Airbnb Essentials for the Hands-Off Host

If you are new to the Short Term Rental (STR) game, it can be overwhelming to know what you need to get started. Learning what is worth the investment and what is worth purchasing cheap & replaceable can save you a TON of money and headache down the road. Here is our list of recommendations based on years of experience.

Exterior

• Coded Lockbox: This + a physical key copy is a must in case of technology malfunctions and dead batteries. Keep a physical access point for guests to save yourself that 2am phone call…or worse yet, a guest that had to purchase a hotel because they couldn’t get inside!
• Clear Address Markers: You will want extremely clear markers for your home. Consider adding solar lighting or unique signage to help guests navigate to your property.
• Coded/Keyless Entry: In addition to your lockbox, investing in a keyless entry is worth it- we have found that physical keys make a necessary back up, but the less a guest needs to rely on a physical key the better. If guests rely on a physical key, the chances of lost and stolen keys goes up. We’ve had great experiences with Teeho. It isn’t high tech (where too much can malfunction) but it has the essentials: easy battery changes, no charging required, and one-time code access for maintenance.
• On-Hand Maintenance: We usually recommend to have a few outdoor necessities available for your crew to handle any routine issues while they are the property. Items such as ladders, leaf blowers, pest/wasp spray, and weed killer should be available on hand! This saves trips back to the property and call out fees.

Interior: Bedroom

• Mattress Selection: Invest in a good quality mattress. We can’t stress this enough: there is no quicker way to get poor reviews than a cheap mattress. If your home can fit King’s, this is also a better decision than a smaller size; there are a lot of guests out there that will only book homes with King beds. One our favorite brands is Nectar, but there are cheaper options too that don’t sacrifice quality. An easy way to make your property feel elevated & high-end is to choose a thicker mattress- 12″+ is a good place to start, but if you have a very small/tight space you can go as low as 8″-10″…but no thinner!
• Mattress Toppers: If you have a thinner mattress, or one that leans to be very firm you can always add a mattress topper. This is a great option for Airbnb, as guests can remove it if they prefer a firmer mattress. For this reason we recommend pairing a mattress protector with a mattress topper, ensuring your mattress itself is always protected. A good mattress protecter and topper should be easily removed and washable. An affordable option is this mattress topper.
• Linens: You will be replacing linens often- that is just how it goes with Airbnb! Having a team of cleaners that are skilled at removing stains is great, but white sheets get dingy and stained easily. If you have a high end property, it’s worth investing in quality sets but keep in mind you should not consider them a long term investment. Instead, invest in quality pillow, mattress, and duvet protectors as these will get replaced less often.
• Bedroom Lighting: Every bedroom should have lighting available that is not overhead- side table lamps, standing lamps, plug ins are all great options.
• Hangers/Shelving: Depending on the size of your home and bedroom, this will vary but every bedroom should have a place to hang clothes and a place to put suitcases/bags away.
• Rugs: Whether or not your bedroom requires a rug depends on many factors, but it is recommended. If you have carpet it can be an easy way to protect high traffic areas and ensure Same Day Turnovers are always possible. If you have hardwood/laminate/etc floors, rugs are great. Just make sure they aren’t too small for your space, otherwise they look cheap.
• Bed frame: Nothing screams “cheap investment” like a metal Amazon bed frame! This isn’t always a bad idea for twin beds, but it should not be used for your primary bedroom. If budget is a concern, you are better off thrifting a quality, sturdy bed frame.
• Duvet or Quilt?: This depends on your property size, washer and dryer access, and cleaner’s capacity. If you often do Same Day Turnovers and laundry is done on site, consider thin duvet covers that clean and dry easily. If you have a smaller property and laundry is taken off site, you can do thicker quilts as long as you have back ups.

Interior: Bathroom

• ADA Friendly: When possible, you should try and make your bathroom accessible to people with different abilities. This can include showers with roll-in access, hand rails, hand-held shower head, and good traction on the shower/bath floor.
• Hand Held Shower Head: This is a must for many guests, and will also make cleaning the shower/bath easier for your cleaners to spray water directly around the perimeter.
• Hair Dryer: Definitely needed for all properties. You don’t need to spend a lot of money on one, but your primary bathroom (at least) should have one.
• Cleaning Products: Guests should have access to some cleaning products. Bathroom cleaner and all purpose spray at the minimum. I also recommend buying these in bulk & using glass or hard plastic spray bottles that can get refilled- cheaper, more environmentally friendly, and guests are less likely to throw away the bottles. Spray bottles like this are a great option.
• Towels: The thought process here is similar for linens- don’t pour so much money into these that replacing them is difficult, but this is also not an area to cheap out. You will want to ensure the towels are thick enough that the guests enjoy them, but also are quick-drying and not too heavy of a material.
• Full Length Mirror: You should have a full length mirror somewhere in the home. This is also a necessity for many guests. It doesn’t necessarily need to be the bathroom.
• Makeup Towels: One way to preserve your towel’s life span is to provide makeup towels for guests. These should be clearly accessible and in every bathroom. This is a must to prevent black stains on white towels! Some hosts opt to use single-use makeup towelettes like this.

Interior: Kitchen

• Pots/Pans: Don’t skimp on this- whether you do stainless steel or non stick, you should not buy high end kitchen tools, but the cheapest out there is a bad idea, too. You will want good quality, but mid range as these get damaged often. Make sure you have enough pots and pans to serve the number of guests your home can host.
• Coffee Maker: This is a hard one, but don’t overthink it. Most hosts opt for a Keurig and coffee pot, and this is the tried-and-true solution for a reason. If you go fancy, you risk damaging the appliance or guests who don’t know how to pull an espresso shot or use a pour over. Make sure instructions are handy if you’re doing anything more intensive than a Keurig. Also- it’s cheap and easy to ensure you have coffee, creamer, and sugar available. Don’t skimp on this.
• Filtered Water: If your home has drinkable tap water, make sure that is clearly known to your guests- otherwise, provide filtered tap water, a Brita, or bottled water.
• Oil, Spices: Every Airbnb with a kitchen should have salt, pepper, oil, and a couple cooking spices. You don’t need to provide a ton, but the basics should be there without exception.
• Single Use Sponges: For properties with more than 1-2 bedrooms, we recommend a single packaged sponge for every home. Some guests don’t use these- they will stay wrapped, but sponges should always be clean. We buy ours from Costco, but Amazon has good options too.

Misc

• Guidebook: This is an easy, one-time investment that is worth it. On Google Docs or Canva, create a visually appealing and legible list of your local favorites; restaurants, cafes, things to do, etc. You can even collect local to-go menus from restaurants nearby to leave inside the book. This is a great way to provide an additional service for your guests.
• Portable Fans: Every property should have a portable fan inside of it somewhere. We usually keeps ours in the primary bedroom closet.
• Locked Owners Closet: Keep all of your restock and supplies here- your cleaners and maintenance can have access, but it limits guests from stealing all of your supplies (yes…that has happened before!) We like this coded access from Amazon.

Excited to start your first Airbnb, or improve the one you currently manage? We are available to help! We offer full service STR Property Management in Greenville, SC and beyond. Call us to schedule a consultation and take a look at our available properties here.