What you Need to Know to Make your Custom Home Airbnb Friendly

Interested in renting your home on Airbnb in Centre County, Pennsylvania? Renting your home or a portion of your home is one of the easiest ways to earn extra income and could even cover a large portion of your mortgage. State College, Pennsylvania is a popular location to start an Airbnb. Given the proximity to Penn State University, you can rent your home for top dollar, especially during football season.

You want to ensure your home is well-suited for guests to set you up for success. Triple E Homes will guide you through the steps to listing your home on Airbnb and how to make your home desirable to guests. 

Airbnb is a popular service that facilitates lodging and travel experiences in various cities around the world. Originally known as AirBed & Breakfast, the company was established in 2008. The unique feature of Airbnb is that it allows travelers to rent a room or an entire home at competitive rates that are often more affordable than hotel stays. This enables you to experience the local culture and lifestyle. Additionally, hosts provide various amenities such as a kitchen, laundry facilities, and free parking that help travelers save money.

Airbnb operates as a broker, the site assists guests in finding appropriate listings, handles the transaction between hosts and guests, and verifies hosts and renters. It also provides a secure messaging platform for both parties and collects and transfers payments safely. 

Creating an Airbnb listing for your home is a straightforward process. You first need to create a free account and list your room or home on the platform. During the listing process, you have the flexibility to choose the dates you want to host guests, set the price, and establish house rules. For instance, you can decide whether to permit pets or restrict access to certain rooms in the house.

It is important to craft a comprehensive listing for your home, which includes photos of the property and the rooms available for guests, a detailed description of the area and the amenities the rental includes. After publishing the post, guests can start booking your space. As a host, you can either accept or decline each reservation request. 

When designing your custom home, consider having a space that is completely separate from your main living space such as a walkout basement with its own entrance or a guest suite above a detached garage. Having a separate, private space is desirable for renters and allows you to rent the space more frequently without having to leave your home. Having ample sleeping space, a separate bathroom and a kitchen area are common features of a successful Airbnb.

Showcase your amenities. When designing your custom home don’t overlook the backyard space. Having an outdoor area for entertaining, maybe featuring a pool or hot tub, that can be utilized by Airbnb guests can increase your booking rate and profit. For more tips on how to design the perfect outdoor living space check out our blog on hardscape design. 

• Create a welcome binder with helpful information such as: house rules, directions for check in/out, numbers of local restaurants, emergency phone numbers, shops and local attractions with directions
• Create a guestbook for guests to sign and read messages from past guests
• Communicate with your guests before and during their stay. If you are there when they check in offer them a quick tour
• Provide snacks and beverages such as coffee and bottled water
• Provide travel size toiletries and plenty of clean linens
• Have a stash of books and board games
• Have a first aid kit handy

Designing your custom home build in State College, PA to be Airbnb friendly is a great way to earn extra income with little work. State College, Boalsburg, Bellefonte and the surrounding areas are a great place to host an Airbnb because of the scenic area with plenty of outdoor activities, rich culture and the proximity to Penn State University. The expert home builders at Triple E Homes can help you design your custom home, contact us today.