How I Rented Out My Place on Airbnb
Over the past three years, I’ve lived in multiple flats, including one in Casablanca, Morocco, and another in Antigua Guatemala, a stunning colonial town recognized as a UNESCO Heritage Site.
These locations attract many tourists, and when I considered renting out my place to travelers, I discovered Airbnb. This platform lets you list details about the room you’re renting, set the price per night, week, or month, and manage availability through a calendar. You can choose to rent out your entire place while you’re on vacation or just a room occasionally. You can even create separate listings for the whole property and a guest room.
In high-demand cities like New York or Paris, some people even offer a sofa in their living room. As someone who has been a couchsurfer for six years, I loved the idea of hosting people while earning extra money. Some Airbnb hosts manage to cover their living expenses and pay off their mortgage quickly using this method.
Airbnb isn’t the only site where you can list your property; there’s also Wimdu, 9flats, and Roomorama. I appreciate the flexibility of renting out my extra space whenever I want, without having a full-time roommate. The additional income is a bonus, and it adds up quickly. In a bustling city, you can easily charge $30 a night, with rates going higher for central locations with beautiful flats.
Airbnb operates on user feedback and ratings, so you can trust the people you rent to, and they can trust you. There’s even a guarantee in case of damages. So far, my experiences with Airbnb have been fantastic.