372. Hosting Hotline: How (and Why) to Add Celebration Upsells to Your STR Listing

We’re making progress on our Hocking Hills glamping project with cabin demo, prefab purchases, and creative financing. Check in for an honest, relatable recollection of the development process from two eager investors knee deep in a long term legacy build.First, we take you behind the scenes on Day 1 of cabin demo, a delightfully quick process with some fun creative questions to answer (roll-away bed or no roll-away bed?). Along the way, we sing the praises of our investment team, highlighting the cost savings we’ve enjoyed thanks to their specific skills and areas of expertise.Next, a big reveal! We talk about the research we did on prefabricated structures and unveil which incredible design we’ve elected to bring to our property, when they will arrive, how we plan to furnish them, and – somewhat critically – how we will pay for them.Next, what’s next? We’ll need to raise money, create or move some roads, put in landscaping, build decks, and purchase and install amenities; there’s still so much to do and be excited about. We’re proud to bring you along for the ride, and thank you for joining us in this challenging endeavor!(00:01:37) #STRShareSunday: @richhollowretreat(00:04:07) Update on Our Hocking Hills STR Glamping Project(00:19:27) Getting Priorities Straight: Creativity vs. Cash Flow(00:29:31) Next Steps in Building Our Dream Vacation Rental PropertyResources:• The Cliffs at Hocking Hills: @thecliffs_hockinghills • We Bought Land (Part 2): Use ChatGPT in Your STR Competitive Analysis #361• We Bought Land (Part 1): Laying a Foundation for Long-Term Partnership #349• #STRShareSunday: @richhollowretreat• Video: Funding Your NEXT Airbnb or Real Estate Property• Airbnb Essentials Checklist: hostchecklist.comThanks for Visiting is produced by Crate Media.Mentioned in this episode:Superhog | Visit superhog.com/thanks-for-visiting and book your FREE demo today!Host Checklist | Grab our Airbnb Essentials Checklist and make stocking your Airbnb a breeze – we've got all your hosting needs covered!Minoan | Visit MinoanExperience.com and tell them TFV sent you!Hostfully | Go to https://www.hostfully.com/influencers/thanks-for-visiting/ and use TFV100 to get $100 off your subscription.

Welcome back to the Hosting Hotline! This is an Ask Me Anything where each week we’ll answer your questions on Airbnb, STRs, real estate, and everything in between.Elaine asks:We get a lot of couples that stay at our romantic gazebo cottage. I had a guest that reached out to me who wanted to know if we have any add-on packages to help celebrate an anniversary. Unfortunately, I did not, but I would like to offer something. I don't know what to include or how to find it. Any insight that y'all would have would be greatly appreciated. (00:01:58) Elaine Asks About Special STR Celebration Packages (00:03:29) How to Design Special Occasion Airbnb Upsells(00:06:33) Benefits of Partnering with Local Boutique Businesses (00:07:51) We Recommend Breezeway for System Building Thanks to everyone who submitted questions. To hear your voice on the show and send a question to Sarah and Annette, submit your burning hosting questions at: hostinghotline.com.Resources:• Click here for full show notes• Website: rusticpinesretreat.com• Check out Breezeway• Check out Hostfully Guidebooks• Coach Wendy: mostess.host• Video: Top 3 Airbnb Hosting Tips for 5 Star Reviews• Airbnb Essentials Checklist: hostchecklist.comThanks for Visiting is produced by Crate Media.Mentioned in this episode:Host Checklist | Grab our Airbnb Essentials Checklist and make stocking your Airbnb a breeze – we've got all your hosting needs covered!Quiz | Take our quiz to reveal your hosting personality style!

Today’s expert guest is Ellyn Vollmer. She’s got a wild pain-to-purpose story that many hosts will find eerily familiar. She and her husband Devin live in Pittsburgh, PA and recently launched their first STR property in Oceanside, CA after a long and winding road filled with false starts and regulatory red tape.We talk all about how their six-month plan turned into a two-year (and more!) ordeal that involved almost every possible hurdle, spending the first year creating a rental experience they could be proud of and another year dealing with city politics in order to get their permit approved.This one will make you frustrated, it will make you sad, it will remind you that this business is based in emotion and fueled by thoughtfully presented data. We hope you find her story as inspiring as we do, and urge you to check out her new listing any time you’re in California.(00:01:23) #STRShareSunday: @sea.sun.maui(00:03:26) Early STR Trials & Tribulations of Ellyn Vollmer(00:14:04) STR Shed Permits? STR Shed Permits!(00:22:22) Fighting for Her Right to Host a Vacation Rental(00:37:58) Making Her Case to Oceanside (with Money)(00:41:19) Finally Hosting Their First STR GuestsResources:• Click here for full show notes• Direct booking at stayblueskies.com• Instagram: @stayblueskies• #STRShareSunday: @sea.sun.maui• Video: 20+ Years of Business & Airbnb Hosting Lessons• Airbnb Essentials Checklist: hostchecklist.comThanks for Visiting is produced by Crate Media.Mentioned in this episode:Superhog | Visit superhog.com/thanks-for-visiting and book your FREE demo today!Hostfully | Go to https://www.hostfully.com/influencers/thanks-for-visiting/ and use TFV100 to get $100 off your subscription.Minoan | Visit MinoanExperience.com and tell them TFV sent you!Host Checklist | Grab our Airbnb Essentials Checklist and make stocking your Airbnb a breeze – we've got all your hosting needs covered!

Welcome back to the Hosting Hotline! This is an Ask Me Anything where each week we’ll answer your questions on Airbnb, STRs, real estate, and everything in between.Brandy asks:We host on a 10-acre property. We also live on this 10-acre property. But we continue to have guests that will break our terms and conditions, even though it is stated very plainly that we do not allow parties or gatherings of larger than six people. The last one, I walked in on their vows and was like… What's going on here?What do you recommend we do when this happens? Is it for me to physically go down there and stop the party or stop the gathering? Or should I just message it, take photographs, and then send it in? I do allow small gatherings, but it's at a different price rate because the way they use the property is different. What do you recommend here?(00:01:29) Brandy Asks About Disrupting Vacation Rental Parties (00:03:29) Wield the Power of a Well-Timed Phone Call (00:06:13) Using Neutral Phrasing & Framing with STR Guests (00:07:24) Thanks For Visiting Tech Recommendation: MinutThanks to everyone who submitted questions. To hear your voice on the show and send a question to Sarah and Annette, submit your burning hosting questions at: hostinghotline.com.Resources:• Click here for full show notes• Check out Minut crowd control tech • Get the Hosting Handbook: thanksforvisiting.com/handbook• Video: New to Airbnb Don't Make These 3 Mistakes That Could Cost You Thousands!• Airbnb Essentials Checklist: hostchecklist.comThanks for Visiting is produced by Crate Media.Mentioned in this episode:Host Checklist | Grab our Airbnb Essentials Checklist and make stocking your Airbnb a breeze – we've got all your hosting needs covered!Quiz | Take our quiz to reveal your hosting personality style!

Today’s expert guest is Lisa Roads, a seasoned short-term rental professional, whose journey began as a property investor in her early twenties. As Lisa continued to grow her property portfolio, she recognised the potential for early adoption in an emerging market in Cyprus. This investment move created the opportunity to start her second business venture, providing a fully managed service for hands-off investors like herself. Focusing on high-quality coastal properties and leveraging her partnership and marketing experience, with her team in Cyprus, the business scaled to 175 properties in five years. We learn all about how she made it happen – remotely! – including emergency communications after a massive earthquake and a six-week power outage on the island.After transitioning her hosting business to a new owner in 2021, Lisa has now shifted her focus to providing industry education and strategy support to business owners who are looking to scale in a dynamic short-term rental market – a mission we wholeheartedly support!(00:01:16) #STRShareSunday: @littlecottageonthefarm(00:03:25) Meeting the Dynamic & Driven Lisa Roads(00:08:03) Growing the STR Market on a Mediterranean Island Nation(00:21:24) Lisa Shares Insights on Business Building & Balance (00:31:21) Managing Owner Expectations as a Remote STR Co-Host(00:42:19) What’s Next? Leaving Her Vacation Rental Listings in Cyprus (00:47:15) Amplifying Women’s Voices in the Short-Term Rental SpaceResources:• Click here for full show notes• Website: theholidaypropertycoach.wordpress.com • #STRShareSunday: @littlecottageonthefarm • Video: Airbnb Co-Host: Best Practices - Handling Guest Inquiries and Bookings• Airbnb Essentials Checklist: hostchecklist.comThanks for Visiting is produced by Crate Media.Mentioned in this episode:Superhog | Visit superhog.com/thanks-for-visiting and book your FREE demo today!Hosting Business Mastery Method | Join us for our live, free, host masterclass and learn how to OWN your digital real estate!HBMM | Sign up today at hostmasterclass.com.Minoan | Visit MinoanExperience.com and tell them TFV sent you!Hostfully | Go to https://www.hostfully.com/influencers/thanks-for-visiting/ and use TFV100 to get $100 off your subscription.

Welcome back to the Hosting Hotline! This is an Ask Me Anything where each week we’ll answer your questions on Airbnb, STRs, real estate, and everything in between.Melissa asks:I am going to be a new host, and I have a question about bed frames and headboards. I have a couple headboards that are upholstered. What are your thoughts about using those and cleaning those instead of buying new headboards that are wood or washable? I would love to know because it could save me a lot of money if I can use the headboards that I have now.(00:01:26) Melissa Asks About Different Kinds of Vacation Rental Headboards (00:02:04) Top Tech Recommendation: Bissell Green Machine(00:03:06) How To Prep & Clean Headboards in Your Short-Term Rental(00:04:45) Introducing: The TFV Hosting Handbook!Thanks to everyone who submitted questions. To hear your voice on the show and send a question to Sarah and Annette, submit your burning hosting questions at: hostinghotline.com.Resources:• Click here for full show notes• Bissell Green Machine: https://amzn.to/3KvFi7X• Get the Hosting Handbook: thanksforvisiting.com/handbook• Video: The Best Airbnb Bedding for Your Guest• Airbnb Essentials Checklist: hostchecklist.comThanks for Visiting is produced by Crate Media.Mentioned in this episode:Host Checklist | Grab our Airbnb Essentials Checklist and make stocking your Airbnb a breeze – we've got all your hosting needs covered!Quiz | Take our quiz to reveal your hosting personality style!Hosting Business Mastery Method | Join us for our live, free, host masterclass and learn how to OWN your digital real estate!HBMM | Sign up today at hostmasterclass.com.

In today’s solo (duo?) episode, we unpack an expansive recent experience we shared in England, learning about this amazing industry. From an STR business retreat hosted in a towering castle, complete with moat, to the Short Stay Summit 2024 in London – we’ve come home with a wider and more full picture of what hosts are doing and seeing around the world.Our journey begins at Middleton Castle, where our new friend, Humphrey Bowles of Superhog, expertly curated a thought leadership retreat for 17 of the space’s foremost voices and innovators. We talk about what exactly led us to getting an invite, what we saw and heard there, and the value in getting out of one’s usual workspace – both mentally and physically.From there, we recap our key takeaways from Short Stay Summit 2024, including cleaning questions heard round the world, hard sustainability truths, guest and property safety, and of course – the five-hundred pound gorilla in the room: artificial intelligence.(00:01:50) #STRShareSunday: @middletoncastle(00:07:09) Getting the Invite to Middleton Castle(00:17:11) Top Takeaways from Vacation Rental Leaders (00:21:14) Short Stay Summit in London 2024(00:25:02) Growing Role of AI in Vacation Rental IndustryResources:• Click here for full show notes• Visit superhog.com/thanks-for-visiting and book your FREE demo today!• #STRShareSunday: @middletoncastle• Video: Airbnb Guest Expectations: How to Set the Right Expectations• Airbnb Essentials Checklist: hostchecklist.comThanks for Visiting is produced by Crate Media.Mentioned in this episode:Hosting Business Mastery Method | Join us for our live, free, host masterclass and learn how to OWN your digital real estate!HBMM | Sign up today at hostmasterclass.com.Hostfully | Go to https://www.hostfully.com/influencers/thanks-for-visiting/ and use TFV100 to get $100 off your subscription.Minoan | Visit MinoanExperience.com and tell them TFV sent you!Superhog | Visit superhog.com/thanks-for-visiting and book your FREE demo today!

Welcome back to the Hosting Hotline! This is an Ask Me Anything where each week we’ll answer your questions on Airbnb, STRs, real estate, and everything in between.Patrick asks:It's Patrick with Farmhouse805 on the beautiful central coast of California. I have a big question for you… We've been having a lot of success with our STR. We've got a nice patio with a gas fire pit and a commercial grade barbecue, but we just don't have the budget to do a swimming pool. And I'm not a big fan of the spas for the patio. We're thinking about adding a movie screen and maybe a digital projector that guests can use to watch movies outside. We’re just trying to figure out if that's something that would be attractive to guests. I would love to hear your feedback. We love everything about your show – keep it up! (00:01:40) Patrick Asks About an Outdoor Movie Projector (00:02:58) Building Out a Unique Vacation Rental Experience (00:05:31) Borrow Tips & Effective Ideas from Local Competitors Thanks to everyone who submitted questions. To hear your voice on the show and send a question to Sarah and Annette, submit your burning hosting questions at: hostinghotline.com.Resources:• Website: farmhouse805.com• Video: Airbnb Guest Expectations: How to Set the Right Expectations• Airbnb Essentials Checklist: hostchecklist.comThanks for Visiting is produced by Crate Media.Mentioned in this episode:Host Checklist | Grab our Airbnb Essentials Checklist and make stocking your Airbnb a breeze – we've got all your hosting needs covered!Hosting Business Mastery Method | Join us for our live, free, host masterclass and learn how to OWN your digital real estate!HBMM | Sign up today at hostmasterclass.com.Quiz | Take our quiz to reveal your hosting personality style!

Today’s expert guest is Colleen Chrien, a hyper-engaged member of our Hosting Business Mastery Method, mom of four young kids, and owner of Picket Fence Properties and Fully Furnished Charleston where she manages a portfolio of 38 long-term rentals and 21 furnished rentals – a mix between short, mid, and long term listings.We learn all about how she launched her business and landed in Charleston as a long term hub of operations, detail a few pain points on her initial projects, and unpack mindset shifts inspired by challenging life events – how she’s shifted her business goals to align with her vision of the future. Make no mistake, what we have here today is a true superhero of hosting. Colleen’s a one-woman show, and gets super honest with us about the bottlenecks that she’s identified, from how she’s gone about adding to her team, to the brutal truth about the tidal wave of emerging tech in our industry — there’s no magic button to press!Her candidness about the journey is a fresh counter to social media’s insistence on impossible “passive income” and “set-it-and-forget-it” narratives. In this industry, we work! And we’re proud of it. We know you’ll be as inspired by Colleen’s story as we are.(00:01:23) #STRShareSunday: @dellcollective(00:03:46) Introducing HBMM VIP: Colleen Chrien(00:10:07) The Evolution of Fully Furnished Charleston(00:19:11) STR Hiring, Operations & Business Goals (00:27:36) Colleen’s Short-Term Rental Tech Stack TipsResources:• Click here for full show notes• Website: fullyfurnishedcharleston.com• Instagram: @fullyfurnishedcharleston• Instagram: @colleen_chrien• Check out Hospitable, PriceLabs, and Breezeway• Learn about our Hosting Business Mastermind• #STRShareSunday: @dellcollective• Video: Co Hosting for Airbnb - How to Know You're Ready• Airbnb Essentials Checklist: hostchecklist.comThanks for Visiting is produced by Crate Media.Mentioned in this episode:Hostfully | Go to https://www.hostfully.com/influencers/thanks-for-visiting/ and use TFV100 to get $100 off your subscription.Superhog | Visit superhog.com/thanks-for-visiting and book your FREE demo today!Hosting Business Mastery Method | Join us for our live, free, host masterclass and learn how to...

Welcome back to the Hosting Hotline! This is an Ask Me Anything where each week we’ll answer your questions on Airbnb, STRs, real estate, and everything in between.Becky asks:I have an ADT security system and my control panel has a little camera on it. It takes a picture of the person who is setting or disabling the alarm. Nobody ever sets the alarm in the Airbnb, but it is in the hallway. I was wondering… Does that count as a camera for Airbnb? If I put a sticker over it, would that work as not having a camera? (00:01:32) Question About Airbnb’s New No-Camera Policy(00:02:07) Out of Context: Is it an Interior Camera? (00:03:00) Call Your Insurance, Ask Airbnb & Ask Your Attorney Thanks to everyone who submitted questions. To hear your voice on the show and send a question to Sarah and Annette, submit your burning hosting questions at: hostinghotline.com.Resources:• Airbnb Summer 2024 Release for Hosts• Video: Airbnb Self Check In with Smart Locks - Hosts, You Need This!• Airbnb Essentials Checklist: hostchecklist.comThanks for Visiting is produced by Crate Media.Mentioned in this episode:Hosting Business Mastery Method | Join us for our live, free, host masterclass and learn how to OWN your digital real estate!HBMM | Sign up today at hostmasterclass.com.Host Checklist | Grab our Airbnb Essentials Checklist and make stocking your Airbnb a breeze – we've got all your hosting needs covered!Quiz | Take our quiz to reveal your hosting personality style!