More travelers than ever before are skipping staying at hotels, instead choosing to rent rooms or entire homes from Airbnb hosts. With Northern New England being such a beautiful place for a getaway, the demand for Airbnb rentals in the area is often high. Becoming an Airbnb host is a great way to earn some extra income in your primary residence, meet new people from around the world, or even turn your second home into an income generator whenever you're not using it. Our real estate agents have the details to help you decide if becoming a host is right for you

Getting Started with Airbnb

While the sign-up process for an Airbnb host is fairly complex, getting started is easy. All you have to do is visit the Airbnb host pageand start filling out the forms. You will be asked various questions to determine the listing you're planning to offer, and this is where you'll face some of your first key decisions.

Take some time to think about what the home or room you're renting can accommodate because these details will be crucial for any guest who is thinking about planning a stay. While a solo traveler or couple may not need a ton of space, families will be especially interested in making sure that your listing can accommodate all of their needs. Here's what else you'll need to consider while getting started.

• How High-Quality Photos Help
  Just like with a real estate listing or hotel website, the photos that you provide should play a big role in boosting the appeal of your Airbnb listing. So if you're serious about becoming an Airbnb host, investing in professional photographycan be well worth the cost. Ensure that the rooms in your photo are clean, organized, well-lit and that photos capture as much detail about each room as possible. Remember that reviews are key to attracting more people to your listing, so it's important to make sure that your listing photos provide an accurate representation of what travelers can expect.
  
  
• Making Sure You Understand Local Laws
  Every community has its own laws about rentals, and those laws can impact your experience as an Airbnb host. In many places, you may have to obtain a permit or license to legally rent out space on your property. The occupancy tax laws also vary by community and are important to understand fully. Before you get serious about starting your journey as a host, make sure you're aware of local regulations.
  
  
• Setting the Right Prices and Fees
  Naturally, the prices in your listing will impact the number of renters that you can expect and your overall profits as an Airbnb host. Choosing the right rates is so important, and fortunately, Airbnb provides some tools to help you get your price just right. The "What's My Place Worth Tool" helps determine how much you can expect to make based on your location, the type of listing, and Airbnb data on how many people travel to your area. You can also look at comparable listings in your area to compare your listing to others with similar specs. In addition to the rental fees, there may be additional fees, including a service fee, occupancy tax, and cleaning fee. You have the ability to set your own cleaning fee, but remember that setting the fee too high may scare off potential guests.
  
  
• Keeping in Touch with Guests
  Keeping in regular communication with potential guests can make your life much easier as an Airbnb host. Guests will often have questions about your listing, and you're likely to have questions for the guest as well. Being prompt, polite, and informative will help you attract great guests and earn positive reviews. It's also important to make sure that you have a cancellation policy in place and make sure guests understand that policy. You have wide latitude in setting your cancellation policy. Just remember that an overly strict policy may scare guests, but an overly lenient policy may leave you in a difficult place if a guest cancels.
  
  
• Keeping Your Space Clean
  A clean, inviting space is crucial to satisfying guests and earning great reviews, which is why it's well worth paying for professional cleaning in between visitors. Since you can add cleaning fees to the cost of renting, cleaning is a minimal out-of-pocket expense as long as you plan for it.

Will You Be the Next Superhost on Airbnb?

Becoming a host on Airbnb can be a rewarding experience, on both a financial and personal level. With a continuous commitment to quality, you can even obtain the coveted Superhost status, which can help you earn more through Airbnb.

If you're still searching for a home that both you and your guests will love, our experienced real estate team is here to help. Contact us to buy and sell homes throughout the Northern New England region.