Vacation rental company Airbnb has provided property owners with the opportunity to turn their houses, condominiums and other types of real estate into lucrative investment properties. However, the key to getting a strong return on investment and keeping your property booked is to know what potential renters want in a property. Afterall, renters can be very particular when it comes to factors such as amenities, room sizes and cost. To find out what people look for when they rent an Airbnb, we surveyed 2,000 Americans and asked them about everything from privacy and location to free parking and WiFi.
Airbnb or Hotel?
Before understanding what types of amenities renters look for in a property, we first wanted to know why they would choose Airbnb over another accommodation, such as a hotel. According to survey respondents, 68% would choose to rent an Airbnb over a hotel, even if the prices were the same. Privacy, uniqueness of rental, free parking and pet-friendliness were some of the top factors that set Airbnb apart from hotels, according to our survey. Respondents also said that Airbnb rentals are more suitable for traveling in groups for events like weddings or family reunions.
Amenities
Add-ons and extra features go a long way for guests and oftentimes amenities can even make or break someone’s booking decision. Surprisingly, the small things like WiFi and a private bathroom were some of the most desired, according to respondents.
What People Don’t Like about Airbnb
What types of experiences might leave guests with a bad taste in their mouths? According to our survey, respondents said a listing with deceiving photos, slow or no WiFi, an unresponsive host, and a long list of “house rules” are some of the worst offenses. Cleanliness also plays a big factor for guests as “dirty linens and sheets” made the list as well.
Rooms and Cost
Depending upon the layout of your property, you may be able to rent out several rooms, a guest house or the entire property to guests. However, it might be important to keep in mind that more than half of renters prefer to rent an entire house without the host living on the premises, according to our survey. Even though living on the property while renters visit might give you peace of mind, it’s clear that privacy goes a long way for guests.
If you’re an investment property owner, you might be able to go above and beyond for your next guest now that you know what they want and expect in a short-term rental! Click here to learn more about how a 1031 Exchange can help preserve your assets when selling and buying investment properties.
Methodology
We surveyed 2,023 Americans utilizing Amazon’s Mechanical Turk platform from April 2 to April 7, 2019. Of those respondents, 56% were female and 44% were male. Participants had a mean age of 34.
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