Welcome back to the Hosting Hotline! This is an Ask Me Anything where each week we’ll answer your questions on Airbnb, STRs, real estate, and everything in between.

Vanessa asks:

We run a short-term rental on Whidbey Island in Washington State called Bells Beach Lookout. Thanks to you, it's been going really well. We are in the process of purchasing our second short-term rental. The seller of this house is also an Airbnb host and has done very well. She has great reviews — like 4.93 — but I learned from Airbnb that those reviews can't be transferred. What tips do you have for me to make this transition effective and make it easy for past guests to want to come back? How can I connect with this seller, and what questions or requests should I be making of her?

(00:00:00) Introduction

(00:02:44) Airbnb’s Terms & Conditions About Transferring

(00:05:14) What To Request From The Current Owner

(00:09:41) Updating & Optimizing The Listing

Thanks to everyone who submitted questions. To hear your voice on the show and send a question to Sarah and Annette, submit your burning hosting questions at: hostinghotline.com.

Resources:

• Click here for full show notes

• Bells Beach Lookout: bellsbeachlookout.com

• Video: How To Create A Direct Booking Site For Your Airbnb Business

• Airbnb Essentials Checklist: hostchecklist.com

Thanks for Visiting is produced by Crate Media.

Mentioned in this episode:

StayFi | Go to www.stayfi.com and enter TFV to get 50% off your first three months.

This is a unique episode all about unique stays! We’re excited to welcome Whitney Hansen, a financial coach, host of The Money Nerds Podcast, and a unique property builder. She operates the Cascade Dome, a geo-dome in the mountains, and The Flower Pot, a giant flower pot you can actually sleep in. The Flower Pot was one of 100 global winners of the Airbnb OMG Fund.

Whitney joins us to talk about how she grew The Flower Pot into a flourishing business, why she’s attracted to unique stays, and the benefits and challenges of experiential STRs. Whitney gets really honest about the financials of her properties, how she sets guest expectations, and her advice for managing social media and influencer outreach.

This episode gave us a lot to think about for our next property, and we know you’ll find it valuable, too.

(00:00:00) Introductions

(00:01:28) #STRShareSunday: @idahoflowerpot

(00:04:52) How Whitney Won The OMG Fund

(00:07:48) Her Journey In The STR Space

(00:11:50) The Dollars & Cents Behind The Flower Pot

(00:19:35) The Power Of Unique Stays

(00:24:43) The Challenges of Unique Stays

(00:26:50) The Cascade Dome’s Financials

(00:30:35) Social Media Dos and Don'ts

(00:40:42) The Benefits Of Direct Booking

(00:46:56) Rapid-Fire Questions

Resources:

• Click here for full show notes

• Airbnb.com/h/idahoflowerpot

• Airbnb.com/h/cascadedome

• @cascadedome

• #STRShareSunday: @idahoflowerpot

• Submit your property for our next #STRShareSunday at strshare.com

• Casper Mattress: amzn.to/3YuN4Xt

• The Money Nerds Podcast: themoneynerds.com

• Video: How to Buy Land For Your Airbnb Glamping Business

• Airbnb Essentials Checklist: hostchecklist.com

Thanks for Visiting is produced by Crate Media.

Mentioned in this episode:

Host Checklist | Grab our Airbnb Essentials Checklist and make stocking your Airbnb a breeze – we've got all your hosting needs covered!

Minoan | Visit MinoanExperience.com and tell them TFV sent you!

Hostfully | Go to https://www.hostfully.com/influencers/thanks-for-visiting/ and use TFV100 to get $100 off your subscription.

Welcome back to the Hosting Hotline! This is an Ask Me Anything where each week we’ll answer your questions on Airbnb, STRs, real estate, and everything in between.

Madison asks:

I've just completed my first direct booking at a property that I own and manage, and I'm going through the process of remitting taxes to my county and state. How do you handle this for co-hosted properties? I'd like to offer direct bookings, but would I remit taxes on behalf of the owner or is that their responsibility?

(00:00:00) Introduction

(00:03:09) How Sarah Remitted Taxes On Her Clients’ Behalf

(00:05:19) How To Make Life Easier For Your Clients

(00:06:42) Remitting Taxes Even If You’re Not Co-Hosting

Please note that we are not CPAs, and this information is location dependent. We encourage you to consult with a tax professional in your area.

Thanks to everyone who submitted questions. To hear your voice on the show and send a question to Sarah and Annette, submit your burning hosting questions at: hostinghotline.com.

Resources:

• Click here for full show notes

• Video: The Ultimate Guide to Setting Up Your Airbnb Business the RIGHT way (banking, taxes, LLC, profits)

• Airbnb Essentials Checklist: hostchecklist.com

Thanks for Visiting is produced by Crate Media.

Mentioned in this episode:

Quiz | Take our quiz to reveal your hosting personality style!

StayFi | Go to www.stayfi.com and enter TFV to get 50% off your first three months.

Breezeway | Get Breezeway’s full guidebook, messaging, and operations tools for just $19.99 per unit per month!