Welcome back to another episode of Into The Airbnb, where we talk with Airbnb hosts about their short-term rental experience. Today's guest is Breanne Saucier, based in Austin, Texas, who will tell us about her personal experience and the ups and downs of renting her primary residence on Airbnb. This episode is sponsored by Arbtics, the only one analytics dashboard for short-term rental investors and managers, where you can find precise Airbnb data such as occupancy rate, revenue, average daily rate and so on. So, without further ado, let's get into it! So can you tell me how did you get started on Airbnb?
Yeah, I actually started the end of last summer, around August 2021. Kind of a weird story, I was going through a breakup and I bought this house with my partner and so of course, when he moved out, my first question was, "how will I pay for this?". I live in Austin, Texas and it's not the most affordable as it used to be, so when he moved out, I immediately looked at Airbnb, it's something that I wanted to turn in this house at some point, but that just expedited the process. So I started looking into some options, did some comps around my area and got started that way.
Great! And how has been your Airbnb experience so far?
Yeah, so far, it's been really good. I work really well with the Airbnb team. They're super responsive and help solve problems quickly. Overall, I would say I've got great guests. I did make one rule that you can't book if you're under 30 years old without reaching out to me first. I have a larger home and sleeps 10 and so I had an instance where it became a party and had to quickly shut it down just out of respect for my neighbours and being in a quieter part of town. So that was probably my one situation or challenge, obviously made peace with my neighbours and tried to make it right by buying coffee and flowers because I think that's your, if you can't win your neighbours over, you're just setting yourself up for a lot of headache. So yeah, other than that, it's been a really, really great experience.
That's great. And what about your experience when you were starting with Airbnb? How was it?
Like setting up the listing?
Yes, that's right.
Yeah, it was pretty simple walkthrough. I downloaded a couple tools from Etsy like, the booklet that I leave downstairs, the Wi-Fi, just general things like that, just to quickly create and spin it up without any problems. So other than that, I mean, the actual platform walks you through step by step. I have several friends that also have Airbnb, so any questions, I just ping them. There's a tonne of great resources on Facebook groups or different communities to ask questions and so definitely have been leveraging those as well.
That's great! And what about the area you're hosting? You told me you were in Austin, right?
Yes. I'm on the east side, which is more of an artsy area. A lot of bars that are in old homes, a lot more culture probably than the rest of the city as far as minority businesses, things like that. So it's a really fun, eclectic part of town.
That's great. And in that particular area, what demographic of guests would you say you get the most?
In my area, because my home is maybe one of the larger ones in this area, sleeping 10, a lot of my guests are I mean, like I have a guest this weekend, he's coming from medical school and they're having like just a quick reunion with all of their guy friends. Last weekend was a bachelorette party. The weekend before that was just a family who was going to a wedding, but they all flew in from different parts of the country, so they wanted to maximise the amount of time they spent together. So having an Airbnb with a living room and a kitchen to make their favourite meals together made the most sense for them.
That's great. And you allow small parties in your listing?
No, I don't allow any parties. Yeah, none at all.
Oh, since you told me about the bachelorette party before.
So the groups are allowed, but no like loud music, no inviting guests that aren't currently on the listing, nothing like that. But like if there are a group celebrating, you know, the bride to be, then sure. But if they're under 30, they actually have to reach out to me first and confirm that they understand there won't be any parties, there won't be loud music, the quiet hours or after 10pm. So I've definitely gotten a lot stricter, which maybe I'm not getting as many bookings as I would. But like I mentioned earlier, protecting my neighbours and really having them as allies make a break when you're starting out on Airbnb.
Yeah, I understand completely. And in your area, how is the seasonality like?
Yeah, thankfully, I'm in Austin and so it is year round between festivals and conferences, different communities meeting up. I feel like people are having weddings year round, so I'm grateful. I feel like there hasn't been a tonne of seasonality. Obviously, it's summertime, so things are picking back up and I'm pretty much booked out through the end of the summer. So we're seeing just a lot of consistency there. But gratefully in Austin, there's not a lot of dip.
That's great. I saw your calendar actually and it's all booked, that's really great! What about your average occupancy rate?
So I'm in a unique position, I actually live and work out of my home during the weekdays. So I only rented out on the weekend. So it requires different type of licence for the city. So with my occupancy only booking out on the weekends, I'm pretty booked, I would say, I don't know the exact number, but like within what is it, end of April, I think I've had like two or three weekends where I haven't had bookings and some of those were because I didn't book it. Like I just wanted to be at home for the Easter weekend or I had my personal family. So overall, I would say my bookings are consistent.
And how's the experience of renting out your own particular house?
Yeah, I have become a minimalist, so I have to live with a lot less stuff. I have two closets that I lock up, my master closet and then there's a closet underneath my staircase with all my personal belongings. Then of course, I don't use any of the linens that the guests use or towels, anything like that. My cleaning crew was really good at separating my specific items versus the items guests use. So it's a little bit of logistics work, just to making sure because I'm a clean freak at the end of the day, but yeah, it's just a little bit more work. But overall, it's pretty seamless and I get to be in my own home and in my own space. You know, Monday through Friday.
That's great! And when you're renting out during the weekends, do you usually just ask friends and family to host you or do you stay another Airbnb for example?
Yeah, I travel a tonne for work and so it's worked out where I've already gone anyway. When I am in town, I do stay with friends or family. Being just me, it's often one of my close girlfriends who lives just a couple doors down, so I can also be here at the Airbnb if I'm needed. So having a consistent schedule and making sure that, you know, I'm in my routine helps me stay organised.
That's great. And since you told me you're out of town sometimes during the booking of your listing, how do you manage if there's some problem and someone needs you there?
Yeah, that's a great question. I do have a backup. So should I be out of town and not available, I've got a couple people, one of which is my cleaning person, one is my handyman. I also have a project manager that's just a one off, so when I'm not in town. Because this is my only Airbnb, I'm managing it myself. I think once I get a few more, that would definitely open up the potential to hire a full time project or a property manager. But for now, it's too simple to manage myself and I profit more.
Yeah, that's great. You told me you have a really good cleaning crew or clean person, right?
Yeah.
Some Airbnb hosts really struggle when it comes to get that person they trust for their property. How was your process to get that one person you really trust with your own particular home and listing as well?
Yeah, so her name is Jasmine and her company is called You Shine in Austin. I found her because I have an Instagram for my Airbnb and she actually reached out and it just became just too much to handle trying to manage multiple different cleaning crews and so decided she was the best fit as far as scheduling goes her crew. So she comes pretty much when when guests check out on Sunday, mid morning. So by the time I get home from church, my house is perfectly clean. One new service I just started implementing is called EcoClean in the Austin area and it's a laundry service. So Jasmine at the You Shine will put all of the dirty linens and towels in a bag, EcoClean will pick up that dirty bag and then drop off the clean bag. She'll put on all the sheets that have been freshly pressed and washed, dried, folded. So it's the way that we've worked it out, it's definitely the art and the science of it's a complicated dance when it comes to cleaning, but I think we've got it figured it out.
Yeah, I bet it will be challenging sometimes. And what about your pricing strategy, what strategy you use for pricing?
I know there's several tools out there that can help you with pricing. That's one thing I just haven't had a problem with yet, maybe it's because there's so few listings that sleep the amount of people I'm sleeping. So I upped my price for South by Southwest, which is a large festival in the Austin area. Then I just watched the calendar as far as different events or people coming into town, for instance, Justin Bieber is in town tonight and so having it available for then for the right price. So from a pricing strategy standpoint, I am doing it myself and I am finding more value in having it booked than maybe being priced like competitively. I'd rather get the booking rather than really maximising there and that's just because I'm less than 100 stays. So I want to maximise on all my reviews and really make sure that I'm getting every guest possible and giving them a great experience.
Yeah, that's good also! And when it comes to events in your area, do you offer a certain discount to make sure you stay booked?
I'm not at this time, I do discounts for extended stays, but nothing for like, concerts. If anything, I probably up it.
I understand completely. How much can a guest stay in your listing?
So right now I have it for a maximum of three days and that's because I'm living in it during the week. So once this becomes a full time listing, I've seen a couple of my friends in the area, make theirs long-term listings and find a tonne of success in really low management where they don't have to clean it, you know, twice a week and they don't have to worry about checking in and checking out, which that's kind of attractive to me, but want to make sure that, you know, I get the right listings or the right bookings with the right reviews first.
That's right! Is it hard to get a permit to do short-term rentals there in Austin?
It's not hard, but it does take some time. So I would say if you're considering Airbnb your house out, I would do it first thing. So as you start to prepare, get all of your organisation, start to decorate, then hopefully your listing will be ready because it does take several weeks. I think that's just because there's so many people in this area trying to get their licence all at the same time. So can be not so much difficult, but just lengthy.
Can you resume for us the process of getting the permit? Like just talk about it a little bit, please, if you can?
Yeah. So there's a government site that you go on and apply, adding your insurance, making sure that you are the actual owner of the property, really just doing their due diligence on the reporting. Pay up kind of a hefty fee, it's couple hundred dollars for the licence and then from there, the city of Austin charges 6% to Airbnb for the hotel tax. On top of that, Airbnb owners also pay an 11% tax. So pretty substantial at the end of the day and that's just to make sure that they're managing all of the Airbnb properly and, you know, making sure that it's fair across there, quote, unquote, hotel techs.
Yeah, I understand. You told me before that, when you first thought of getting the house for Airbnb, it wasn't completely paid, so did you find that doing this short-term rental, you can actually cover the total amount of your house?
Yeah, if it's booked out there right amount of time, yeah. It does cover my mortgage and my taxes. I'm working my profits in a different way. But yeah, it's definitely more than enough to cover the bases, cut even at the very minimum.
That's great! And if you don't mind sharing, can you tell us about the insights? For example, how much do you make monthly? It hasn't been whole years since you started or has it?
No, it hasn't. I'm just renting it out on the weekends and I'd say on average anywhere between 4000 and 6000 a month. So it's a great profit.
Yeah if it is only for weekends, it is a reat profit, right! I agree. So one of my last questions is, any other big challenges you had come with when it comes to Airbnb?
I would say, when it comes to your Airbnb, especially as it pertains to decor or furniture, I would remove anything of any sentimental value. If it's that special couch that you don't want white costs built on, I would remove it from your listing and just alleviate the headache. I would also say for furniture, as long as it looks nice and sturdy, especially in a house of my size with multiple people, probably children, having the cheaper of the options is best for me. In the instance that it's gotten broken or whatever the case, when I charge back that guest and the coffee table, you know, cost $14 and not $4000, everyone's happier. So I would say the challenge is just finding the aesthetic in the furniture and the decor that matches your vibe, make it unique, make it different, make it comfortable, but make it almost Instagram worthy, but on a budget, just in the instance that something happens that no harm no foul.
Great! And did you work in decoring it yourself? Or did you just hired someone for that?
For the which part?
For the decor of the listing.
Yeah, I actually haven't. It's one of my favourite things to do, it's not my full time job, but I do love decorating and pulling things together. I'm actually in one of the guest bedrooms right now. I know it's blurry, but I did it all myself and it was really fun, obviously used Pinterest a tonne and got some inspiration. So yeah, I did it myself.
I saw your listing pictures and it's really beautiful.
Thank you! I appreciate that.
Great. Lastly, any tips that you'd like to give for other Airbnb hosts?
Yeah, so some tips would probably be outsource but you can, especially if this is not your full time job. I outsource my pest control my lawn service, my laundry, my cleaning. So I make it as simple as possible for me so that when guests check in, they really are having the best experience. Experience as far as having one bad review can be hard to build and make right and so ensuring that you have the right guest for your listing that you're gonna have the best review. I also love to give Austin gifts, so there's a famous barbecue spot called Salt Lick and so I typically would grab Salt Lick barbecue, some chips, salsa, there's a sparkling water brand called Waterloo that's local to Austin as well and so I'll grab a case of Waterloo. All in all that stuff might cost me $13 at the grocery store, but having a little welcome gift just to kick off the weekend with your guest really sets the tone that you want to give them a great experience and it's the little things that go along way.
That's great, those are great tips! So that's it for today. Thank you for your time and thank you very deeply as well!
Awesome, thank you!
Thanks for listening to Into The Airbnb. We're looking for hosts and other people in the short-term rental industry to interview. If you have what we need and would like to share your experience in this podcast, please send us an email. All the info is at the end of the description.
