The 10 golden rules of short-term rentals

To get a great profit on Airbnb, Booking.com and on the main platforms, you have to follow some rules before, during and after guests arrive in the apartment.

To earn good money, you need to rent as many days as possible, and for this to happen, you need to appear with your ad in the very first positions.

It's not an easy job, it's a time consuming endeavor, knowledge of the sector and high professionalism.

CleanBnB, Italian leader in the management of short-term rentals, has drawn up a list of 10 golden rules for making money with your own apartment, rules that the Milanese startup follows with the utmost professionalism.

1) Know the rules

Knowing and understanding the regulations governing this ever-changing industry is essential.

A good starting point could be the reading of the Civil Code, the part that deals with the regulation of leases, in particular those of buildings for tourist purposes.

Depending on the location, it is necessary to know the regional laws and municipal regulations that regulate the sector, and proceed with the required bureaucratic procedures, such as registering guests' data with the police headquarters and the tourist tax.

You always need to be up to date, because laws and regulations are often subject to changes.

The subject cannot be tackled lightly, because the risk of incurring penalties is high and the legislation is constantly evolving.

2) Get maximum visibility

To get the maximum profit from a short-term rental, it is essential to be present with your ad on the main sites in the sector (AirBnB, Booking, HomeAway and many others).

However, being present on these channels is not enough, you need to be at the top of searches. For this to happen, you need to upload ads in multiple languages, with extensive descriptions and professional photos.

Another important aspect, when you are present on multiple sites at the same time, is the synchronization of the calendar on which the available dates are updated.

Without forgetting the importance of offline channels: agreements with operators in the tourism sector, with companies, with healthcare facilities and universities, are essential above all for those areas more sensitive to seasonal variations.

3) Take professional photos

They are the first thing that catches the eye of anyone visiting a classifieds site.

For this they must be of a professional level. In most cases, the photos determine the potential guest's interest in one ad over another, and convince him to consider other aspects: location, rate, etc.

As a matter of fact, ads with professional photos get better positions in search results. In addition to being well taken care of, the photos must show all the rooms and capture the apartment from different positions.

We must be clear and not hide any defects, which the guest will discover during their stay and will not fail to report in a negative review. Uploading shots taken with your smartphone is not always the best choice.

4) Dynamic rate management

It goes without saying that the rate must be competitive, but it must also be congruous with the market and with the public to be attracted.

To establish a competitive price it is necessary to check not only the announcements of other similar apartments in the same area, but also the prices of the hotels.

To maximize income, it is very important that the price varies not only according to the season, but also to the development of important events held in that area.

It is also important to establish a minimum rate, to be applied during the low season, which allows management costs to be covered while ensuring the owner a good return in any case. It is therefore a question of research, strategy and tactics, which must be perfected day by day.

5) Describe the apartment objectively

You need to put yourself in the potential guest's shoes by making a list of all the information they would like to know before booking.

In the description it is right to highlight what makes the apartment unique and all the positive aspects, but it is essential that the description is objective and transparent.

We must not promise features that in reality do not exist, and regarding the position, we must be accurate: if, the apartment overlooks a street which at night becomes the center of the city's nightlife, it is necessary to write it, so that it will be taken into account consideration from guests who love that kind of situation, and not from people who seek tranquility and silence. This way you will avoid bad reviews.

The need to have a multilingual description should not be underestimated.

6) Respond quickly

Once the announcement has been inserted, it is necessary to manage the requests of potential guests. The speed with which you respond is a key factor: responding within 1 hour offers excellent chances of appearing in the top positions of searches on short-term rental portals.

The rule of many portals requires that you have to reply at least within 24 hours, and it is not permissible to do so after a few days or even not to reply.

If this happens, the risk of being penalized in searches is very high. The tone of the answer is also important, which must convey a sense of kindness, availability and hospitality, and at the same time seriousness and competence.

7) Welcome in person

More and more often, especially to those who live in a big city, the scene of a couple of tourists standing in front of a door with their suitcases, waiting for someone to show up with the keys to the apartment they have rented.

Not a nice way to start a vacation.

It is always necessary to contact guests well in advance of arrival, and it is a duty to be found on site.

In the (frequent) case that there is a delay in the arrival of the guests, you have to be very flexible and meet their needs. When the guest enters the apartment, he must find everything in perfect condition, clean and perfumed. Leaving a bottle of water in the fridge, especially in the summer, is a gesture that doesn't go unnoticed.

8) Clean carefully
When a guest ends his stay, the apartment must be thoroughly cleaned and prepared for the next one.

Cleaning and tidying up must be done with great care and, for example, crumpled sheets or the presence of dust on ornaments are not allowed.

The guest must have clean towels, blankets, sheets, toiletries and everything needed to enjoy the stay. The environment that the guest finds must reflect what was seen and read in the online presentation. A dirty bathroom or the presence of hair in the shower only brings bad reviews and drives away future customers.

9) Check for any damage
When the stay ends, not only is it necessary to collect the keys, but it is important to carry out a careful check inside the apartment to verify that everything is in order, in order to prepare for a new guest. In order not to be faced with unexpected expenses, it is essential to insure the apartment against any damage caused by guests. In this regard, CleanBnB guarantees insurance coverage to the owner and keeps him constantly updated with management reports.