastery, an online training academy that teaches you how to start an STR company without owning or leasing any properties. In addition, he runs his own successful vacation rental leasing and property management company in California.On this episode of Get Paid for Your Pad, Eric and I sit down to discuss our upcoming masterclass, STR Profit Ac

Vacation rentals have been around for a long time. But the advent of Airbnb put the industry on our radar in a new way, inspiring significant growth and change. And today, there’s an entire ecosystem of bespoke products and services that cater to the multibillion-dollar short-term rental (STR) industry.Evian Gutman is the Founder and CEO of Padlifter, the world’s largest marketplace of STR service providers. Evian created the platform to connect businesses in the Airbnb ecosystem with their target customers. Padlifter provides the most comprehensive directory of short-term and vacation rental service providers globally, enabling hosts to find the right services in the right place at the right time.On this episode of Get Paid for Your Pad, Evian joins us to discuss the development of the Airbnb ecosystem, explaining how the products and services have evolved with the expansion of the STR space. He describes several traditional industries that have adapted their offerings to serve the vacation rental industry a

A lot of short-term rental hosts underestimate the power of effective guest communication. How well you convey the information your guests need has a big influence on their experience. And that, in turn, impacts the reviews they leave you on Airbnb. So, what does good guest communication look like? How often should you message your guests? And WHEN is the best time to send WHAT information?Today, I’m sharing an edited version of my Smartbnb Webinar on how to streamline your Airbnb guest communication. I explain why it’s crucial to communicate clearly with STR guests and offer advice on building relationships with voice notes and video.I walk you through the five aspects of successful Airbnb guest communication, discussing how to provide objective information that’s easy to understand—when the guest actually needs it. Listen in for an outline of my guest communication flow and learn how often to communicate with guests before, during and after their stay!Topics CoveredWhy guest communication is crucial on Airb

Are you annoyed with your Airbnb guests or overwhelmed with the responsibility of managing your listing? If you’ve been a short-term rental host for a while now, you may be tired of answering the same questions and frustrated with guests who complain about things you can’t control. This condition is known as Airbnb hosting fatigue. So, what can you do about it? Can you prevent hosting fatigue from happening to you?Today, I’m doing a solo episode to discuss the issue of Airbnb hosting fatigue. I share my own experience with the phenomenon, explaining how I reignited my passion for hosting. I also offer insight around how outsourcing some activities and automating things like messaging, pricing, and task management can prevent STR hosting fatigue. Listen in to understand the problem with the Airbnb review system and get my top tips for finding the inspiration to stay engaged and continuing to improve your listing!Topics CoveredMy experience with STR hosting fatigueSuper-excited to host for first couple monthsCo

“I vowed to change the company’s vision … from putting roofs over people’s heads to creating memories and stirring emotions.”It is easy to build relationships with guests when you have a small number of listings, and you can be there in person to check them in. But how do you keep that connection as you scale up to 50 units or more? What can you do to show people you care and maintain superior hospitality as your business grows?Steve Patterson is the President of UrHomeInPhilly, a short-term rental property management company based in Philadelphia, PA. UrHip is ranked #1 in customer experience on Google and was voted best place to stay in Philadelphia by Sweet Retreats. Steve is passionate about helping his guests create memories, and he has maintained Superhost status—even as his business has grown to 80-plus units.Today, Steve joins us to explain how he differentiates his STR business with outstanding service. He shares his struggle to achieve Superhost status, discussing what he learned at the Airbnb confe

If you have a small number of Airbnb listings, screening guests (and rejecting the bad ones) is not a problem once you know what to look for. But what if you want to grow your short-term rental business to 20, 50, or even 100 properties? What tools are available to STR rental managers to vet and monitor guests? How can you leverage effective screening to make more money AND acquire new listings?Anton Zilberberg is an STR Legend and property manager out of Toronto. He operates a portfolio of 100-plus properties through his luxury STR company, QuickStay, and serves as the Founder and CEO of Autohost, an AI screening tool for Airbnb guests. Today, Anton is back on the podcast to offer his advice on guest screening to STR managers who are looking to scale.Anton covers the risks property managers face, describing the scope of the fraud problem in the STR industry. He also weighs in on how effective screening increases STR revenue and gives property managers a competitive advantage. Listen in to understand Autohost

If you’ve had a bad experience with a guest on Airbnb, chances are you did not screen that guest effectively. But if you know what to look out for and what questions to ask, it is fairly easy to determine which guests are likely to break your house rules—and which ones might be engaged in criminal activity like fraud or identity theft.Anton Zilberberg is the Founder and CEO of Autohost, a new AI tool for screening Airbnb guests, and QuickStay, a luxury short-term rental (STR) management company out of Toronto with a portfolio of 100-plus properties. Today, he joins me to explain why it’s crucial to screen would-be guests and walk us through the questions he asks to determine intent.Anton offers insight on the two types of risk, general and criminal, sharing the red flags to look out for and additional measures to take in minimizing your risk portfolio. He also weighs in on the pros and cons of different booking channels and discusses the risks associated with guests coming from Airbnb, Booking.com and VRBO. L

Accommodations account for 40% of the global travel industry, bringing in a jaw-dropping $675B in 2018. And according to a recent report by Cleveland Research Company, accommodations also happen to represent the largest, fastest growing, and most profitable segment of the online travel market. So, how much of that $675B is credited to Airbnb and other short-term rental opportunities?Margot Schmorak is the cofounder and CEO of Hostfully, the SaaS company that helps short-term rental hosts save time, make more money and deliver a five-star experience by way of beautiful, personalized guidebooks for guests. Today, she joins me to discuss the Cleveland Research Company’s latest report on the global accommodations market, comparing the numbers for traditional vacation rentals and the sharing economy as well as the growth rates for each type of booking.Margot and I go on to cover the EU controversy around short-term rental transparency, explaining how Airbnb listings there are required to show the real price, fees

Looking for ways to supplement your STR income? Chances are, most of your Airbnb guests are renting a car locally to explore the area while they travel. Why not make extra money by offering YOUR car on a site like Getaround?John William Johnson is the founder of Happy Healthy Long Life, an online store dedicated to products that promote health and wellbeing. He is also a veteran short-term rental host and runs a car sharing business through the site Getaround. John takes full advantage of his status as a digital nomad to travel internationally, often trading his pet sitting services for a free place to stay.Today, John joins me to discuss the process of renting cars on Getaround, explaining how the service differs from Turo and sharing his tips for optimizing a business on the site. He reflects on his 10 years of experience with Airbnb, describing how he evolved as a host and why he’s phasing out his STR business in Portland. Listen in for John’s advice on becoming a digital nomad and leveraging the sharing e

What’s the biggest obstacle hosts and property managers face in growing a short-term rental business? For most, the frustration comes from the sheer volume of communication necessary to run a large portfolio of properties. But what if you could automate both your guest messaging and operations—without sacrificing personalization?Pierre-Camille Hamana is the founder and CEO of Smartbnb. the leading guest experience platform for short-term rentals. Pierre-Camille and his team are on a mission to support hosts and property managers in running their guest communications and operations at scale. Today, he joins me to explain how Smartbnb is expanding to offer its customers new functionality in terms of business metrics and automated operations.We discuss Smartbnb’s ability to automate personalized messaging and support multiple languages, and Pierre-Camille describes why Smartbnb is adding features to streamline the operations of a STR business and allow property managers to grow their portfolio across platforms.

Traditional real estate investing requires saving for a down payment and securing a bank loan before you purchase an asset. And this process limits how often you can add properties to your portfolio. But that is not the only way to acquire real estate, and Scott Glass contends that with a little creativity, you can own more properties and accelerate the growth of your STR listings!Scott Glass is a serial entrepreneur and real estate investor who manages 65 STR units in his native Canada, the US and the Dominican Republic. He has been active in the space for nine years and full-time for the last five. Today, Scott joins me to share his unconventional method of acquiring more properties more quickly, the land contract or seller financing strategy.Scott explains how the above-average cashflow of the Airbnb model supports land contracts and walks us through the process of finding FSBO properties and negotiating with owner-investors. Listen in to understand how Scott’s focus on larger properties helps him stand ou

STR Legends Live hosted 25 top operators from all over the world. Attendees represented 10 countries on 5 continents, with a grand total of more than 1,000 combined listings. So, what can we learn from these Airbnb big fish running businesses at scale? What were some of our top takeaways from the mastermind retreat?Eric Moeller is the creator of Cohost Mastery and the cohost of STR Legends Live. Erica Beers and Rebecca Slivka serve as head of Operations & Finance and Customer Service & Business Development for Pillow and Coffee, a short-term rental company built on the master lease model that manages 100-plus listings. Today, Eric, Erica and Rebecca join me to share their top lessons learned from STR Legends Live, discussing the guests’ willingness to connect and learn from each other. Erica and Rebecca describe how the quality of operators differentiated this event from other vacation rental conferences and offer insight around finding your niche in the short-term rental marketplace. Eric weighs in o