Airbnb is an outlet for people to be able to rent out their spaces, from vacation homes they are not using to their couch for the night.
Airbnb is an outlet for people to be able to rent out their spaces, from vacation homes they are not using to their couch for the night.
It started in 2008 in San Francisco and has expanded greatly in the past two to three years, along with the smartphone and social media boom.
For renters, it’s about not having the standard boring hotel experience, but rather staying in a unique home, getting more quality and connection. It can also be a lot cheaper than staying in a hotel.
For the hosts, it provides extra income to be able to go on vacations, and opportunities to meet new and interesting people.
Airbnb is in just about every country in the world and over 34,000 cities. Through Airbnb, you can rent just about anything: houseboats, Airstream trailers, private villas, condos, log cabins, apartments… anything.
From San Diego, to Boise, to the Transylvanian Alps in Romania, you can find a spot in almost every city and vicinity in the world.
Here in Richmond, Airbnb has a thriving community of hosts offering up their apartments, homes, or extra bedrooms. Scrolling through the posts for available places in Richmond, spots can be found in Carytown, Church Hill, the Fan, Northside, Downtown, U of R, Oregon Hill, Shockoe Bottom, Forest Hill, Monument Ave., and Westhampton.
There is an interactive map on the right side showing where spots are located. Many people from out of town may not know each area, but if they do a little research they can find out which area best suits them.
The question is: why are renters coming stay in Richmond?
Host Amanda Gibson cited visits to see family and friends, weddings, the Richmond Marathon, Dominion Riverrock, bike races, festivals, and other events.
“That’s a question I get often from friends when they find out that we rent out the house. They always say, ‘Really? That many people are coming to Richmond?’” said Gibson.
Gibson, her husband Aaron, and their two kids live in a historic Fan home with three bedrooms. They rent out their whole house to guests at a rate of $150 a night for up to six people.
When Gibson first started out with Airbnb in 2012, they were the only hosts in the area who rented out their entire home. People were mostly listing one-bedroom apartments, or an extra bedroom. Now there are a number of hosts that rent out entire houses.
In comparison to a hotel, you get more value for your dollar; it’s a more cozy and personalized experience. “It’s the bed and breakfast aspect that I’m really attracted to–because you get to see people’s space, you see the books they have, they tell you, ‘I’ve personally been to this restaurant, I love it, you’re going to love it too’,” said Gibson. “For the most part if you’re coming into Richmond, and you want to stay in a hotel, you’re either downtown or way out in Short Pump. So to get a neighborhood experience, that’s what you get with Airbnb.”
Host Inga Schunn said people come to stay at her place for interviews and to check out campuses like the Brandcenter and VCU. Most of her renters stay for just one night.
Schunn has two listings: her living room couch (top image) and her bedroom in the Fan near VCU for only $30-$40 a night. When she is out of town she rents out her bedroom, but a lot of times she is there when people are crashing.
She is able to rent out the living room often, because she is able to be there at the same time, having a guest stay twice every other week.
“I like to travel a lot so whenever I’m gone, I rent out my bedroom. But mainly I have the most people in my living room,” said Schunn. “It’s not really my living room–it’s more like a room I have to walk through to get to my bedroom, so it’s incredibly private.”
As opposed to a hotel or motel, there are so many more options in terms of size, how long you want to stay, and location.
So what’s in it for the hosts?
The Gibsons started using Airbnb because they spend a lot of time on the weekends at their family home in their hometown in Southern Virginia. They figured, having an empty house, they might as well rent it out. In turn they receive extra income, which makes several aspects of their lives easier.
“I get to go back to school for my PhD in History and I don’t have to keep working. We can keep our boys in this neighborhood, fix things in the house when we need to, and still travel a little bit,” said Gibson.
Aside from the extra income, they also get to act as ambassadors to Richmond by welcoming their guests to the city, making them feel at home, helping them navigate, and giving tips on where to go and what to do.
Schunn, like many others that use Airbnb when they goes out of town, also uses Airbnb herself when she goes to other cities. So when she pays to stay at a place in another city, she is making the money back by renting out her place at the same time.
“I like meeting interesting people who are young and have similar interests, and I like opening my home to people,” said Schunn. “It’s a nice way to make a few bucks here and there, and make a new connection or learn something new.”
Most renters leave reviews of their experience after their stay, which helps give future prospective renters a sense of what the place and the host are like.
Airbnb is very easy to use; it handles all payments through the site, and also holds insurance on your place while you’re gone, should anything happen.
So if you’re looking for some extra cash to travel, and would like to help welcome out-of-towners to the city, look into Airbnb. Sign up is free; it can be used to find places in other cities, to rent out your place, or both.
A look at some sample prices in other cities:
–Brookly, NY: 2 Bedrooms and a rooftop deck for $58 a night
–Austin, TX: A vintage airstream trailer for $65 a night
For more info go to: https://www.airbnb.com/
