Managing an Airbnb on a Per Room Basis: Pros and Cons Compared to Renting Out a Whole House

If you’re considering becoming an Airbnb host, you might be torn between renting out individual rooms or the entire house. Both options have their unique advantages and disadvantages. In this post, we’ll explore the pros and cons of managing an Airbnb on a per room basis compared to renting out a whole house.

Pros of Managing an Airbnb on a Per Room Basis:

1. Maximized Earnings: Renting out rooms individually can potentially yield higher earnings. Travelers on a budget or solo adventurers may prefer this cost-effective option, allowing you to host more guests simultaneously.

2. Flexible Pricing: You can adjust room rates according to demand, local events, and seasons, potentially attracting a broader range of guests. This flexibility can lead to better revenue optimization.

3. Variety of Guests: Hosting multiple guests in different rooms can result in diverse and enriching interactions. You’ll have the chance to meet people from various backgrounds and cultures, enhancing your hosting experience. This is not in my case because we don’t live in our AirBnB – we do rent them out on a per room basis.

4. Shorter Stays: Room-based rentals often lead to shorter stays, resulting in more frequent turnovers. This can reduce the wear and tear on your property and provide more opportunities for cleaning fees.

Cons of Managing an Airbnb on a Per Room Basis:

1. Intensive Management: Renting out rooms individually requires more active management. Coordinating check-ins, cleaning, and maintenance for multiple rooms can be time-consuming and demanding.

2. Privacy Concerns: Some guests may have concerns about sharing common spaces with strangers. Managing individual rooms might deter guests who prioritize privacy or want an entire property to themselves.

Pros of Renting Out a Whole House:

1. Reduced Management: Renting out an entire house simplifies the management process. There’s only one unit to clean, maintain, and oversee, making it less time-consuming.

2. Privacy and Exclusivity: Many guests prefer the privacy and comfort of having an entire property to themselves. This can attract longer stays and guests willing to pay a premium for exclusivity.

Cons of Renting Out a Whole House:

1. Potentially Lower Earnings: While renting out a whole house can be lucrative, the earnings might not be as high as renting individual rooms, especially during off-peak seasons.

2. Lack of Diversity: You may miss out on the cultural experiences and interactions that come with hosting multiple guests in separate rooms.

Ultimately, the decision to manage an Airbnb on a per room basis or rent out a whole house depends on your property, location, and your personal preferences. 

What I truly like about having an AirBnB rented out on a per room basis – our occupancy rate is almost always at 80-90%. Consider your goals, the local market, and your capacity for active management to make an informed choice. Whichever path you choose, providing exceptional hospitality and creating a welcoming environment is key to your success as an Airbnb host.

If you are ready to start your AirBnB listing, click on this link to get started. —> https://www.airbnb.com/r/gigiv62

Making Time: Time Management Tips and Time Blocking

“Gigi, I don’t know how you can work, run a business, and do what you do… Do you even sleep?”

Well, number 1 – I love being busy. But, I also love my downtime. So, I schedule that too!

I work as a Home Health Physical Therapist, self-manage an AirBnB, run a couple of other businesses, manage our home and my family… I also like to vacation and not do anything especially on weekends.

And I may seem to have no time, but I make time for things that is important to me.

Time, after all is the most valuable resource in the planet. And often it feels like it is just slipping through our fingers!

Effective time management is very crucial for achieving your goals and maintaining a healthy work-life balance. 

Here are two key strategies that I personally do to help control and manage my time. 

Time Blocking:

Time blocking is a very simple yet powerful technique that involves breaking your day into distinct blocks of time, each dedicated to a specific task or activity. Here are some tips for effective time blocking:

  1. Plan Ahead: Start your day with a clear plan. List your most important tasks and allocate time blocks for each. Make your schedule is realistic, allowing for some flexibility.

2. Minimize Distractions: During your time blocks, eliminate distractions. Turn off notifications, close unnecessary tabs on your computer, and let your colleagues or family know that you’re in focused work mode.

3. Take Regular Breaks: Include short breaks between time blocks to recharge and avoid burnout. Use techniques like the Pomodoro method, working for 25 minutes and taking a 5-minute break, to maintain productivity.

4. Stick to Your Schedule: THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT! Respect the time blocks you’ve set. Avoid the temptation to multitask, as is leads to reduced efficiency and increased stress.

5. Use a Calendar: I personally use Google calendar and set blocks of time for my house chores, when I see my patient’s, when I schedule a meeting, and even my family time. https://calendar.google.com

Setting Priorities:

Setting priorities is a fundamental aspect of effective time management. Here’s how you can do it:

1. Identify Important Tasks: Not all tasks are created equal. Determine which tasks are the most important and focus on them first. Use techniques like the Eisenhower Matrix to categorize tasks as urgent, important, not important, or not urgent.

2. S.M.A.R.T. Goals: Set Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound (S.M.A.R.T.) goals. This is even great for creating habits. For example, I will read this book on self-development for 20 minutes, from 8:00am to 8:20am everyday at my reading chair in the living until I finish this book. 

3. The 2-Minute Rule: If a task takes less than 2 minutes to complete, try to do it immediately. It prevents those small and minute tasks from piling up – so it doesn’t become overwhelming.

4. ‘No’ is a complete sentence: Recognize when you can delegate tasks to others, and don’t be afraid to say ‘no’ to non-essential commitments. Your time is valuable, and protecting it is essential.

I hope these strategies will help you manage your time. 

Plan. Stick to your schedule. And be gentle with yourself too. 

Conversations with Myself.

Does anybody else do this sort of thing? Or is it just a me thing? I am pretty sure that I am not alone in this world.

Since forever and a day, I have been a big daydreamer and I am an awesome conversationalist with myself.

And I have always started a blog and written a journal or a diary – since I was in elementary. I have childhood friends who can attest to that.

You see, these conversations that I have with myself are usually scenarios I wish I handled differently than how I originally did.

There was one time that I was new to a company (and I just moved to the United States), it was fall and I was wearing my brand-new puffer jacket. Growing up in the tropics (The Philippines) – 60 degrees is cold for me… And someone came up to me and said, “It’s not even cold, why are you wearing that?” And she laughed and chuckled at the end. I didn’t say anything.

I laughed with her.

But in my head, my reply was, “Because I am 110 lbs dripping wet and I don’t have enough blubber to keep myself warm. Unlike you.”

Of course, I didn’t say that because. You know – you don’t want to offend anyone… Even if they offended you in the first place.

I need to learn to speak my mind and not worry about anyone else.

So, anyway – I always sort of had a blog before my son Sky was born – 16 years ago. And I never really pursued writing – because I was always afraid of what other people would think of me.

But, now I am pushing close to 50 – so I said to myself. I need to just do this for me.

Anything I post on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and on my little blog is solely for selfish reasons. It is for me. If anyone learns from my candid content – then even better! But, this is my platform to get the conversations in my head out in the open – so I can make space for new ones.

Cheers.