Managing Your Airbnb Property Remotely.

Guests love your beach house and you love the rental income that comes with partnering with Airbnb. However, managing your property isn't always convenient or easy especially if you live an hour or more away from your property.

Part of the draw of Airbnb is for renters to feel like you're in a home away from home and not an average hotel. No renter wants a helicopter host popping in to check on them multiple times during their visit and hosts are never worry-free without having some sort of insight into their guests stay.

As a host keeping an eye on things without being overly snoopy or violating Airbnb's policies (located here) is possible and will help you manage your property more efficiently and safely.

Today's new smart gadgets can help your guests enjoy their visit more and help give you greater control over your property. Here's the top smart devices and security items we recommend:

SMART LOCKS:

Physical keys often get lost, broken or even copied at the local hardware store and retrieving keys from guests can interrupt their vacation as well as your day. Smart locks allow you to avoid the risks that come with physical keys. With a smart lock you can provide your guest with a temporary access code that is valid from check-in to check-out. Assigning different access codes for guests and cleaners lets you know who is accessing the property and when they arrive and leave.

VIDEO DOOR BELL:

Video door bells are a nice tool in case a guest loses or forgets their access code or their phone is dead. By simply pressing the doorbell guests can communicate directly with you by two-way voice and you can view who you are speaking with by one-way video. Video doorbells also give you insight into any unwanted guests and the ability to recall the footage should an accident or emergency happens. It is important to understand that any device that can record or transmit video, audio or still images needs to be disclosed in your listing. A video door bell would need to be disclosed in your listing.

SMART THERMOSTATS:

Smart thermostats eliminate the need to run by the property to turn on the air conditioning before a guest arrives or turn it off when a guest leaves. Manage the thermostat easily from any smart phone, tablet or computer and take the hassle out of energy management while reducing heating and cooling costs when your rental is unoccupied.

SMART LIGHTS:

Smart lights can be controlled remotely, allowing you to turn off lights that were accidentally left on when a tenant checked out. Scheduling lights to come on during a specific time frame helps enhance security while the property is vacant. Incorporating a light to come on when an access code is entered into a smart lock, gives your guests a lighted welcome and enhances safety.

SECURITY SYSTEM:

Protecting your property while no ones is around is easy and convenient. Smart intrusion alarm systems do more than just protect your property, they operate and work with other smart devices to provide complete coverage and ease of operation. Door and window sensors protect against unauthorized access, glass break sensors alert you to any broken windows, and motion detectors pick up any suspicious movement inside the property.

Smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors that operate with the security system helps protect your guests and property from fire and gases and water sensors alert you to any broken pipes and flooding.

You should also list the security system in your listing. These devices do not go against Airbnb's policies, so long as they do not activate a video camera that can record or transmit audio, video or still photos.

SECURITY CAMERAS:

Outdoor security cameras help protect your property against theft and stored camera footage provides a record of happenings should an accident or emergency occur. All cameras need to be facing outdoors and not towards a window and needs to be clearly listed in your Airbnb listing.

VOICE COMMAND MUSIC AND VIDEO:

Built-in speakers integrated with voice command lets your guests easily play music, stream video and even control the other smart devices within the property. Program the voice command devices to share wi-fi passwords, traffic status and weather information. Guest can even get information on local restaurants or coffee shops.

Providing your Airbnb guests a safe property with smart home devices will help increase your occupancy as well as protect your investment.

Not sure where to start? We have the answers for you. Call us at 503-883-4139 or email us.