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How to Choose a Location For Your Airbnb

If you’re looking for an investment property to buy so you can use it as an Airbnb, location is doubly important. Many Airbnb guests choose their accommodations based on their location first, and other things like amenities, second. After all, the perfect Airbnb is no good if it’s in the wrong location. Choosing a location for your Airbnb can be challenging, but these tips will make it easier.

Consider Access to Highways

Ideally, your Airbnb will be easy to find off the interstate. Guests who are coming in from out of town will be unfamiliar with small, local roads and may be wary about traveling down lonely country lanes in unknown locales. You don’t need to have your Airbnb in the city center, unless you want that, but reasonable access without the need for a four-wheel drive vehicle is usually best.

Look at Tourist Activity

The most successful Airbnbs are often located in touristy areas. Look at how many tourists come to any place you’re considering. Is the town a “drive-by,” or do tourists come to linger for a few days? You want to have your Airbnb situated in a place where tourists are attracted to.

Review Local Area Attractions

Another thing to look at is the number of area attractions. Try to choose a place where there is a lot to entertain people of all ages. It doesn’t have to be near Disneyland, but it should be near natural or man-made attractions. Ideally, those attractions should be either numerous or so complex that they require stay-overs to get the full experience. Note that when looking at management for your Airbnbs, you don’t have to do the work. You can hire an Airbnb management company to take care of your Airbnb rental for you. This can even include providing pamphlets and ticket information about local area attractions.

Use these tips as a guideline when looking at various investment properties to use as your Airbnb. If you can tick most of the items on this list, then chances are you’ll meet most of the requirements of your future Airbnb guests. For full-service help managing your Airbnb property, please contact us today!

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Appealing to Corporate Renters: How an Airbnb Can Stand Out Over Hotels

Corporate renters can be a huge source of revenue if you have an Airbnb in Scottsdale, AZ. However, there’s no doubt you have some fierce competition from neighboring hotels. We’ll look at how you can appeal to the corporate crowd and why your place might be a far better choice than the traditional options.

A Unique Place to Stay

Long-term renters definitely have options when it comes to hotels. There are a number of extended-stay rooms that feature everything from kitchens to jacuzzi tubs. Yet even the best hotels just can’t match the charm of a good Airbnb. These aren’t sanitized versions of home, they’re a real place where corporate workers can kick up their heels and relax after a difficult day.

In your marketing, make sure to show off the most unique parts of the house. In addition, stock up on everything in the kitchen. From pots and pans to gourmet coffee, these items can really convey comfort to the weary traveler.

A Good Place to Work

With so many people working both in and away from the office, an Airbnb might be a more restful place to work than a hotel (particularly if you have more than one bedroom). If you think you might have a lot of corporate traffic in Phoenix or Scottsdale, you should have a designated office with good lighting, a desk, and plenty of plugs. If you have remote workers stay with you, ask them for their suggestions on what would make for a better environment.

An Excellent Place to Sleep

If a corporate worker is going to spend 16 hours on the job, the bedroom is going to be pretty important to them. Make sure it’s big, comfortable, and a haven from the stresses of the office. (In other words, don’t skimp on the mattress, sheets, pillowcases, etc.)

Free Property Analysis in Phoenix, AZ

The corporate crowd is spending big bucks for their journeys, but it’s not uncommon for people to undersell their properties — even when they price compare. If you want to learn more about what your Airbnb is really worth, Sojourn Properties LLC can provide a free property analysis in Scottsdale, AZ.

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Who will Opt for an Airbnb Instead of Stopping at a Hotel?

Are you thinking about putting your condo or suburban property on the short-term rental market? Is it even the kind of place that a traveler to the Scottsdale area wants to stay in for a week or a month? If you have hesitated to capitalize on your investment because the decor is outdated, the house is too big, or perhaps even too remote, now may be the time to make the move. Schedule a free property analysis to target your marketing to the right segment of travelers.

Families are Traveling, but Still Cautious

After a year of social distancing, families are ready to take a trip, but at the same time can be hesitant to lodge at a popular hotel. An Airbnb offers a good balance between privacy and safety. Mom and Dad do not need to rely on hotel staff to properly sanitize the room and there is less worry that other travelers may be ill. Families are happy to opt for a few extra bedrooms, a dishwasher, and a garage, too.

Executives Love the Perks of Working From Home

The company is springing for an in-person seminar this year, but not all the executives are looking forward to evenings struggling with slow internet and loud neighbors in the next hotel room. After perfecting their home office, business travelers are eager to stay at a quiet apartment featuring a wireless printer, fiber-optic internet, and a large leather office chair. It is even better if your condo is just a few blocks away from the convention center.

Grandparents Enjoy the Added Comfort of a Full Kitchen and Bath

How often have you listened to your elderly relatives complain about restaurant food that is too salty, too sweet, or simply too much? Some seniors are rediscovering the freedom to enjoy a visit to the grandkids when they have access to their own kitchen, groceries, and a roomy bathroom. Instead of suffering through cold cereal at the breakfast buffet, they start the day at their own speed.

As you can see, short-term rentals are no longer a popular choice for the younger adult generation. With more families, executives, and seniors embracing the flexibility that comes with an Airbnb, there is a golden opportunity to start earning cash off a property that didn’t seem to fit the market in the past. Is your rental ready? A free property analysis from our Airbnb management company in Scottsdale, AZ will help ensure that your listing is prepared to be fully booked for the upcoming travel season.

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5 Ways to Improve Your Airbnb’s Curb Appeal

Curb appeal can make people feel at home when they arrive at your Airbnb property. Curb appeal also makes your property more enticing to potential guests. Are you seeking ways to improve your Airbnb’s curb appeal? Here’s what we recommend.

1. Keep Up the Paint Job

Most houses that have been painted need to be repainted approximately every 5 years or so. Repainting your Airbnb home on a regular basis will help keep the property looking its best. Know the signs that your Airbnb needs to be repainted. Look for:

  • Peeling or bubbling paint
  • Faded paint
  • Bare wood siding showing through

2. Maintain the Landscaping

Good landscaping can help make your home look cheerful, well-maintained and inviting. Some suggestions for keeping up with the landscaping around your property:

  • Keep the grass and other plants watered
  • Pull weeds regularly
  • Lay down fresh mulch at least once per year
  • Plant easy to maintain annuals or plant perennials that tolerate the natural weather conditions where your property is located
  • Prune overgrown plants that either don’t look very good or which are blocking sunshine from entering your Airbnb home

3. Keep Your Property Free of Debris

Get rid of any debris on your property following wind storms. Check the property regularly for trash and other things that need to be cleaned up. This is especially important if your home is on a busy street with a lot of foot traffic.

4. Inspect the Property Regularly

Walk around your property on a regular basis to look for problems that need to be addressed. You might see anything from insect nests to a broken fence. Once you’ve inspected the property, make repairs as needed.

5. Want to Maintain Your Airbnb Property? Contact Sojourn Properties

You may not be around to keep your Airbnb property in the best condition all the time. That’s why you need a property management company that can help you keep your property looking its best. At Sojourn Properties, we help maintain Airbnb homes, so that you don’t have to. To get started maintaining your Airbnb’s curb appeal, call us today.

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5 Ways to Draw More Guests With Your Airbnb Listing

Your Airbnb listing does a lot to attract guests at your property. A well-written listing could make all the difference. There are many things you can do to make your property sound attractive to potential guests, so here’s what you need to know.

1. Write a Detailed Listing

Write a detailed listing that is accurate, creative, and clearly states what is unique about your property. Use words that convey the personality of your property and of course discuss the condition of the property. The more descriptive words, the better. When you’re done, have a friend or family member edit the listing and make suggestions as appropriate.

2. Keep Up-to-Date Listing Information

Did something about your property change? Maybe a room was added, or a space was opened up to make an open layout? Did you change the color of the home’s exterior? Make edits on your listing so that people will know what they’re getting when they book a room. This will also prevent confusion when your guests arrive.

3. Set Clear Expectations In the Rules Of Your Listing

It’s always best to ensure that your guests know where they stand when they arrive. They’ll feel more comfortable booking a room or a house if they know what your expectations are. Write clear rules and policies for your property to ensure your guests will feel comfortable reserving your property.

4. Make the Photos Stand Out

The photos you take of your property should be well-lit, should reveal as much detail about your property as possible, and should be generally attractive. Feel free to take as many pictures of your property as need be in order to ensure that your pictures provide a clear picture of what your property is like.

5. Update Your Profile

Make sure that your profile reveals something about you, like your personality or hobbies. The more you sound like a relatable person, the more people will want to book your property.

Contact Sojourn Properties to Take Care of Your Airbnb

You can’t attract people to your Airbnb property if it isn’t being maintained. To ensure your property is in good hands, contact Sojourn Properties today. We offer a range of Airbnb property management services in Scottsdale, AZ.

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How to Ensure Good Reviews For Your Airbnb

The success of your Airbnb relies on good reviews. Ultimately, you can have the best pictures, the most comfortable place in the best location; but if you have bad reviews, then chances are that at least one person will pass on renting your Airbnb. The best way to make sure you get consistently good reviews is to make sure it happens. Don’t rely on chance. Here is how to ensure good reviews for your Airbnb every time you rent it out.

Use a Property Manager

Even if you are really diligent about making sure your Airbnb is outstanding, things have a way of going awry. You need to make sure that your guests have a point of contact to take care of the little things that can interrupt a serene Airbnb stay. These unanticipated events can ruin your guest’s stay and result in less than positive reviews for your property.

  • Running out of propane for the stove
  • Running out of bottled water
  • Internet goes down
  • The Interior door gets accidentally locked
  • Toilet gets stopped up
  • Plumbing pipe breaks
  • Water valve breaks and faucet won’t turn off
  • Electric shower malfunctions

When you hire an Airbnb property manager, these unfortunate events can be swiftly taken care of, ensuring a positive review.

Check-in on Your Guests

The best way to ensure good reviews for your Airbnb is to simply check in on your guests every now and then. You or your property manager can avail of the messaging system to just say, “Hi, is everything okay? Is there anything you need?” This lets your guests know that you remember they are there and that you are committed to their enjoyable stay in your property. This enables your guests to vocalize their needs to you in a private setting rather than to complain about something publicly later.

Be Responsive

If your guests do reach out with any kind of question or problem, be responsive. Don’t wait 24 hours to address their question about what to do with their trash. Answer as quickly as you reasonably can, so that your guests feel that they are being listened to and that their concerns are being taken seriously. Good reviews for your Airbnb are essential for the continued success of your rental property in Scottsdale and Phoenix.

Sojourn Can Handle All This For You!

Let us give you a free property analysis and show you why we are the top short-term rental management company in the Scottsdale and Phoenix, AZ area. We have the team and the experience to maximize your property’s revenue. For assistance managing your Airbnb or other rental property, please contact us today.

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3 Easy Ways to Up Your Reputation Score as an AirBnb Property Owner

Renting out your owned townhomes as Airbnb properties can really deliver a hefty profit for you and a much easier life as a property owner. However, much of your success with Airbnb rentals relies on what your guests have to say about their stay after they leave. Most Airbnb guests read through guest reviews before picking a place. If your reputation score has fallen due to a few bad reviews, there may be a few ways you can get your reputation back up.

1. Make sure guests get what is advertised, always.

Guests pick specific rentals because they feel the place would be a good fit for their needs and wants as a traveler. If a guest comes to your property and they do not get the experience they were expecting due to what information was portrayed in your listing, it can definitely lead to a bad review. To make sure guests get what is advertised:

  • Carefully craft your description so it gives reliable, consistent information about the property that does not change
  • Update your listing every time something small changes
  • Make sure the property looks like what it does in the images you share in a listing

2. Respond to unhappy guests immediately and do your best to please them.

The old saying in business is you can’t please every customer all of the time, and the saying holds true in short-term property rentals as well. You are bound to have a guest who is unhappy at some point; your job then becomes making sure you do what you can to appease the situation. Reach out to the unhappy guest, find out what was wrong, and work to understand their complaint. If necessary, offer a partial refund or savings on a future stay.

3. Ensure guests have a memorable experience at the property.

Memorable experiences at an Airbnb are more likely to trigger positive reviews. You should always provide what is advertised, but small details ad gestures make the experience seem as if you’ve gone above and beyond as a host. Perhaps you could leave a handwritten note offering pointers about fishing at the pond on the property. Maybe you could leave a chilled bottle of wine in the fridge or a basket of snacks on the table. These offerings are memorable and more likely to yield excellent reviews.

Do you need help managing Airbnb properties?

With a little time and effort, you can keep your reputation score high and your reviews good for your Airbnb rentals. If you are struggling, it may be a sign you need professional property management to help. Reach out to us at Sojourn Properties for information about our services.

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The Advantages of Short-Term Rentals Over Hotels for Corporate Travelers

Every year, professionals take more than four million business trips in the United States. On average, this is 12 to 14 trips per year and anywhere from 4 to 6 nights away from home.  The majority of these people traveling for business will naturally gravitate toward hotels for their temporary accommodations, but short-term vacation rentals can sometimes be a better solution. Here is a look at why short-term vacation rentals can be more suitable for the average business traveler.

Privacy helps ensure company travelers stay secure.

Hotels are great, but they are not always the most private places. Travelers are constantly coming and going, there can be a lot of activity and excitement, and the rooms are not always so private. Townhomes, houses, and even apartments can offer a bit more privacy for the business traveler that prefers some level of security and to stay out of public focus.

Short-term rentals can be a more cost-effective option.

If a business traveler is looking for a short-term place to stay, a rental can be a better option financially than a hotel. Hotels are designed for brief stays, so they are usually offered at a cost per night. Short-term properties available for rent are most often available at a discounted price when travelers are planning to stay for more than a few days. For example, it may be cheaper to stay in a vacation home for a week than what it would be to stay in a hotel for a week.

Fewer distractions can mean more focus for work.

Hotels can be relatively notorious for being home to bustling activity. Some are planted right in the middle of the busiest parts of a tourist-heavy location. Unfortunately, this bustling activity can be a major distraction when a business traveler is in town primarily for work. These professionals may prefer a bit of quiet reserve, out of the tourist areas, and away from all the activity.

In the end, short-term vacation rentals can be incredibly valuable for just about every type of traveler, right down to the corporate professional. If you would like help with managing your short-term or Airbnb rentals, reach out to us at Sojourn Properties LLC in Phoenix, AZ for more information.

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Short-Term Rentals – 3 Positive Revenue Changes You Can See

Perhaps you own a few rental homes or a small apartment complex, and you have normally rented or leased those units to long-term tenants. Making the decision to transition to short-term rentals for travelers can be a huge decision to make, and you are bound to see a lot of changes. One of the biggest changes you will see is with your revenue stream from your rental properties. Here is a look at some of the positive changes you can expect to see as a property owner of an Airbnb property.

Expect your profit margin to grow substantially.

You can logically charge more for short-term rentals than you do for long-term leases. You are catering to specific types of visitors who do not intend to be around for very long, so they are more willing to pay a higher amount to get the comforts of home.

Enjoy the elimination of expenses for collections.

As a property owner who rents units to long-term tenants, collecting rental payments from month to month can be a real challenge. You may end up having to deal with tenants that do not pay what they owe for months and eventually have accounts that go into collections. All this comes at a cost for you as the property owner. With short-term rentals, you are bringing in tenants who pay for their stay in advance, so you do not have to contend with things like late payments, missed payments, and collections that affect your profit margin.

See your profit margin become more predictable.

Since short-term rentals tend to stay in high demand because travel is such a consistent activity whether for business or pleasure, transitioning to a short-term rental can mean you see more predictability with future profits. Knowing how predictable your profits will be for the long term makes it easier to plan for investments and expenses.

Allow Professionals to Make the Transition Easy 

Making the decision to trade in your traditional rental business for something totally different can be a big change for sure. Make sure you have professionals on your side to help you with property management as you move forward with your plans. We are a full-service Airbnb property management company in Scottsdale, AZ. Call us at (602) 492-4121, or contact us through our website.

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Short-Term Rentals vs Hotels: A Look at the Advantages for Travelers

As the owner of an apartment complex or group of rental properties, you may have always chosen to rent only to long-term tenants. However, there could be another way for you to use your rental property to make an attractive profit. By operating your properties as short-term rentals to travelers, you are providing a valuable place for them to stay that can be far more attractive than a hotel. Take a look at why a short-term rental or Airbnb property can be more attractive to travelers than the average hotel stay.

Affordability

Without question, one of the top advantages for travelers staying in short-term rentals is the fact that they are more affordable. You can spend several hundred dollars per night on a hotel room, and this cost can quickly add up to a massive bill if you plan to stay for anything longer than a few days or need multiple rooms. A short-term rental is usually a more financially logical decision because guests can have access to a full kitchen to cook in or multiple rooms for the family to stay in.

Home-Like Environment

A traditional rental offers a traveler a lot of attractive features that they just can’t get at most hotels, such as:

  • A fully outfitted kitchen for cooking or reheating food from restaurants
  • A laundry area so less luggage is needed for the trip
  • Private bedrooms
  • More than one bathroom

When a traveler is staying away from home for longer than a few days, all of these accommodations can be super important and cost-effective. For example, they can cook full meals in a fully functional kitchen instead of relying on just a microwave and a coffee pot. Having a washer and dryer in-unit is also a way for families and corporate travelers to travel with ease because extra clothes will not be needed to last for their entire stay. If families are traveling together, having multiple bedrooms is crucial so they can have privacy and everyone can stay comfortably.

Location

When staying in a hotel for several days or a few weeks as a traveler, you can be immersed right in the most tourist-saturated areas of the city. On the contrary, short-term vacation rentals are located in safer neighborhoods that provide more security and are better suited for families. Hotels are often crowded and have many common areas that draw large groups of people. Vacation homes allow travelers private time with their friends or family which is why most decide to take a vacation in the first place!

Find Out More About Rental Property Management in Phoenix, AZ

Transitioning your property from a long-term rental to a short-term vacation rental can sound overwhelming. However, with the help of a good rental property management company, the transition and management do not have to be a challenge. Our team manages all aspects of the process to take the burden off of the property owner and ensure that full attention is given to the guests.

If you would like your property evaluated for its short-term rental or Airbnb potential, reach out to us at Sojourn Properties LLC and we can provide you with a free report.

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