VRS144 – What it really means to be an Airbnb host with Evelyn Badia

“Yes, I have dealt with missing guests, a broken door, two hurricanes, and the never-ending laundry. I’ve been rewarded by getting to know the amazing people that have come to my home.  Yes, I still do all the cleaning!”

This is from Evelyn Badia’s About Me page on her website, and you may think it’s no different from many of us who manage our own vacation homes. There is a difference though.

Evelyn lives in the same house as her guests; shares the bathroom and kitchen with them; is there when they arrive at 2 am after a long flight, and listens to them share their adventures after a long day in the city. She doesn’t make their breakfast but may be in the kitchen while they are brewing up their coffee and eating their toast in the morning.

And yes, she has rules. As she explains in this episode, you have to set expectations and boundaries when hosting in this way. When guests are sharing your space there’s a lot to consider because they are there with their needs and wants and demands, which is a little different from getting a phone call to tell you the garbage truck didn’t pick up the recycling.

Evelyn has hosted 100’s of guests, many of whom are now repeats, but she says she you never forget the first. For her, it was a Professor named Ed.

After nearly an hour of talking with Evelyn, I completely understood why her guests love her and her place. It was like finding a new best friend.

In this episode Evelyn shares:

• The real differences between remote operations of a vacation rental and a traditional Airbnb host
• What she loves about her guests and a little of what she doesn’t
• Why she likes hosting in this way
• How important communication is before, during and after a guests’ stay
• How she deals with difficult guests
• Her pet peeve about home sharing
• The basics of a comprehensive property manual
• Her favorite organizational tools

Links mentioned in this episode:

Evelyn Badia.com

Airbnb Listing

The Hosting Journey (Facebook Group)

Properly

Where you can find Evelyn:

Website

Twitter

Facebook

LinkedIN

Pinterest

YouTube