How Did Steve Barbarich VacationHomes365 Compete Against Other Platforms

 A lot of times, Steven Barbarich made it in the news for bad reasons during his early years as an entrepreneur. But today, Steve Barbarich San Francisco businesses helped a lot of people, especially during the height of the pandemic. 

Steven Barbarich is now known in both San Francisco and San Diego as a serial entrepreneur who is currently focused on helping homeowners generate income with their properties. Steve Barbarich vacationhomes365 has helped a lot of struggling hosts. With his experience, he managed to turn things around for property owners who are looking for extra income for their real estate. 

If you look at the Steve Barbarich San Diego properties that he has handled personally when VacationHomes365 was only starting, a lot of these properties ended up becoming a passive source of income for their homeowners. 

So what’s the secret to this type of business? How did Steven Barbarich manage to compete against Airbnb in certain areas?

Offering the best experience to guests

When he was starting VacationHomes365, his vision is to provide the best experience for the guests. Though the hosts need to earn from their property, the one that will bring the money is the customer. 

Barbarich focused on providing excellent service to customers bringing the best results to homeowners. However, doing this required a lot of attention to detail. For instance, Barbarich noticed that a lot of hosts on Airbnb never provided airport pickup to their guests. Barbarich offered this type of service. He offered something cheaper than the regular airport pickup service. And at the same time, it was done to build a good first impression on their audience. 

Over the years, a lot of hosts on vacation homes 365 experienced a larger influx of guests compared to when they were using Airbnb as their platform of choice. 

Offer additional services to help hosts

A lot of homeowners didn't have an idea how to start their vacation home rental business. For those who were clueless as to what they are supposed to do, Barbarich offered support from marketing the property to provide additional manpower in cleaning and managing everything. 

On other platforms, a lot of hosts are left on their own to manage their property. It means that they will also have to figure out everything once they decide to become a host. 

This can be a bit intimidating given the reality that a lot of people are hesitant to learn a new skill given all the pressure that they currently have in their workplace. 

Created an easy-to-use platform

And lastly, Barbarich made use of technology to make it easier for both the guests and the hosts. This way, those who plan on becoming a host will have an easier time posting and providing all the necessary details. 

The same can be said on the guests’ end. Here, it became easier for them to book and view different properties available for both short-term and long-term rental. The review system is also something that both hosts and guests loved about Barbarich’s Vacation Homes platform. 

Ways Airbnb Properties Fail to Make Money

A lot of Airbnb hosts start their journey in the vacation rental business with optimism. It is only a good thing to have but you need to understand that not all vacation rentals end up being successful. There are also those properties that end up losing a lot of money in the long run. And what you need to understand is that there are many ways how you can lose money from this venture.

Whether you are just starting or you are about to start, these things will enlighten you to make the necessary adjustments. Or maybe, you can call it quits altogether and just go for other business opportunities.

Not a lot of people visit the place

 


You have to assess the number of visitors that the place is getting. A lot of times, people tend to overestimate the need for vacation rentals. If there are more vacation rentals than the number of visitors on a weekly basis, then it is most likely not a good idea to have an Airbnb vacation rental business.

The price isn’t right

 

You also need to consider the fact that there are your competitors. Is your price a bit too high? If you don’t offer much for your audience, it is a good idea that you decrease the price of your room per night. This can help attract a number of guests especially those who are just looking for a place that they can use to sleep for the night.

Basics are not present

 

So what are the usual things that are need by your guests? You need to ask yourself what are the usual things that people need? Do they need a kitchen? Or maybe, they need beds? As rule of thumb, invest on beds, and internet. There are some rooms that don’t have a kitchen but are getting booked like crazy.

It actually depends on your market. If your market is an individual traveler, then a simple room will be enough. On the other hand, if you are targeting a family to stay in your place, you will need to have a kitchen. And also, be sure that the bathroom is clean as well as the other parts of the house.

Costly renovation

 

The state of the property when it started before it was rented can tell you whether or not you can make profits from it as an Airbnb property. A renovation is costly. Keep in mind that you may not be able to completely get your ROI in a year or two. And this means that you will also have to take into account the constant maintenance. However, if you are planning to have a property get renovated anyways, then maybe, you can offset the cost by having it rented.

If you are going to have a property and have it rented, you need to be aware of the possibilities of both success and failure. Knowing the risks that you have to face, you can then proceed with a smart strategy and lessen the chances of losing money from your venture.

Airbnb: Ways to Maximize Space in Your Airbnb Rental

A lot of homeowners turn their homes to become an Airbnb rental. An Airbnb rental can be a great source of income. It can even become your main source of income if you know exactly what you are doing. What most people miss is the fact that their property isn’t exactly maximized. You have to understand that maximization of your property is the number one consideration in order to get the most guests. Here are some of the most common tips that can be used by homeowners.

Get Rid of Things That Are Unnecessary

 

One of the most common mistakes is to over decorate the property. What you can do instead is to just stick to what is necessary. Here, you will be able to put more beds in one room. You will be able to readjust and even accommodate more people. You can even put up a sofa that a person could even use to sleep in.

Shared rooms

A lot of hosts now provide guests with an option whether or not to go for a room solo or share it with other people. The good thing about shared rooms is that you can actually maximize the income generated from one room. However, the downside is that you will have to deal with a lot of people. There will be times when your property is packed.

Also, you have to consider the fact that there are instances when the room isn’t even shared. Therefore, you will be having less income. Before you even decide to put up shared rooms for the guests, you have to take into consideration the usual target market that you have. Also, do you tend to get more people to book? Perhaps, you can mix things up. You can always just put up shared rooms during peak months.

Putting Up More Beds

Next way to maximize the space of your property is to find a way to put more beds. You can rearrange the rooms and turn some areas of the home as a room. You will be surprised by how many beds you can still manage to add. However, you also have to understand that putting more beds might also mean that you will be paying for the construction in order to restructure the home. You may have to spend some money on these changes.



Just be prepared to spend some money on the renovations if you are serious about putting more bed in your property. Also, it is best if you can talk to an architect to have a plan on what to do. You also have to consider your budget and even the structural integrity of the place.

A lot of people today are using their own home in order to earn some extra cash or in order for them to have a steady source of income. However, remember that being a host is not really quite simple. You have to take into consideration that you will have to maximize the number of people staying in your home. These are just some of the most useful tips that you can do.

Common Complaints of People Who Are Traveling with a Small Budget

A lot of people today are traveling with a minimal budget in their pocket. This can be quite uncomfortable for a number of reasons. However, it is becoming a popular practice considering the availability of Airbnb and cheap flights. So what are the most common complaints of people who are traveling with a small budget?

No privacy

It is quite common that a lot of people who don’t have money to spend on hotels go for budget hostels instead. The problem with hostels is that you will have to share space with other people. This means that you will have no privacy. You will not have a room by your own self. Instead, you will be living with other people. And most of the time, it can be quite stressful especially if you really need to rest.

You also have to consider the fact that since there are a lot of people using the bathrooms and the hostels, you will notice that the cleanliness isn’t really at par with that of hotels. And usually, it becomes a problem for those who are picky.

What they can do instead is to pick a vacation rental. Typically, a vacation rental can be a good alternative for a number of reasons. It is just as cheap as a hostel but the rooms tend to be cleaner and you can also have the option to have the privacy that you want.

Not enjoying the food

Food can be expensive. The problem of being a tourist is that you will have no other choice sometimes but to buy from restaurants. And part of enjoying the culture is to enjoy the food. However, if you are someone with a small budget, you may have to think twice about the amount of money that you are going to spend on food. There are instances when you will have to just stick to
your budget.

The good news is that you can have the opportunity to enjoy the food that the place has to offer. For one, you have to consider cooking on most of your meals. Here, you can manage your budget well. You can rent vacation rentals that allow you to cook in their kitchen. You can minimize the time that you will have to spend on food.

Not have the best experience on a plane

You have to understand that you pay for what you get. If you tend to go after budget airlines, you will realize that you are not going to have first class accommodation. However, the good thing about this is that you can get to the location without really spending ridiculous amounts of money. In addition to this, you also have to remember that if it just takes a few hours, then maybe you can just sleep while you are in the airplane.

These are just some of the most common complaints that people have whenever they are traveling. But of course, it isn’t always serious. Some of these things could even be avoided as long as you know how to plan your trip.

Ensure the cleanliness in your property

Do you have a property that you want to turn into a vacation rental? This can bring serious money to you. As a host, you need to understand that a lot of people who will be renting your vacation rental expect the best experience. And because of this, you will have to ensure that you have a home that fits their expectations.  So what are the things that you have to do to avoid complaints? Here are some basic tips that you should be doing.

Ensure the cleanliness in your property

One, you need to make sure that you clean the property. No matter how much they paid to stay in your property, the room or the entire property should be clean. If you can’t clean the property on your own, what you can do is to hire the necessary staff that can cover the job for you. You want to make sure that you have all the necessary trash bins where your guests can dispose of their trash. You also want to have the necessary signs if you want them to segregate the trash from non-biodegradable to biodegradable. But of course, you want to ensure that there is someone who is going to take the trash every day. This way, you can always ensure that the property is actually clean.

You want to have a stable WiFi

 

A wifi in your property is important. You need to get the best connection for your guests. In fact, this should be a basic thing that you need to add to your home especially if you want to have it rented. You can check which provider offers the most stable connection. And also, you can check the best speed. There are some guests that will need the internet connection not only for their phone but also for their laptop so they can work.

Instructions how to check in

Check-in is usually a stress for vacation rentals because unlike hotels that have a desk that can accommodate the guests 24/7, it is often times stressful that you will either let the guests check themselves in or you should welcome them to your home. If you don’t want the stress of waking up early in the morning to wait for the guests to arrive, what you can do is to simply have an electronic lock in your home. This way, the guests could enter the property because they will receive all the necessary details before going to the place.

And because of this, you will also have to prepare a map that they can use. Here, they will be able to find the best travel options when going to the property.

There are a lot of opportunities that can help a business grow. Avoid these common complaints by guests and you can automatically have more people going to your property. You can increase the occupancy in your home monthly considering that your guests can easily recommend your property to people that they know. And also, you can even make use of social media in order to get more people to go to your place.

Establishing Your Main Income As an Airbnb Host

Share economy is such a trendy thing in the past few days. Not only does it allow people to earn from their existing properties from cars to real estate, it is also a great alternative for others. Instead of going for a cab, you have an Uber and other ride-sharing apps.

If you have traveled recently, Airbnb is such a hit among different types of travelers mainly because it offers so much for less. Can you establish your real estate as your main source of income? Keep in mind that though there is a demand for Airbnb, there are factors that you also have to consider.

Average Income

First, you have to understand how much you actually earn from being a host. The safest way to do this is by knowing the average income that Airbnb hosts make. Worldwide, the average is at $924. But of course, you have to understand that there are some places where it is lower while there places where it is actually higher. Also, you have to consider the fact that some places that have a high cost of living make this amount not enough to suffice your daily needs.

Create a comfortable space

You have to understand that the niche is also becoming quite competitive. This means that you are going to be dealing with other hosts as well. You have to make sure that the property stands out. In order to do this, you will have to ensure that the space is quite comfortable.

You have to make sure that you have enough funds to cover for the renovation and the interior design of your property. It is important that the property isn’t actually cluttered. This will gives your guests relaxation and peace of mind.

Know the demands of the location

You have to understand the demand of the market if you are serious about making a good amount of money out of your property. Who exactly goes within the area? Are they tourists who usually visit the place during the summer? Are they usually backpackers? Or perhaps, do you cater usually to groups?

These are some questions that you have to ask yourself first. By knowing who you are catering your services to, it becomes an easier way to narrow down your approach. You have to understand as well that it isn’t really simple for a lot of locations because you have to consider changing the place if you want to cater to families with their children or pets.

Pricing

Pricing is also important. You don’t want to be asking as much as a hotel room. The thing that you want is to be competitive within your niche. You can do this by knowing the budget of your market and the pricing of hotels in your area.

Keep in mind that there are a lot of factors that you will have to consider if you ever want to make Airbnb your main source of income. You have to understand these factors before you even attempt to go all-out in your property.

Tips on How to Travel Without Overspending

A lot of people today tend to travel but end up spending a lot of money. In fact, a lot of people spend more than they should for their travel experiences. Unfortunately, this can be quite problematic especially if you tend to use your credit card when you are traveling. So how exactly can you experience traveling without the need to spend so much money? Here are some strategies that you might want to implement.

Research on your trip
 




The very first thing that you have to do is to research on your trip. The last thing that you want is to go impulsively to a new location not knowing how much you are going to spend. You need to have a rough idea exactly how much you are going to spend. Next, you even want to break down your expenses from day 1 to the last day of your travel.

Create an itinerary

 You also want to create an itinerary in order to make sure that you don’t go overboard with your budget. There are a lot of travelers who don’t usually plan where they are going. And the result is that they end up spending more than they should from transportation expenses down to the places where they have to stay in.

Don’t choose the peak seasons

You also don’t want to be going to a particular place during its peak season. The reason is that prices go up when there are so many travelers. This is the simple law of supply and demand. Therefore, you will need to know exactly when to go. You should read articles, forums, and even ask friends who already went to a particular place in order to know when is the best time to go.

Choose DIY Travel Than Tour Packages

 

If you are going to get a tour package, you can expect that you are going to spend more mainly because you are actually paying the travel agency to do the job for you. On the other hand, though it takes more effort to have a DIY travel plan, this can significantly reduce the cost of your travel experience. But of course, there are some instances when you don’t have a choice but to pay a travel agency. For instance, if you are going to travel to Tibet, you will have no other choice but to get the help of a travel agency to get you the necessary permit.

Airbnb over hotels

In terms of your accommodation, you also want to choose Airbnb rather than stay in a hotel. The reason for this is that you can actually save a lot of money because you can even share the room with other fellow travelers. And even if you want some privacy, this option is still cheaper than your usual hotel price. In addition to this, you can even cook meals that you like. This means that you don’t have to always eat outside and spend a lot of money.

If you are going to travel, you don’t really have to pay a lot of money for a wonderful experience. Try these things and see the difference.