She Bought 9 Properties and Became an Airbnb Super Host. Here's How She Scaled Her Side Hustle While Keeping Her Full-Time Job. Q&A with an Airbnb Super Host who shares her best secrets to help you scale.
By Jason R. Rich Edited by Mark Klekas
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Within just a few years of becoming an Airbnb host, Lauren Aumond and her husband now own and manage nine short-term rental properties along with three long-term rental properties. As Superhosts, they have welcomed more than 300 guests in the last two years.
Here's an interview with Aumond where she discusses how she got started, scaled, and made a profit off her properties. If you are considering launching an Airbnb business, check out our book, which has more resources on the subject.
How did you first get started with Airbnb?
"I originally started with a long-term rental duplex in St. Petersburg, Florida. My next goal was to purchase a second long-term rental property rather quickly. As I was looking for the perfect property, I discovered an actual working bed-and-breakfast that was for sale. It was built in 1901 and contained three bedrooms and two full baths. Immediately outside of this bed-and-breakfast were two additional stand-alone cottages.
The area in Florida where this property is located is very tourist-based, so my husband and I quickly pivoted from doing only long-term rentals to using the bed-and-breakfast property to host short-term rentals through Airbnb. This all happened in 2019, right as COVID-19 started to happen. After purchasing the property, we put an additional $150,000 worth of work into the property. We later took about $100,000 out of that property and purchased an additional duplex about 30 miles north of the bed-and-breakfast property.
By December 2021, I pulled additional money out of the existing properties via a 1031 exchange to purchase another six-unit apartment building, half of which are now used for short-term rentals. Ultimately, I wound up with nine short-term rental listings and three long-term rental units."
Do you manage all the properties yourself?
"Yes. However, both me and my husband also have full-time, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. jobs. We now use a property management system, called OwnerRez, which integrates directly with Airbnb. As we expanded, we switched all of the locks on the properties to utilize smart locks, which we manage using an application called RemoteLock. And we also use PriceLabs, which is dynamic pricing software that also integrates with Airbnb.
Now, when someone books one of our properties through Airbnb, they get an automated message from me that thanks them for their booking. We then follow up with an email sent via Airbnb Relay, requesting them to submit their refundable deposit and that asks them to sign a rental agreement. Three days prior to their check-in, they receive their welcome information for checking in. The rest of the process, which includes their check-in details, is sent via email, and is also fully automated."
Related: Find Out How Much Extra Money You Can Make With Unused Spaces in Your Home Using Airbnb
What's your secret for hiring a reliable cleaning crew to turn over and clean your properties in between bookings?
"I found our current cleaning service through an Airbnb Facebook group, but it's taken a bit of trial and error to find the right fit. The big challenge is finding a cleaner that's consistent and reliable. For example, we had one cleaner for a short time that was a smoker, and she smoked when cleaning the linens, which caused a cigarette smell to permeate within them. This resulted in complaints, so we had to let her go. Our current cleaner gets an email notification through OwnerRez each time we get a new booking, so she knows which units need to be cleaned and when. Finding reliable cleaners and landscapers has been an ongoing challenge.
At this point, I will only hire a cleaner if they have previous experience cleaning Airbnb properties and come highly recommended by their references. They need to be able to deal with last-minute bookings and provide a consistent level of service. One responsibility of our cleaners is to take an inventory of the property each time it's cleaned to ensure nothing has gone missing or has been damaged. They also need to make sure the property is stocked with everything that's needed, including the right number of pillows and towels, for example.
To maintain consistent quality control, I pay careful attention to the reviews we receive, and I do personally communicate with guests. In every communication the guest receives from us, there's a message that invites them to contact me anytime with questions or concerns related to their stay. If there are any issues, I want to know about them immediately. I share the reviews with the cleaners. I also make a point to randomly visit the various units in person to get a close look at things. I have accepted that I am not always in control, but if we keep receiving those five-star reviews as Superhosts, I am willing to give up some control to people we trust."
What have you done to make your properties unique and set them apart from other Airbnb properties in your area?
"It depends on the property, but one thing I pay attention to is landscape design. I want our guests to get that Florida feel as soon as they arrive. I believe that starts before they walk through the front door, so the landscaping features palm trees and flower beds. When someone looks at one of our property listings, I want them to look at it as an oasis."
How often do you update your Airbnb property listings?
"Airbnb's algorithm likes active hosts. Every Monday, for example, I make a point to leave a review about all our guests who stayed with us during the previous week. I also respond to all the reviews I have gotten. I also change headings, pictures, and descriptive text for each property at least once per month. Each week, I make a point to update three or four property listings at a time.
Within the text portion of the listings, I purposely use language that assumes the guest is already interested in staying with us. For example, I'll say something like, 'You'll just love the porch swing.' I want the prospective guests to picture themselves staying at the property. I also provide information about how close the beaches and airport are, for example. I want people to see and learn about the area where they'll be staying, so they understand what they can be seeing and doing while staying with us. One detail that I recently started adding to each listing is the Wi-Fi speed and show a screenshot from a Wi-Fi speed test. Anytime I get the same question three times about a property, I will update the listing to include a detailed answer to that question."
Do you take your own property photos or use a professional photographer?
"I have done both, but I recommend using professional photography within your property listing. Spending money on a professional photographer is a good investment. Anytime we make a change to any of the properties, I want to immediately showcase that within the photos featured within the property's Airbnb listing. For these updates, I often take my own photos using my smartphone, but I have the professional photographer return once per year to update all the photos."
Do you have a general strategy for nightly pricing for your various Airbnb properties?
"We offer nice, clean, suitable places to stay that have a Florida feel, without a ton of high-end bells and whistles. We price our properties in the average to lower end of the scale compared to local competition. We do, however, require a $100 to $250 refundable security deposit, but it's something we do to help us protect our business. Out of more than 300 guests in the last two years, we've only had to keep two security deposits, however. If someone books a reservation with three to four guests, we do charge an extra guest fee because that means they'll
be using the sofa bed. Having to change the linens and clean up after the extra people upon their checkout takes the cleaner more time."
Since you host so many guests each year, how often do you replace things like the pillows, blankets, linens, and towels?
"There is no set schedule, but everything gets replaced at some point during each year, as soon as we notice a non-removable stain, rip, or signs of wear and tear that makes something look old. All the mattresses and pillows
have protectors on them. I purchase linens, towels, and other items we go through often in bulk from Costco or Amazon. We make a point to use all white towels and linens, because they can be bleached, and it makes everything look extra clean for the guests."
This story was excerpted from the book Start Your Own Airbnb Business. Buy it now from Entrepreneur Bookstore | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
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