Guides
Longer reads for the decisions that take a little more thought. Each one ends with a tool that applies it to your rental.
- 4 min readWhat do I need in place before my first short-term rental guest?What to have in place before your first booking: beds, bath, kitchen basics, entry, safety alarms, house info, and a test stay.
- 4 min readHow many sheet sets and towels does a vacation rental need?A simple model for counting sheet sets and towels per bed, based on your laundry routine, with a worked example for a two-bedroom rental.
- 4 min readHow do I calculate the cost of one vacation rental turnover?How to add up cleaner pay, laundry, consumables and variable utilities into a per-stay turnover cost, and why per-night thinking can mislead.
- 5 min readHow do I calculate the profit from one short-term rental stay?A clear method for counting stay income, platform fees and costs once each, so your per-stay result reflects what you actually keep.
- 5 min readGuest messaging across Airbnb and Vrbo: native tools or one inbox?Airbnb and Vrbo both schedule templated guest messages on their own. When that is enough for 1 to 5 homes and when one inbox is worth comparing.
- 6 min readAirbnb and Vrbo calendars: what to check before connecting software?Before connecting a PMS to Airbnb and Vrbo, check sync delays, which calendar leads, blocked dates, who sets prices and your upcoming reservations.
- 4 min readHow much does vacation rental software really cost per year?How to add up per-listing pricing, billing terms, add-ons, setup fees, payment processing and switch-over overlap into one first-year number.
- 5 min readHow do I set up self check-in for a short-term rental?Set up self check-in step by step: pick the entry that suits your door, then plan power, Wi-Fi, building rules, backup entry and a new code per stay.
- 7 min readHow much does it cost to start an Airbnb?Priced supplies by rental size from our planner, plus safety gear, first-year software and a cash buffer method. Furniture, permits and insurance excluded.
- 8 min readWhich keypad or smart lock is best for a short-term rental?Schlage, Kwikset, Yale, August and Ultraloq locks compared on remote codes, code limits, batteries, door fit and which hosting tools support them.
- 6 min readWhen should I send each Airbnb guest message?Every guest message a host needs, from the first inquiry to after checkout, in order, with the usual timing and a fill-in template for each one.
- 7 min readDo noise monitors work for short-term rentals, and are they allowed?What noise decibel monitors measure, what Airbnb allows indoors and must be disclosed, and how Minut, NoiseAware and Roomonitor compare.
- 7 min readWhat insurance does a short-term rental host need?Why a homeowners policy may fall short, what Airbnb's AirCover for Hosts does and doesn't cover, and what to ask a licensed agent.