I could say that become an Airbnb host is one simple way to earn more money for your marriage, all you need to do is simply renting some space in your house to all the guests who coming from this entire world. You know as well that held a wedding party isn’t that cheap especially when you want to celebrate it in one great place that belong to your dream venue. In fact no matter in what situation your are the only clue to solve it is by adding more efforts and generate more money.
Renting your space is a simple thing cause you just clean it up and make sure your guest will fell comfort to stay in. If you don’t have deep pocket to buy a hotel than become an Airbnb host is a great choice.
Here in this blog I’m gonna share my experience for being an Airbnb host since 2013 while I still taking a photo shoot for my couple. By the way my name is Bima and thank you for stopping by, I live in Yogyakarta a nice and small city close to Bali, I just need 1 hour flight to go to that paradise who also known as Land of God.
Now I renting 2 rooms here in my house and I serve over than 500 guests within 5 years, most of them are coming from United States, Europe, and Australia, only 15% of my guest who coming from Asia such as Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, and Malaysia. Meet a new guest who belong to my friend is a great experience while I’m doing photography job and I love to cook the breakfast for them, take care somebody who getting sick and fever than drive them to the hospital.
If this gonna be your first time to hear an Airbnb Host than let me explain about it before I continue this story.
What Makes Airbnb DIFFERENT?
Local culture and hospitality, that’s simple words that I could tell you now.
Due to my 500 guests experience they always telling me that they choose Airbnb rather than other platform is because they want to meet their host, get a nice sharing of local culture and even talk to other guests who coming to your property. I create some short video about my life as an Airbnb Host, check this 1,5 minutes video below:
me with my guests
Here in my house I have an old wooden dining table where we always getting breakfast together, I let my guest sit next to me while my kids playing their toys on the floor. Back in 2015 I found a food consultant who work for 5 star hotel in Miami Florida and stay in my $12 room for couple of days. Once I meet him than I ask him “I know you got over than $5000/month on your pocket but why you choose to stay in $12 room of mine?” He got an answer that really surprised me “Bima, I got stuck with my routine and I want to see the real people live here in your town, no matter you cook for me simply an instant noodle for my breakfast than I will really thankful for that”
We did a nice talk during this guest stay on my room till I know that he always travel to some areas where he got no friend at all in there. He really want to stay with locals, eat cheap food together or even join some social work in the town.
Every one of you are live in a great place and you definitely have a local wisdom that really matters to share with, so you must know that you guys own your potentials to make somebody live in your space.
Proof of Earning on Airbnb Host
Due to this case I’m gonna tell you that I renting 2 rooms of mine, AC room for $12 and FAN room $10, it is very cheap for some people but it’s quite normal here in my town. My occupancy is about 25% which mean I got 7-8 nights booking in a month. Kindly see my earning reports below:
When you see my earning above than you will see I start join an Airbnb Host since mid of 2013 and I got $121 for 6 months. Continue on 2014 when my earning growing up with average of 25% occupancy to $1716 and $1775 on 2015, it wouldn’t stop there cause I got $2051 in 2016 and $1944 in 2017. All you need to consider is this is pure business and all the earning are so vary depend on your room rates, occupancy, services, and for sure your hard work.
When you have better room than me and located in a great area than you can increase your room rate for sure. In Bali Indonesia, there are so many villas that being rented for the entire building for $100 – $150/night with 50% of occupancy (15 night/month) and for sure they earn better than me. By renting this simple villa they will earn about:
- Average of $125/day x 15 nights = $1,875/month
- And it belongs to $22,500/year which is not bad for your additional annually income that able to support your wedding fund
I saw so many Airbnb host renting their property for $200/night just like in New York or even $500/night or up for beautiful lodge in Milford Sound New Zealand. It’s been insane and you definitely can do it for yourself, plus…you got a nice friend from the entire globe!
Become an Airbnb Host
It similar than if you sign up as a Uber Driver, so all you need to do is waiting your reservation and serve your guest with love. When someone looking for accommodation and found your space, they will make a booking and do the payment which is come to Airbnb bank account. 24 hours following your guest is checking in than Airbnb will transfer your money which is take about 2-3 business days till you got some cash on your hand.
If Uber driver should have their own vehicle than so do Airbnb, you definitely must have a free space to rent on your property.
All you need to do for the very first time is Sign up as Airbnb Host
Describe Your Property in Detail
Once you click that links above and sign your name and email than you must fill some forms that belong to your property details, room rates, and the most important thing is your payout preferences. Generally there are 2 ways to receive money from Airbnb, using Paypal or Stripe and wire transfer directly to your bank account.
Here you should describe about your property in detail so your future guest able to figure out what it looks like and what they will get by staying in your place.
1 – Choosing Property Type
From the picture above you will see some criteria of property that available in Airbnb and you must fill it carefully, here is the guidance:
- Home Type – choose your property type, it can be an apartment, condominium, guest house, and there are plenty of other choices. When you browse some Airbnb property in Amsterdam even you will see the ‘Living on Board property where the owner let the guest stay on the boat
- Room Type – entire home is an option if you got an apartment and want to rent for the entire space, private room is an option if you willing to rent a room that dedicated for you guest, and the last is shared room which mean if you have a room with two bed and you still use one of them for your own and still want to rent the other bed for your guest
- Accommodate – it’s a guest quantity that you allowed to stay in
- City – you can fill it by the name of your city where the property located
2 – Fill the Forms Carefully
Once you’re done with that forms than you will see the next form such as:
Check the option of ‘Yes, it’s primary set up for guest’ so it means that you really set the room to serve the guest. Bring out all your personal belonging so the room will clean and clear and you wouldn’t worry to lose your lovely stuff. Another forms will coming up such as:
Bathroom is one special area that matter for all the guest, they gonna be curious about it just to make sure that you take care of this space really carefully. If I could say that if you keep your bathroom clean and tidy than you will got better review! Your next form would be like this below:
Airbnb pursuit their host to be concern about amenities and they allow you to pick and sign your own amenities to give interaction to all guest. Make sure that you got bath soap on your bathroom, towel, clean linen and pillow for each person. You’re almost done with the forms and next you need to give a photo of your property and here is my suggestion.
3 – Basic Property Photography Guidance
There are some basic rules for taking your property photos and you can hire a professional or make it by your own. If you gonna take the photos by your own than these is some tips:
- Use some fine photography gears, here I suggest you to see my reviews of some entry level mirrorless camera which still come with great image result and 4K video quality
- Your photos must be CLEAN, CLEAR, and got NO NOISE
- You must provide Airbnb with some photo lists such as exterior, interior, bathroom and toilet, living room, amenities, and some other beauties and facilities such as internet, flowers, gardens, TV, or even pool
4 – Set Your Rates
The best way to set your room or property rates is by compare to your competitors, Airbnb host minimum rate is US$10 and it commonly set on USD or Euro. Always test your rates where you can start by giving the lower rates within 3 months and increasing smoothly once you got better review and testimonials from your guest. You may increase your rates too on public holiday or weekend which is it gonna be the high demand on Airbnb
5 – Tell a Good Story About Your Property
This gonna be the very first impression for the guest while they looking for some accommodation in Airbnb. Make sure that all your words is simple and clear and give some personal taste of word to give great impression of your property. The point of telling a good story is always thinking about benefit..benefit..and benefit of staying in your property. You can tell them that you are in a great location, nice view surrounding, good caffe nearby and many more
6 – Set Your Payout Preferences, the Most Important Part of Being Airbnb Host
As I said before that generally there are two ways to receive money as an Airbnb Host,
- Paypal or Stripe
- Wire transfer direct to your bank
If you regularly use Paypal to pay some services or do online shopping than using Paypal or Stripe is a good decision but if you willing to receive money directly to your bank than bank transfer will be better. You can change anytime your payout preferences and it depend on your needs.
7 – Publish Your Property
Once you’re done with everything than it’s time to PUBLISH your property on Airbnb, than all you need to do is wait and pray. By the way every Airbnb Host has different chance for having their first guest but mine, I got my Belgium guest within 14 days following publish my rooms.
This gonna be the end of my Airbnb Host story and hope it helps you to earn more money for your weddings. In case you want to see my photography work you can go to my portfolio.
Go start your Airbnb host journey and sign up now and start earn money by renting your space!