Embrace the Season of Giving as an Airbnb Host

Many ​ of​ ​ us​ ​ have​ ​ been​ ​ there:​​  after​ ​ enduring​ ​ the​​  ​stress ​ of​ ​ traveling​​  during​ ​ the​​  peak​ holiday ​ season,​ ​ you’re​ ​ then​ ​ faced​ ​ ​with ​ the​​  discomfort​ ​ of​ ​ packing​ ​ into​ ​ ​an ​ already​ ​ full​ relative’s ​ house​ ​ or​ ​ the​ ​ expense​ ​ of​​  a​ ​ season-rate​ ​ hotel​​  ​room.

​ This​ ​ scenario​​  can​ ​ be​​  even​ more ​ difficult​ ​ for​ ​ out-of-town​ ​ families​ ​ ​with ​ young​​  children.​

If ​ you’re​ ​ lucky​ ​ enough​ ​ to​​ stay​ ​ put​​  for​ ​ the​​ holidays​ ​ and​ ​ have​ ​ some​ ​ extra​​  space​ ​ in​​  your​ home, ​ or​ ​ even​ ​ a​ ​ vacation​ ​ home​​  available,​ ​ consider​ ​ renting​​  ​it ​ out​ ​ on​​  Airbnb.​

​ As​​  an​ Airbnb ​ host,​ ​ you​ ​ may​ ​ be​ ​ ​able ​ to​​ ​provide ​ ​a ​ more​ ​comfortable​ ​ experience​ ​ for​ ​ travelers​ visiting ​ relatives,​ ​ while​ ​ also​ ​ earning​ ​ some​ ​ extra​ ​ money​ ​ for​​  the​ ​ holidays.​

You ​ can​ ​ even​​ exercise​ ​ a​ ​ little​​  hometown​ ​pride​ ​ by​​  ​introducing ​ guests​ ​to​​  all​ ​ that​​  makes​ your ​ neighborhood​ ​ great—and​ ​drive​ ​ more​ ​ business​ ​ to​ ​ your​ ​ favorite​ ​ local​ mom-and-pop ​shops.​

Potential ​earnings​

Airbnb ​ provides​ ​ a​ ​ tool​ ​ that​ ​ helps​​  estimate​ ​ what​ ​ you​​  ​might ​ earn​ ​ based​​  on​ ​ other​​  listings​ in ​ your​ ​ area.​ ​ Airbnb​ ​ makes​ ​ the​ ​ payment​ ​ process​ ​ simple,​​  too.​

See Also:  Should I Wear Cologne To Work?

Guests​ ​are​ ​charged​ ​when a​ ​reservation​ ​is​ ​made,​ ​and​ ​funds​ ​are​ ​typically​ ​released​ ​to​ ​hosts​ ​24​ ​hours​ ​after​ ​check-in. How​ ​you’re​ ​paid​ ​is​ ​up​ ​to​ ​you:​ ​You​ ​can​ ​set​ ​up​ ​direct​ ​deposit,​ ​PayPal,​ ​or​ a​ ​number​ ​of​ ​other options​.​ Creating ​ a​ ​ listing​ ​ is​ ​ always​ ​ free.​

Time​​commitment

The ​ online ​ process​ ​ to​ ​ create​ ​ a​ ​ ​listing​ is​​  straightforward—you​ ​write​ ​ descriptions​ ​ of​ your ​ space,​ ​ upload​ ​ photos,​ ​ and​ ​ ​mark​ dates​​  your​ ​ space​ ​ is​ ​available​ ​ ​to ​ travelers.​ ​ You​ can ​ also​ ​ access​ ​ your​ ​ account​​ via​ ​ the​ ​ mobile​ ​ app,​ ​ ​so​  if​ ​ you’re​ ​ out​ ​ running​ ​ around,​ ​ you​ can ​ still​ ​ easily​​ stay​ ​ in​ ​ touch​​  with​ ​ your​ ​guests.​

As ​ a​ ​ host,​ ​you​ ​ can​​ ​be ​ ​as ​ hands-on,​​  or​​ ​as ​ ​hands-off, ​ as​ ​ you​​  want,​​ ranging​ ​ from​ ​ meeting​ guests ​ at​ ​ the​ ​ airport​ ​ to​ ​ ​directing​ them​​  to​ ​ your​ ​ hide-a-key​ ​ to​​ ​check ​ themselves​ ​ in.​ Whatever ​ style​ ​ you’re​ ​ comfortable​ ​with​ ​ is​​  up​ ​ to​ ​ you.​ 

Host ​ support​

Allowing ​ strangers​ ​ into​ ​ your​ ​ home​ ​ might​ ​ feel​ ​ a​ ​ little​ ​ ​strange​  or​ ​ scary.​ ​ You​ ​ can​ ​ get​ ​ a​ sense ​ of​ ​ what​ ​ to​ ​ expect​​  by​ ​ ​visiting ​ the​​  Airbnb​ ​ Community ​ ​Center ​ where​ ​ ​experienced, successful ​ hosts​ ​ tell​ ​ their​ ​ own​ ​ ​stories ​ and​​  can​ ​ answer​ ​ your​ ​ questions.

See Also:  Will you be able to Maintain Your Lifestyle after Your Divorce?

​Also, ​ visit​ ​ the​ Airbnb ​ blog​ ​ for​ ​ insights​ ​ on​ ​ getting​ ​ the​ ​ most​​ from​​  your​ ​ ​listing.

If ​ you’re​ ​ nervous​ ​ about​ ​ the​ ​ ​safety ​ of​​  your​ ​ home​ ​ and​ ​ belongings,​ ​ ​Airbnb’s ​ got​ ​ your​ back:​ ​ In​ ​the​ ​rare​ ​event​ ​an​ ​accident​ ​happens,​ ​our​ host​ ​guarantee​ ​may​ ​cover​ ​your​ ​property up​ ​to​ ​a​ ​million​ ​dollars​ ​per​ ​stay—it’s​ ​peace​ ​of​ ​mind​ ​for​ ​you​ ​at​ ​no​ ​extra​ ​charge.

​And​ ​as​ ​for the​ ​folks​ ​staying​ ​at​ ​your​ ​place,​ ​everyone​ ​who​ ​travels​ ​on​ ​Airbnb​ ​needs​ ​to​ ​submit​ ​a​ ​profile photo​ ​and​ ​confirmed​ ​phone​ ​number​ ​and​ ​email​ ​address.​ ​For​ ​extra​ ​assurance,​ ​you​ ​can also​ ​require​ ​your​ ​guests​ ​to​ ​submit​ ​a​ ​government-issued​ ​ID.

Getting ​ started​

Visit ​ the​ ​ Airbnb​ ​ host​ ​ site​ ​ ​to ​ explore​​  resources,​ ​ learn​ ​ about​ ​ host​ ​ expectations,​ ​ ​and create ​your​ ​ listing.​ ​ Start​ ​ hosting​ ​ ​now, ​ and​​  help​ ​ create​ ​ a​ ​ warm​ ​ ​and ​festive​ ​ holiday​ experience ​ for​ ​ others,​ ​ while​ ​ maybe​ ​ earning​ ​some​ ​ extra​ ​ cash​​  for​ ​ yourself.​