7 things you must have if you’re thinking of renting your home or a room in your house as a short let:
- Extraordinary cleaning – nothing ruins a guest experience faster than a home that isn’t spotless.
- Availability of yourself or someone on your team – I wouldn’t say 24/7 just to scare you, but it’s pretty close. And yes, AI can help.
- Get obsessed with the customer experience – every detail matters, from check-in to how intuitive your amenities are to use.
- Maintenance support – either your own trusted people or platforms that can provide reliable help when needed.
- Understanding of the digital fundamentals – OTAs (Online Travel Agencies), PMS (Property Management Systems), dynamic pricing tools. The right digital setup affects performance a great deal (and you’d be shocked to know it’s my favorite part:)).
- System to prevent double bookings – normally you’d do it through a PMS, but if you’re starting with just one unit, there’s no need for it; you can simply link calendars between OTAs.
- The right mindset – it’s more hospitality, and less like real estate.