A Gas Leak Nightmare – How I Handled It From Far Away

"It smells like gas in here.." the call from my cleaner sent chills through my body. With my Airbnb 6 hours away and a 3-month guest moving in in a few hours, the heat was on to come up with a solution. In this post I'll walk you through the chaos I faced and how… Continue reading A Gas Leak Nightmare – How I Handled It From Far Away

Listing Lifesavers: Reinvigorating A Listing When Things Look Grim

When I moved into a new market for my latest short-term rental home I had high hopes. A bustling town with history, nationally-popular yearly events, great weather, and a big university down the road would surely have no problem bringing travelers in for stays... But, a couple months into operation, the reservations were still few… Continue reading Listing Lifesavers: Reinvigorating A Listing When Things Look Grim

Summertime Strategy: My Focuses As The Weather Warms Up

Every season I stop and reevaluate the next few months to come for my business. Especially being in a 4-season location like Michigan, I know that the vastly different landscapes and temperatures will mean different clientele and a different approach for maximum success as a host. Changes in Visitors While I have discussed the impressive… Continue reading Summertime Strategy: My Focuses As The Weather Warms Up

Length Matters: Pros And Cons Of Medium-Term Airbnb Bookings

In a previous post I talk about my opinion on one-night stays (spoiler: I don’t allow them). But, when it comes to hosting guests for a couple of nights versus a month or more, I’ve noticed some differences that warrant a post dedicated to the subject. Let’s breakdown what makes these types of stays, and… Continue reading Length Matters: Pros And Cons Of Medium-Term Airbnb Bookings

My STR Tech-Stack: The Smart Tools I Use At My Airbnbs To Improve My Operations

The more short-term rentals I add to my portfolio, the more I realize that the investments I can make in hardware and software products can make life a lot easier. Even with just one rental, there are lots of tools you can use to make you feel more at peace while managing the business. Keeping… Continue reading My STR Tech-Stack: The Smart Tools I Use At My Airbnbs To Improve My Operations

Sh*t Hit The Ceiling Fans: Frustration Over Fixtures

I've talked in previous posts about my undertaking of a further-away, remote management Airbnb home. I also mentioned the fact that we (my girlfriend/business partner and I) "inherited" long-term renters from the previous owners. Luckily, those tenants were on a month-to-month lease which we allowed them to extend a couple months until they found a… Continue reading Sh*t Hit The Ceiling Fans: Frustration Over Fixtures

Airbnb House Rules And How To Make Sure Guests See Them

It can be scary letting strangers into your house, especially if that house is also your home. Whether you're living a thousand miles away from your short-term rental or just a few feet from your rented-out room, establishing rules that are clear, concise, firm, and easily visible can make a big difference in the control… Continue reading Airbnb House Rules And How To Make Sure Guests See Them

Remote Temperature Monitoring: My Battle With Frozen Pipes And How I Watch The Winter From Afar

This week was one of the longest of my life so far. What started as a trip to check on the placements of my smoke and CO2 detectors turned into a week-long near-nervous breakdown and 12+ hours of driving to prevent the would-be disaster of a burst pipe in the Michigan Winter. In this post… Continue reading Remote Temperature Monitoring: My Battle With Frozen Pipes And How I Watch The Winter From Afar