Scammers on AirBNB

[GoodRevrnd]

Agree on paying any applicable taxes.

But I mean, just to do a devil's advocate.... what if you are want to vacation somewhere and actually live in a place where "locals" reside? What's wrong with a demand for that?

It's a problem when they get out of hand and drive the locals out due to increased prices and disruptive behavior.

 

[zinfamous]

I think STRs serve a need but a platform like AirBnB lets things get completely out of hand. There's so little oversight and the real estate speculation it drives in areas where there's already housing problems is not helpful. I think my city has found a decent balance in requiring licensing and limiting the number per area. But I'm not sure they're aggressive enough about pulling licenses for bad owners that fascilitate party houses. I also think in general there should be much more leeway for owners who live on premise, although I realize that can be easily abused.

Yep, this is a large part of the problem. Cities, and at least specific neighborhoods are banning them because of this speculation nonsense. You actually have massive corporations now that are buying up all these houses, just for AirBnB daily, weekly rentals. It is fundamentally destroying a lot of these places by removing invested people from neighborhoods, and essentially draining the revenue from these cities. "But hey, what's wrong with billion-dollar corporations buying up private single-family residences and renting them out as uninhabited residences and avoiding all of the fess and taxes that these corporations would normally be paying? They are people too, right? right?" lol--they aren't.

It's cancer.

 

[ponyo]

I'm honestly still wondering how it's going to affect the hotel industry... Will it hurt it and drive down prices? Or just work alongside it as a side-market?

I think both will coexist but AirBnB is definitely taking market shares away from traditional hotel industry. Anytime there's more supply in the market, prices generally go down so I have to believe AirBnB is driving down lodging prices in certain markets. And unlike Uber, I don't see anyone else potentially disrupting AirBnB.

 

[zinfamous]

I think both will coexist but AirBnB is definitely taking market shares away from traditional hotel industry. Anytime there's more supply in the market, prices generally go down so I have to believe AirBnB is driving down lodging prices in certain markets. And unlike Uber, I don't see anyone else potentially disrupting AirBnB.

Cities are banning them. So, no one has to disrupt them. They can just be shut down, which is what needs to happen.

Oh god "disrupt." what a garbage term.

 

[ponyo]

Cities are banning them. So, no one has to disrupt them. They can just be shut down, which is what needs to happen.

Oh god "disrupt." what a garbage term.

Unless all the cities around the world get together and ban AirBnB, it's not going to work. Cities haven't been that successful banning Uber.

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

Unless all the cities around the world get together and ban AirBnB, it's not going to work. Cities haven't been that successful banning Uber.

That and (similar to Uber) AirBNB isn't stupid. They know how to lobby. They know how to line the right pocket-books.... So as long as they do stuff like... pay taxes.... jurisdictions will lack the ability to care unless it's strangling puppies or abducting children.

 

[Midwayman]

If you own a home, do you think it should be difficult to rent it out on a short-term basis? Or do you think you need a SPECIAL SUPER-DUPER framed "hotel" license" on the wall?

There are zoning laws for a reason. Short term rentals are different than normal residential use. Its annoying enough when a neighborhood gets a large percentage of long term leases, let alone nightly rentals. If they want to be a hotel they should be in an appropriately zoned area and carry the licencing and insurance everyone else has to do.

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

There are zoning laws for a reason. Short term rentals are different than normal residential use. Its annoying enough when a neighborhood gets a large percentage of long term leases, let alone nightly rentals. If they want to be a hotel they should be in an appropriately zoned area and carry the licencing and insurance everyone else has to do.

Most of that stuff (IMO) can be dealt with in regards to HOAs. Things like homes aren't always suburbs, some homes are built far apart, some tightly compacted. At the same time, anyone is entitled to have a "party" it's just a matter of the decibel level of the sound and the number of people.... both of which can likely be limited within the booking.

 

[Skillz]

I've been away on work trips that have lasted 2 - 3 months before where staying in a hotel during that entire time just isn't worth it. So I talked my company into letting us get an AirBnB the last time we went somewhere for a long duration. It was Miami, FL (Hollywood, FL to be more precise) and it was 1000x better than staying in a hotel the entire time. I also believe the cost was around the same if not cheaper for us to get a house (whole house to ourselves) than it was to get 2 - 3 hotel rooms for the 4 - 5 people staying on the job.

 

[highland145]

I stopped using AirBnB once they made the buyers have to eat the 'service fee'. That is complete bullshit IMO so I will never be using their service again.

I have a VRBO and pay the service fee. Anywhere from 5% to 12% depending on the length of stay. 2 days will cost you ~$125/night on an $80 rate because of the cleaning, $75, and the taxes. 30+ nights is $48 per plus a $75 cleaning/taxes. Not bad if you're a 2-3 mo contract worker with a per diem. 2br, 2ba, 1100sqft.

Shut down AirBnB. it's a leech on public municipalities, and is extremely anti-competitive.

I think you need to pay taxes and license fees like any hotelier. They also wreck neighborhoods. These companies are scum leeches. I don't like any of them.

Had to get a retail sales license. State, county, local option sales and accommodations tax is 12%. Same as hotels. So why is it anti competitive?

It's a problem when they get out of hand and drive the locals out due to increased prices and disruptive behavior.

Cities are banning them. So, no one has to disrupt them. They can just be shut down, which is what needs to happen.

If I'm treating it like a business and paying all of the fees/taxes, good luck with not getting sued by telling me I can rent it on a 6/12 mo basis but not on a 2 day.

News to me that companies buy blocks for rent. Can't see how that would be more profitable that a hotel, all the rooms/laundry/amenities in one place vs 50 different locations. And not that VRBO is very profitable in the 1st place. Property tax is ~4x higher because it's a non-owner occupied. Plus income tax that one could "avoid" if it were a 6/12 mo lease.

 

[Jimzz]

As said AirBNB/VRBO is great for stays more than a day or two, esp with more than 2 people. Its really great in Europe. Most hotels are still older so the rooms are very small and not very stocked on amenities most US citizens come to expect. But for the same price or cheaper I get more location options and much more room. This is important as I have a kid.

Did 4 countries in Europe this summer and did AirBNB for all 4. Used AirBNB for Jamaica last winter as well.

 

[zinfamous]

Unless all the cities around the world get together and ban AirBnB, it's not going to work. Cities haven't been that successful banning Uber.

Well, a decent number have been successful at banning AirBnB, so it's a start!

You don't even have to ban them--you just have to pass legislation that forces them to adhere to laws that don't bankrupt their city, just so that they can have the "right to run their business," which is obviously a stupid defense of a company (not saying you made that argument).

This has happened to Uber all over the world already, and they are limping through...but of course their stock price has suffered after their IPO. I think Uber will be fine (they are probably best in line for the automated transit service platform, either as a partner with someone like Tesla...or somehow being bought up by Tesla--the assumption that their platform would "win the automation race" is the only reason their valuation was through the roof while private, and that seems not so confident these days)

..but I don't think AirBnB is as fluid as Uber or Lyft. They survive only by virtue that users exploit the end-around to tax liability. Force them to adhere if they want to offer service in town, and with any luck, they just go out of business when they can't afford to operate under such unambiguously fair laws.

I still haven't heard anyone defend the notion that billionaire rental conglomerates should continue to be able to freely use this platform in order to leech tax revenue, destroy cities, all to add another couple billions in ill-begotten revenue to their already, apparently "not enough" billions in annual revenues. ...this is basically what AirBnB is, what its future is, and why you salivate at the IPO, and you know it. I don't think it's any kind of platform to admire.

 

[zinfamous]

I have a VRBO and pay the service fee. Anywhere from 5% to 12% depending on the length of stay. 2 days will cost you ~$125/night on an $80 rate because of the cleaning, $75, and the taxes. 30+ nights is $48 per plus a $75 cleaning/taxes. Not bad if you're a 2-3 mo contract worker with a per diem. 2br, 2ba, 1100sqft.

Had to get a retail sales license. State, county, local option sales and accommodations tax is 12%. Same as hotels. So why is it anti competitive?

If I'm treating it like a business and paying all of the fees/taxes, good luck with not getting sued by telling me I can rent it on a 6/12 mo basis but not on a 2 day.

News to me that companies buy blocks for rent. Can't see how that would be more profitable that a hotel, all the rooms/laundry/amenities in one place vs 50 different locations. And not that VRBO is very profitable in the 1st place. Property tax is ~4x higher because it's a non-owner occupied. Plus income tax that one could "avoid" if it were a 6/12 mo lease.

They've overturned entire neighborhoods, essentially turning them into bum-ridden ghost neighborhoods. I'm guessing it's something you don't want to see in your neighborhood, right? (..you probably don't have to worry though: people actually want to visit the French Quarter, NYC, SF, etc. )

New Orleans City Council passes stricter Airbnb rules

www.avalara.com

New York City Looks to Crack Down on Airbnb Amid Housing Crisis (Published 2018)

The City Council voted unanimously to significantly regulate Airbnb and its peers, taking aim at landlords renting apartments a few nights at a time.

www.nytimes.com

How communities are fighting to save New Orleans from an Airbnb takeover – Scalawag

An upcoming City Council vote could empower residents in the struggle for housing affordability.

www.scalawagmagazine.org

Just because the people that support this don't live in areas where this is a real issue, doesn't mean it isn't happening. ...but hey, good luck AirBnB, if you can't operate in cities like NY, SF, NO, etc, and somehow plan to survive in....Columbia, SC?

What happened in Treme is exactly what AirBnB is designed to exploit. There is no way you will be able to tell me that this is what you want to see.

 

[dr150]

AirBnB is expensive now. The sneaky cleaning fees jack up the price and you have to look too hard to find something price-worthy and worthwhile stay-wise. VRBO is better, but watch out for those cleaning fees/cancellation fees as well. It's all pretty much a wash nowadays vs hotels. The fact Airbnb doesn't have the tenants back means I'll never use them again.

 

[dainthomas]

We've had great luck with VRBO. Stayed up in Victoria with them a few times and once down in Yosemite. All places were super nice and cheaper than anything else around.

 

[Jimzz]

AirBnB is expensive now. The sneaky cleaning fees jack up the price and you have to look too hard to find something price-worthy and worthwhile stay-wise. VRBO is better, but watch out for those cleaning fees/cancellation fees as well. It's all pretty much a wash nowadays vs hotels. The fact Airbnb doesn't have the tenants back means I'll never use them again.

Yea I wish they would put the REAL cost per day in the map listings, not the pre "cleaning" fee rate. Some places charge more for the cleaning fee than a days rental rate.

Hotels are just as bad with their "resort" fees now.

But AirBNB/VRBO exist because hotels got greedy, see resort fee for example. Markets exist because there is a open space for profit/growth. If hotels actually provide a better service at a similar rate then these places would not be able to make money.

 

[BudAshes]

I think you need to pay taxes and license fees like any hotelier. They also wreck neighborhoods. These companies are scum leeches. I don't like any of them.

I think essentially you should have to live at the residence to rent out via these services. They work great if you are renting out your extra bedroom space/apartment on your house. Not so great if you are renting out the whole house to large parties.

 

[gill77]

I scanned the article but did not find see anything about Airbnb filtering reviews like Traveladvisor.

If awful reviews are piling up, it should have an effect pretty quickly, even if the host is badmouthing the guest.

 

[Midwayman]

I scanned the article but did not find see anything about Airbnb filtering reviews like Traveladvisor.

If awful reviews are piling up, it should have an effect pretty quickly, even if the host is badmouthing the guest.

The review system for clients has a real chilling effect on accurate reviews. Everyone is afraid to give accurate feedback since it means they'll get blacklisted.

 

[gill77]

The review system for clients has a real chilling effect on accurate reviews. Everyone is afraid to give accurate feedback since it means they'll get blacklisted.

Sounds more draconian than filtering, thanks.

 

[snoopy7548]

I don't know much about Airbnb, but I have to say I would definitely rent this one out if I was in the area:

Home in Dallas · ★4.89 · 2 bedrooms · 4 beds · 1 bath

Saved by the 90s The Slater + Cereal & Video Games

www.airbnb.com

Though this one has an arcade machine...

Home in Dallas · ★4.86 · 2 bedrooms · 4 beds · 1 bath

The McFly - Back to the 80s + Video Games & Cereal

www.airbnb.com

Might have to do both at the same time...

 

[highland145]

@zinfamous “We saw Airbnb for what it was,” DeDecker said, “which is a tool that shifts the use-value of property in a way that makes it prohibitively expensive for locals to actually own or occupy those units.”

You jump up and down when property values displace people too?

Meh, podunk S.C. isn't going to have the problem N.O. is.

I scanned the article but did not find see anything about Airbnb filtering reviews like Traveladvisor.

If awful reviews are piling up, it should have an effect pretty quickly, even if the host is badmouthing the guest.

this.

 

[highland145]

The VRBO damage fee has been a problem. $59 non refundable for damage insurance or a $2K deposit. Granted, it doesn't take much in real damage to add up if a pro fixes it. Most just pay the $59 but I have had a repeater that puts up the $2K for a 2 night stay.

 

[herm0016]

we use AirBNB nearly exclusivly for travel, both in the US and outside, have used it in Lao, Vietnam, all over France, Detroit, a few other places in the US.

we used to rent out a room on airbnb as well.

I think its a great platform and actually helps people afford their homes when they are renting a room out in an occupied house. I know it helped us out when we first moved to Boulder. they should probably crack down on whole buildings/homes side though. In boulder, you have to have a rental license which includes a safety inspection and is not too much hassle to obtain, and you have to pay the hotel tax. you are not allowed to rent out a whole house or condo for more than so many days per month if it is not owner occupied, among some other regs. allows you to rent out your house if you go on a long vacation or something, but keeps the all the time AirBNB rentals to a minimum.

sometimes the fees are a lot, you just have to watch them. some of them are set by the host, not airbnb.

 

[DigDog]

well there are still good reasosn to airbnb - in Buenos Aires, a hotel is $100/night and a airbnb $7/n.