Short-Term vs. Long-Term Rentals: Which is Right For You?

Airbnb stands for “Air bed and breakfast,” it is the most popular online marketplace for short-term rentals.  It connects “Hosts” (Property owners) with who list their property with potential “Guests” (Short-Term Renters).  Guests create a free Airbnb account and book accommodations ranging from a private room in a shared house to booking a private stay in a mansion.

Listing property through the Airbnb platform has many advantages.  Some of the main advantages to using Airbnb are:

1.  Market Share – Airbnb is by far the most popular, built out, and well-known platform for short-term rental accommodations.  Airbnb operates in over 220 countries and has more than 200 million active users worldwide that have booked almost two billion stays since its inception in 2008.  Because Airbnb is so popular you will significantly increase your property’s exposure by listing it there.

2.  User reviews and ratings – Airbnb allows guests to leave reviews for properties that they have completed stays at.  This helps distinguish your property from others by providing a superior experience, which in turn increases the demand for your property.  Airbnb has a “Superhost program which give special recognition and exposure to hosts who achieve a certain rating and host enough stays.  Becoming a Superhost can greatly increase your occupancy rates.  Conversely, having negative reviews will dissuade guests from booking a stay at your property. 

Hosts can also leave reviews for guests, helping you to make an informed decision about who you allow to stay at your property.

3.  Host Guarantee Program – Airbnb has a “Host Guarantee” Program that reimburses hosts for certain types of damages and losses caused by guests.  In order to be covered Hosts must go through the claims process which involves providing evidence of any damages.  Ultimately it is up to Airbnb’s discretion whether or not damages will be covered.

4.  Types of Rentals – Unlike many other rental platforms, Airbnb allows hosts to rent out their entire property or individual rooms.  This gives you more flexibility and can potentially allow you to maximize your earnings and increase occupancy rates.  Airbnb tends to have more unique listings as well, such as camper rentals and even treehouses.  Other platforms tend to stick to more traditional lodging options.

Renting your property through Airbnb can be lucrative but it also has its share of disadvantages:

1. More time and effort – Because you are dealing with a constant stream of Guests, there is much more time and effort involved with responding to inquiries, coordinating check-ins and check-outs, and dealing with guest communication and issues.  More time is spent on cleaning, restocking, and managing guest turnovers.                 
2. Fluctuating income and occupancy challenges – If you aren’t experienced with managing Airbnb rental property and you aren’t employing effective marketing and optimal pricing strategies, your profitability could suffer.  A lack of knowledge or experience could result in lower occupancy rates or renting your property for way less than it’s worth when demand is high.
3. Deferred maintenance comes at a higher cost – There are a lot of things that can potentially go wrong when renting out property. Things will inevitably break and need to be repaired as soon as possible.  If something essential like the air conditioner or water heater breaks in your Airbnb, you won’t be able to rent the place out until it gets fixed.  In a long-term rental, your renters are still paying you as long as you make the necessary repairs in a reasonable amount of time.  In order to minimize your rental downtime and repair costs, it is essential that you perform regular maintenance to prevent costly problems.  You will also need a reliable network of local service providers at your disposal that you trust to get the job done as quickly as possible, while minimizing your costs.  Using unvetted service providers to repair your property can not only be more expensive, but you don’t know the quality of their work.                           
4. Lower profitability from bad reviews – Guests most commonly seek short-term rental accommodations from online marketplaces like Airbnb and Vrbo.  These platforms allow guests to leave reviews about your property that everyone can see.  If you don’t live up to your guests’ expectations and provide a satisfactory experience they could leave a bad review, which could damage the reputation of your property and result in lower occupancy.  Having a clear and accurate listing, responding to guests in a prompt and friendly manner, and having a well-maintained property will help you get positive reviews which will lead to higher occupancy rates.

Investors primarily buy rental real estate for the rental income, tax benefits, and potential for long-term appreciation, not to become full-time property managers themselves.  Managing Airbnb rental property by yourself can be difficult and time consuming.  Most property owners simply don’t have the time, knowledge, or resources required to efficiently manage short-term rental property.  An Airbnb management company can save you time by eliminating the day-to-day tasks required while allowing you to focus on other aspects of your life or business.  Not only this, but a professional Airbnb management company will often save owners money in the long run by optimizing pricing, reducing vacancies, and minimizing maintenance cost.

No, although Airbnb is one of the best platforms out there for short-term rentals, we believe listing your short-term rental on multiple channels is the best way to gain the most exposure and maximize your occupancy rate.  Some of the other platforms we use besides Airbnb are VRBO, Booking.com, TripAdvisor, and Expedia.  Each platform has its own strengths and limitations, with some working better than others depending on your specific needs and preferences.  We can help you figure out which platforms make the most sense for you.