Daffodils are starting to break through the ground, the hours of sunshine are increasing and lambs are appearing — OK, maybe not in the centre of Melbourne exactly, but they’re skipping in the fields around our fine city.
All this means one thing, spring has well and truly sprung and within a few short weeks, it’s going to be peak earning season for Airbnb properties. If you’ve been feeling the pinch over the winter lull, now is the perfect time to get your short-term holiday property prepared for a productive spring season.
Did you know that around 26 million people descended upon Melbourne in the year ending September 2018, according to Tourism Research Australia? Of those visitors, more than 2 million were international travellers.
If you think that’s impressive, you’ll be pleased to note that we’ve been steadily growing in popularity ever since. As it stands, 2019 is set to offer up a bumper spring season.
Is your property ready?
Maximise your short-term holiday rental’s potential
With so many tourists and business travellers on the lookout for quality accommodation in Melbourne, it’s important that your online listings are working in your favour. Otherwise you won’t be able to capitalise on the spring rush and stand to miss out on some serious revenue.
Make sure your property is performing well on Aribnb’s search algorithms. Here’s how.
Review the reviews
Have you replied to your reviews and left reviews for your previous guests? If not, your property might be slipping down the listings. To avoid the purgatory of page five, make sure you respond to guest reviews. It also makes you look like an engaged, responsive, and friendly host; exactly the type of person guests look for.
Pricing it up
It’s market research time. Did you know that short-term property managers in Melbourne will often raise a property’s rates in spring and summer? They do this because high season means a spike in rates all over the city.
You can’t just invent a new price and hope for the best though. (Well, you could but it’s not the smartest move). Instead, take a look at your competitors. What are they charging over the high season? You don’t want to go too high or too low. Finding the sweet spot is key and means your property will hit the right search parameters.
Adjust the minimum stay
Although it would be ideal if all of your guests stayed for a week at a time, that’s not often the case. If your short-term holiday rental was set to a longer minimum stay over the winter, it’s best to adjust that now.
The shorter your minimum stay is the more exposure your property will get on the platform and the more bookings you’ll receive.
Instant book for instant cash
Once upon a time, Airbnb users were perfectly willing to message hosts and request stays, nowadays properties with instant book enabled perform better — both with hosts and in Airbnb’s algorithms.
Yes, we know it involves a lot more work keeping the calendar updated but the rewards are worth it. Not enough time on your hands? Use an Airbnb property management company in Melbourne to take the stress away and maximise your financial gains.
Dressed for success
None of your potential guests want to see drab, dark or just plain dingy interiors when they’re searching for a property online. Spring is the perfect time to lighten the mood and lighten up your rooms.
Choose a bright sunny day, open up the curtains, add a splash of sunshine yellow or zesty green with soft furnishings or accessories and get snap happy. Oh, and make sure you use a good camera. Low-quality images look rushed and do not show your property’s best side online.
Need help showing your clients why they should choose your holiday rental over the others? Our hip and happening team can help you make your home shine by dressing it well and taking some premium snapshots.
Melbs is where it’s at this spring
Melbourne is famous around the world for many things, not least of which is the Melbourne Cup. This spring event draws crowds and a fine array of fascinators from across the globe. Get out of the starting gate fast and get ready to welcome visitors now.
Spring 2019 in Melbourne also brings us the Writers Festival, the International Arts Festival, Melbourne Fashion Week, International Convention of Jehovah’s Witnesses and much much more.
If you’re not ready to capitalise on the spring high season, you could be losing out. If you’d like to maximise your profits and minimise the effort involved in managing an Airbnb, get in touch with us today.
As a leading Melbourne Airbnb management company, we can make sure your property is performing well online and offline. You’ll have more money to purchase one of those intriguing fascinators and more free time to attend the races.
Punt on a winner with us here at Roomerang and get sorted for the spring season.
