Know Why You Are Doing It
Most likely you are listing it because you want some additional income. But you should realize what your expectations are. Listing it to make some occasional income versus supplementing your income are very different goals. Know why you are looking in to short term rental austin.
Be Realistic About the Time Commitment
Posting some photos on a site like Airbnb doesn’t sound like it’s that much commitment but you’ll quickly realize that you will need to be more available than you would like. There’s also necessary cleaning in between guests. If you don’t want to deal with the bookings and cleanings then you can hire someone else to manage your property but that is less profit you could be making.
Make Your Home Stand Out
In a city like Austin there are hundreds of listed rental properties. When it’s a slow period in between music festivals you’ll need to have a way to distinguish your home from everyone else’s. Not everyone is going to have a prime location but you can make up for that by having a clean home, treats or just having amazing photos taken.
Insure Your Home
Listing your house as a short-term rental comes with a lot of risk. There’s the chance that you could rent to someone who trashes your place with a party, steals your furniture or squats. In all of these scenarios you should have a plan on how to deal with these situations. One way to protect yourself is with insurance should anything go wrong.
Know Your Home’s Worth
There are times in Austin when listing a rental property is snatched right up, even if it’s listed for a high price. During festivals or events like ACL and SXSW you are almost guaranteed a booking. But during the slow period’s you should do some market research to make sure you aren’t over-pricing your property or leaving money on the table.
Thank you for visiting the Barton Harris blog, an Austin real estate company. If you are looking to buy some short term rental austin properties, contact one of our realtors today.
