We’ve had our #CrockerCottageLA up and running for almost a year now. We’ve done nearly a year of busy + slow seasons, repairs, and nerve-racking guests. We launched our #RetroRetreatLA in December and between the two, we’ve learned a lot about this world. 

 

Do we recommend it? The short answer is yes. The longer answer is a bit more complex….

 

Managing these AirBnbs has been wayyyy more work than we anticipated. If you’re not hiring someone to manage it for you, be sure you understand this is not a “set it and forget it” venture. If you don’t like hospitality or continually answering questions or endless laundry, short term rentals might not be for you. 

 

It costs a TON to get one of these up and running, especially if you’re planning to do it well. So far, it seems the investment will be worth it in the long run. I would suggest planning for it to take at least a year to recoup your setup costs. If I were doing it over again, I’d budget way more than we did for the upfront costs.

 

Eventually, I think we’re going to generate more income from these two properties via the short term rental market than we would have by renting them long term. That comes at the cost of high start up costs, a bit more headache, and a lot more day to day involvement. 

 

Ultimately, we LOVE this industry. (Hospitality, not laundry.) We love hosting and decorating and paying attention to the little details that make someone feel welcomed and comfortable. We’ve had a few hiccups and a lot of headaches over the last year, and it’s been worth it. 

I think….

 

If you have questions about starting your own AirBnb, feel free to reply here and ask!