General Help and Questions

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@Rich -- yeah, that could be good, the option to delete seasons during that range that the spot rates cover. The way spot rates work you don't have to delete the seasonal because the spot rates override or "paint on top" of the seasonal rates, but if you're going full on spot rates it makes sense to delete the seasons.

@Lydia -- Don't apologize! We know the list method of managing spot rates is... not very good. That's why we built the import as a stop-gap. We are working on a calendar method like VRBO has, and at that point it'll be just as easy to set the rates right in OwnerRez :-D

OK - apologies in advance to the wonderful OR folks - but I find it much easier to set my rates in VRBO and then import them to OR. It brings in rates, # of days, everything. Then you can push from OR to ABB or wherever. Maybe it's because I used VRBO before using OR, but the Season - Spot thing seems more difficult.

I see that the new Spot Rates import is available - THANKS !!!!

I did a test of dates from 9/1/19-9/10/19 for my three properties, but the when I went to Settings/Channel Connections and started the Push Rates it appears there are lots of rates already in OR, probably from past efforts using Seasons OR by import from VRBO.

EDIT - Never Mind, I found that I can delete Seasons, Seasonal Rates and Spot Rates using the Settings page.

enhancement? would be easier to find how to delete these if the Push Rates modal included a link to settings. Or at least some verbiage saying how to delete.

They called me later and indicated that is the case and it's a known bug. I went ahead and updated my rates and changed it to a 6 month window.

Kinda funny, mid July, 90+ degrees and people in the DC area are planning ski trips for December.

One of each. I declined the inquiry. The booking was OK as it was a mid week rental for a few nights.

TOTALLY AGREE! Would be great if they would get out of our business altogether and allow us to collect all of it.

Right, just allow you to specify the tax. VRBO needs to do the same. It's ironic that the platforms make it so hard to do the right thing.

Airbnb has said they're working on that (direct tax remittance) as well as resolutions via API, so hopefully in 6 months or so these things will be a lot easier :-)

1) To get back to the default, go to Settings > Legal Agreements, create a new one, and use the Prefill from button to fill it from the default.

2) Like @BlueMtnCabins said, Airbnb specifically allows a renter agreement as long as you disclose that in the rules: https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/465/can-hosts-ask-guests-to-sign-a-contract

Chris - hope you guys can find a way to help us with this. A big topic of discussion for a lot of our Tennessee owners (as Victoria says - some ABB guests will go along with anything and others will go along with nothing outside the site). There's just got to be a better way to do it, particularly with an eye to accurate financial reporting. Many folks don't have the time to do what Victoria does. But if owners just randomly go in and raise their nightly ABB rates by 3% that really doesn't make things accurate. Really appreciate your looking into a solution for all of us.

2) you do not need to attach agreement to Airbnb. OR handles it. You can set up trigger email once ABB booking is imported that sends the link to ABB guest to esign rental agreement AND collects all the renter info (actulay email, phone, address) and instructs them to send ID. You just need to disclose!!!! that as requirement in ABB house rules. All automated and easy. I don't ever use ABB portal to communicate post booking unless renter does. All OR

1) I made a killer rental agreement covering every imaginable way a guest could screw/screw up a VR owner. Now I am uncomfortable chasing away prospects when I have only part of the year left. Is it possible to retrieve the default ownerrez agreement?

2) Also, I saw a forum discussion that ABB does not allow/enable attaching a rental agreement for guests to sign. True? Their policy or other? Thoughts?

why would they care? if calendars are accurate, why would they care if it makes them money

Interesting idea ... But could be risky if the folks at VRBO detect the duplicate listings as such. I wonder how they would view it if it comes to that.

The suggestions and rules seem to depend on which Airbnb rep you talk to -- different ones have different solutions.

Their API team says they are working on taxes and resolutions and hopefully will have a bit more control and automation around them by earlier next year.

It is a message right in your dashboard. You have to remember, Airbnb users are a separate "breed". They worship Airbnb. maybe 4 out of 5 will be oK if you request amount outside of airbnb, but the 5th will report you or raise a fuss.

There isn't currently a way to export content to VRBO except for the API integration, but that requires 5 properties.

One thing I have noticed is that if you set rates out farther than your booking window, Airbnb will automatically reset the booking window. Could that be the case?

To do this, edit the surcharge settings and set the expense to PM gets 150. Then under commission, set it to calculate on entire amount.

That'll include a $150 expense to the owner and then also deduct commission on the entire amount. The expense will remain 150 and the 22.75 would be added into the overall commission on the booking.

"it is against ABB terms to collect amounts outside of ABB"

A lot of people (on the forums I follow) say they collect various things outside of ABB. Some claim they never do the crippled ABB security deposit thing, but request for damaged items directly from What if you upsell when ABB doesn't do that kind of thing?

Curious where you saw this?

BDC (at least used to) do a lot of having you collect from the guest at the door.?

So I am thinking of duplicating couple of my listings as PPB on VRBO. Is there a way to export them to vrbo?

Do you receive bookings or inquiries?

I have a booking window set at 3 months in advance but I still receive bookings 5 - 6 months in advance. Talked to an Air rep and she is clueless. I read the Air community forum and there seems to be mass confusion regarding settings, price tips and advance discounts.

Besides manually blocking my condos on Air does anyone else have a fix or another work around.

ALL these booking site have become a giant PITA.

Can I get commission to generate on both the rent and the cleaning fee?

If a cleaning fee Collected is $175, I am looking to apply commission to that entire figure.

$22.75 in this case is the commission I have aligned to. $150 is what the Cleaning charge is. There is a nominal difference between the two the owner keeps.

The owners expense is then my commission and what we have paid to house keepers. Or $172.75.

3) ignore anything ABB suggests price wise. According to them a 3 bd house that sleeps 10 should be rented for same price as local motel 6 room. Not very "smart".

4) you have to study your competition (size, location, etc). I am sure you know who they are. Go on VRBO (because that displays daily rates on calendar) , find your competition and see their rates. Then knock off about 5%-10% due to newness and lack of reviews. You will gradually raise it later.

Lydia, I am in TN also. I collect 3% tax via Airbnb resolution center. By the way that way they do not apply CC fee or service fee to it but it is a manual process. it is against ABB terms to collect amounts outside of ABB, so some guest may complain.

My rules on my listings for both ABB and VRBO include "Must sign Gulf Lesson Rental Agreement within 72 hours of booking or reservation will be canceled." The triggered OR email link takes them right to the agreement and they have to provide email, physical address and phone number when signing that agreement. I've had zero push back and have had only a couple of people I had to prompt to get it signed. Most do it right away.

Ahhhh - good idea! I will try that. THANK YOU!

Not really an OwnerRez question

Just seeing if you seasoned people have any thoughts or input. I am mostly done prepping 6-7 VRs. Getting ready to do pictures now.

I am struggling with (as new VR owner) pricing. These are the factors going through my mind:

1) Our high season is essentially May into November. I have lost May, June, July

2) Everyone says to lower prices until you get at least 3 positive reviews on each property.

3) ABB Smart Pricing suggests Base, High and other prices. But a lot of owners say Smart Pricing is unrealistic and leaves a lot of money on the table and encourages bargain seekers.

4) I am intending to use PriceLabs, but they key their pricing on YOUR suggested Base Price for a property, when you may have no idea what a good Base Price is.

5) am very motivated to get heads in beds, especially SUNDAY-THURSDAY

QED: I am leaning towards using AirBnB Smart Pricing (except for weekends), and use PriceLabs to have a higher price on VRBO, and an even higher price on Booking.com, to try and let different audiences book.

Thoughts?