Many people around the world are finding new ways to make money and paying off their student loans by becoming Airbnb hosts. If you’re ready to turn your entire home, private, or shared room into a passive income stream for you and your family, read on. We’ll walk you through the key steps to start an Airbnb from scratch with instructions.
Find out if you need permission
Find out if you need permission to rent your home on Airbnb. Learn about what you need to do if you live in a co-op, condo, mobile home, or have a homeowners association (HOA).
Find and Prepare our Airbnb Space
Whether it’s a single room that shares your bathroom or your entire home while you take off for the weekend — you likely need to invest something in the space. Some costs to consider include:
-Bathroom : If you’re renting out a space that shares your bathroom, make sure your guests have everything they need—shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and more.
-Kitchen : If your guests use your kitchen, stock it with essentials like coffee and tea, dish soap, and condiments.
-Sheets : Invest in good sheets and bedding for the space.
-Cleaning Supplies : Ensure you have the supplies needed to clean up after each guest leaves.
Think about affordability, audience, and market
For most hosts, the fee is 3% of the booking subtotal. If you are an Airbnb Plus host, if your property is in Italy, or if you have an extremely strict cancellation policy, the fee can be higher. We’ll tell you more about this when it comes time for you to post your property.
The listing price displayed to guests includes taxes and fees. This means your guests will actually pay more than what you earn from their stay, but that’s okay—it’s worth it! You can view an estimate of how much you’ll earn when you list your property.
List your space
- Add a title that summarizes your space in one sentence.
- Write a clear, concise description of your space. Use relevant keywords to make your listing more searchable (ex: additional amenities, nearby attractions, etc.).
- Add up to 20 photos. Be sure to include photos of the most exciting and unique parts of your space.
- Choose the right location. If you’re unsure, zoom in on the map to be as specific as possible, or type in the cross streets.
Hire or enlist some help (a co-host)
You don’t have to do it alone.
Airbnb is all about building community—and part of that community includes hosts and co-hosts. You can hire up to three co-hosts to help you with your listing. They’ll be able to accept reservations, manage the calendar, and respond to guests. And if you work with a third-party company, they can help you clean your space, handle inquiries, and more.
You and your co-host will decide how much they should make per reservation. Your co-host will have access to our Co-host Terms of Service so they can learn what’s expected of them as a host.
