Say When... Posted December 6, 2019 Share Posted December 6, 2019 (edited) need some advice if there's anyone out there that is currently or has experience renting a home/unit through AirBnB. a few years ago I bought a condo in Key Largo, FL whilst living in LA. it started out as my "dive shack" (my rec hobby and staying in hotels were adding up) and when my company merged with an east coast institution, being part of the technology M&A team i spent more time on the east coast then the west and soon got tired of the 5 hour flight twice a week so i'd spend my weekends down south. My compensation covers the cost but we did notice the impact more when my wife retired late last year so beyond the "Snow Bird" renting i do with a gentleman from Delaware Jan-Mar each year I decided to rent it more frequently. after talking with friends in the RE market i was told VRBO is the best choice and to avoid AirBnB at all costs as there were issues with the Owners being held accountable for damage, poor handling of the property, lack of payment, etc. and the impression was that AirBnB was "siding with the rentee" at all costs to get their name established. so i've been exclusive to VRBO and word of mouth based on friends/family. well the activity has been light and my management company is now pressuring me to sign up with AirBnB because the other properties they have are renting almost weekly through the service. on top of that my wife doesn't like the fact we even own it and it's constantly draining our budget. So i'm wondering if anyone has any real life experience as a owner/rentor via AirBnB. some particulars about my unit: my friends tell me i've put too nice of furniture in the unit, truth be told when i renovated it i had no intention of renting full time it's in a yacht club (not a fancy one mind you) and has several amenities such as 3 pools, basketball and tennis courts, a private beach, etc. I allow pets and children (i've found out most rentors do not) small unit, 1k sqft, 2 bedroom and sleeps 6 with the sofa bed and i have a double bed bunk in the guest bedroom. the only way this becomes our retirement home is if only one of us are left in this world, 2 people and 3 beagles would not survive in it, especially with me still working another 10ish years and having to travel. any comments/advice is welcomed, just not sure what to do here. worst case is i just make my wife happy and sell it but there's something about it that makes me want to hang onto it. Edited December 6, 2019 by Say When... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Augie Posted December 6, 2019 Share Posted December 6, 2019 I don’t have any experience with either service, but I can relate to the last sentence. Good luck! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billsfanmiami(oh) Posted December 6, 2019 Share Posted December 6, 2019 Also interested in seeing some responses to this, we’ve considered doing the same thing sometime in next couple years, but with a ski condo. Have used VRBO / Airbnb many times as a renter but looking forward to hearing some personal accounts from the owner side. Obv the specific location will dictate a lot of the success or non success stories but looking forward to hearing about how the platforms work, potential headaches, etc. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
707BillsFan Posted December 7, 2019 Share Posted December 7, 2019 We use AirBnB all the time. Especiallly whenever we head down to SoCal or go back to Buffalo. I love the convenience and not having to get 2 or 3 hotel rooms at an exorbitant amount of cash. We used to be exclusively VRBO, but prices (lower) and choices seemed to lean more and more toward AirBnB. I was leery at first, hearing all the horror stories. But once we dipped our feet into the water, we found it was a great service. In fact, it's now my preferred choice over hotels when traveling. I prefer nicer furnishings, but it doesn't matter...as long as everything you need is there and isn't broken down (and the bed is comfortable). It's weird when it looks like the owner actually lives there and just stepped out while you're renting. VRBO had AirBnB beat in that regard, homes were mainly vacation rentals...not homes that seemed lived in. Anyway, getting a 2nd home somewhere else is on my list of things to do too. It wouldn't be a full time home, so we'd probably have to rent it out for short term while we're not there. So I too am interested in the whole AirBnB renting thing. I know many communities are starting to crack down on vacation rentals or limiting their services (ie .. where the owner would actually have to be staying in the house as well...that's a huge deterrent to me). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
US Egg Posted December 7, 2019 Share Posted December 7, 2019 I use to like using AirBnB but they have been forced to allow pets too. My wife's pet allergies, for some reason, amped up after her 2 yr. chemo, radiation and target drug treatment for her breast cancer. It's now impossible to get a guaranteed pet free/ clean room in a hotel or any rented room. It's clear pets matter more than people. We've had to leave many places. Small B&B's are our only safe option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PromoTheRobot Posted December 8, 2019 Share Posted December 8, 2019 Not that long ago AirBnB was a real bargain compared to hotels. You could get a nice whole apartment for what Motel 6 would cost you. Now it's way more expensive. For the first time in a long while I'm staying at a hotel instead of AirBnB on my next Buffalo trip. Days Inn Buffalo Airport is very nice for the price and has a pool/hot tub, buffet breakfast and a nice bar/restaurant on premise. (Landing's) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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