How to turn your home into an Airbnb listing ready for guests

Key overview: How to turn your home into an Airbnb listing ready for guests

• Update the space to reflect the kind of guests you want to attract and tackle any D.I.Y. projects on the home.
• Read online articles and watch tutorials about hosting on Airbnb and look at other Airbnb properties in your area to see what they offer.
• Add items that visitors need, such as a well-stocked kitchen and laundry.
• Go an extra step and add items that will attract guests to your property like pet-friendly items, children’s toys and family entertainment items.
• Keep your place spotlessly clean.

Richard’s Central Coast home is an ideal set-up for hosting an Airbnb listing: a three-bedroom home to live in, with a converted garage that is now an inviting granny flat, with potential to generate some extra earnings**. At first, however, Richard wasn’t sure what to do with the space. “Some friends suggested it would be great to list on Airbnb. To be honest, I didn’t know what that was! I had to look it up, and thought, ‘Oh, that could actually work’.”

How to get your home ready for listing

The granny flat needed an upgrade to make it guest-ready, and as Richard is a DIY whizz, he tackled some of the work himself – with a little help from his local Bunnings. “I told them I wanted to make it look like a coastal holiday property, and one of the team members in the paint department gave me this scope of colours to use – the blues, and the darker blues and all that,” he explains. After tasks like the revamped colour scheme and some handy DIYs – the TV stand is actually a Bunnings cabinet with added feet – the fresh and airy two-bed has become a favourite with guests.

With the granny flat a success on Airbnb, Richard was encouraged to transform part of his main home into a studio, also listed on Airbnb, and hosting is now his primary focus.

How to be a great host on Airbnb

Richard does most of the maintenance and cleaning himself. “One of the things I like about Airbnb is how flexible it is for all types of hosts,” says Richard, who often has back-to-back guests at his place. “That works for me. Other people want a minimum of two-day bookings. But if you want to block off your calendar for a week and just go away, it’s simple.” Here are his other tips:

• Read up on how to host. When Richard embarked on his Airbnb journey, he did some thorough research. “I went on to Airbnb and then just started going through the set-ups – what makes a good host, what makes a good Airbnb listing – watched lots of little tutorial videos, and read lots of articles. There’s so much information there.”
• Check out other listings. “I also looked at other properties listed on Airbnb locally to see what they were offering and that gave me an idea of what I should be putting into the place for guests,” says Richard.
• Maintain meticulous standards for cleaning. “Make sure that the place is spotlessly clean. The last thing a guest wants to do is find a stain or a hair,” he says.
• Add personal touches. Richard’s comfortable granny flat is packed with things he feels his visitors would want or need. “I set it up for families and for pet owners,” he explains. “I try to make sure that I’ve got enough toys to keep the kids occupied. I’ve got records, tapes and CDs, which a lot of the parents show their kids for the first time! I think they get a kick out of that.”
• Your listing should reflect the kind of guests you’re trying to attract. He included a washing machine and dryer so that guests could tackle laundry, however long their stay. The kitchen is well stocked, and for guests’ pets he even includes extra food, dog bowls, towels and beds. “I believe you should try to anticipate what your guests’ needs are, and then exceed them,” he says.

Keen to earn extra income?

Explore the earnings calculator on the Airbnb website**. Learn more at airbnb.com.au/host.

Looking for ways to upgrade your home to list it on Airbnb?

Check out our article on affordable styling tips to help you start hosting on Airbnb.

**The information in this article is general in nature and for illustrative purposes only. Individual experiences vary. Earnings are not guaranteed and will depend on factors, including availability, price and the demand in your area. Your ability to host may also be subject to local laws. You should look at your own financial position, and seek professional advice before making any financial decisions. 

Please note: Any plumbing or electrical works must be done by a licensed contractor.