Thanks for Visiting Podcast- How to close down listings efficiently.

So thrilled to share this podcast episode on Thanks for Visiting. I talk about “How to Close Down Listings Efficiently and Ethically Without the Overwhelm”. This is such a timely topic right now and something I have touched on before here.

The mini write-up from From Annette & Sarah the hosts of the Thanks for Visiting Podcast “Tracey Northcott has been an Airbnb Superhost for nearly a decade and a guest experience specialist consultant for the last two years. She’s a writer, a speaker, a mentor, and she lives in Tokyo, Japan. She’s had to really look at her short-term rental business as a business and focus on the properties that are going to give her the biggest bang for their buck while closing down other listings. We talk about what you need to keep in mind to do this safely, effectively, and legally.”

I was so excited to be asked to be on the podcast. I talk mainly about my experiences with closing down properties here and my tips and tricks to make it work and also sharing my  Top 7 tips for closing down an STR. which includes my free download. Don’t forget to grab it here.

I have been a big fan of the Thanks for Visiting podcast and I have listened to pretty much every episode. The production values are high, they cover very practical topics and relevant topics with interesting guests. Mostly, though, it the hosting values that they advocate are very similar to those that we cover in the Wholehearted Host. These are values that I hold very dear.

Short Term Rental Coaches and Rental Arbitrage Trainers

There are plenty of STR coaches and Airbnb rental arbitrage courses out there. You have probably seen their YouTube videos or advertising – salesy type men standing in front of rented fancy sports cars promising you a million dollars in the next 5 minutes while sitting on the beach if you pay thousands for their sales courses. These sales courses are very heavy on the statistics, marketing ROI’s and “heads in beds”. It is all profit and no heart and certainly not about hospitality.

These are the guys who promote that hosts that set up shop with cookie cutter soulless listings, pile a ton of people into small apartments. The result is a disruption of neighborhoods and guests left high and dry when there are problems. I don’t need to go into the horror stories that happen when neglectful hosts are more interested in profits than guest experiences. In my mind, these hosts are the bottom feeders of the sharing economy and bring disrepute to the industry as a whole.

These courses are naturally appealing in their promises of wealth and financial independence, however, there is always something lacking for me. I believe that the hospitality comes first and then the money will follow. However, in economic terms, this business model means that nightly prices are extremely elastic. There is a real “race to the bottom” pressure on pricing. This is bad for guests and hosts alike as with dropping prices, there is a drop in services and support as margins get tighter.

The Wholehearted Host Community

In Japan where I live and host, I have found a real life community of women hosts in Japan. Many of whom have been consulting clients over the years. We get together for lunches and also on-line to discuss our hosting life in Japan. We share values of exceptional guest experiences and push each other to improve and grow in our businesses – Wholeheartedly. (See what I did there? ).

Hand on my heart, I do not believe this is how the sharing economy runs at its best. I don’t believe this is the way to have a long term sustainable business for professional hosts who see this as a lifestyle and a passion.

This is why it was a breath of fresh air for me to discover hosting kindred spirits in other places around the world. This makes me really appreciate that hospitality is a human experience that is not limited by country, culture, race or religion.

Is this resonating with you? You could be a Wholehearted Host too. Join me in the Wholehearted Host club.