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Being an Airbnb host sounds like a pretty easy gig. However, there are a lot of issues that can make rental property owners’ lives a living nightmare.
From guests who lie about problems in the rental to renters who see the short-term accommodation as a party destination, hosting an Airbnb can involve cleaning up a lot of other people’s messes—both literally and metaphorically.
Still, if one manages an Airbnb correctly, they can earn a fair bit of money. That said, it can be pretty easy to accidentally miss out on opportunities for extra cash, as TikTok user @firstcabinkeys revealed in a recent video.
What Happened To This Woman’s Airbnb Rental?
In her video, the TikToker explains that she only recently began running her first rental property. Despite being new to the game, she says she’s already made a costly mistake.
According to the TikToker, her rental property is in Pickwick Lake, Tennessee—which she describes as “a big fishing area.”
“There’s a bunch of fishing tournaments,” she says. “I am not a fishing girl. My husband’s not, either, so we’re really unaware of this. But it’s a huge perk because it keeps traffic, like, all year-round because there’s fishing tournaments in the dead winter.”
Upon checking her reservations, she discovered that someone made a reservation for the end of February.
The TikToker then received a message that made her realize she had messed up.
How Did This Airbnb Host Lose Out On $100 Per Night?
When the TikToker checked her messages, the future guest had sent her a text saying that the rental was “for a fishing tournament.”
“Right away, I’m like, ‘Well, s—,” she starts. “I should have increased my prices during fishing tournaments!”
According to the TikToker, one can “jack up” their prices around popular times in order to respond to “supply and demand.”
“There’s gonna be more people that need to be there, and mine was, like, so dirt cheap in February,” she explains.
While Airbnb allows for “Smart Pricing,” which automatically adjusts one’s prices based on demand, she says that she believed VRBO did not. As the TikToker had the property listed on both sites and did not adjust the price for the future dates on VRBO, the renter managed to score a major deal.
Advice For Airbnb Hosts
Although she says she “could have made probably two times the amount that I did,” the host says the whole thing is simply a “learning experience.”
Consequently, she has a simple piece of advice for any potential hosts watching her video.
“If you are buying a place where there’s events or anything special that always happens year round, make sure you’re doing the research and looking it up,” she states. “For example, I’m gonna look up all the fishing tournaments, and I am gonna jack up my prices.”
Can Airbnb Hosts Increase Their Prices During Popular Times?
While many commenters looked at this practice with frustration, it’s actually allowed by Airbnb’s terms of service—and even encouraged.
As previously mentioned, Airbnb allows users to employ “Smart Pricing,” which automatically adjusts the nightly cost based on demand. Demand is higher in certain times of the year, and therefore, prices adjust accordingly.
However, even if one chooses not to use this feature, they can still make certain date ranges or times of year more or less expensive than others. For example, a beach house may want to increase prices in the summer, then lower them in the winter to give travelers a deal.
VRBO similarly allows hosts to increase or decrease prices during certain date ranges. They also recently rolled out a similar tool to Smart Pricing called “Rate Automation,” which is currently available for hosts on the site.
In an email to BroBible, Airbnb wrote the following:
“We’re committed to empowering hosts with innovative pricing tools, including Smart Pricing, which helps listings stay competitive and accessible. Smart Pricing automatically adjusts nightly rates based on hundreds of factors – such as the listing, demand, and location – supporting hosts in maximising their earnings and occupancy potential.”
@firstcabinkeys Mistake 2 is honestly a positive thing but could have made a lot more money 😬 #airbnbhost #airbnbmistakes #airbnbtips #pickwicklake #pickwickairbnb
Commenters Have Thoughts
In the comments section, users weren’t thrilled about the prospect of paying higher prices on certain days.
“That’s why a lot of people are ditching air bnb honestly,” wrote a user.
“All places do this for events holidays and such,” countered another.
That said, some said that this accident could be fortuitous.
“If ur a new Airbnb to get bookings and reviews-go lower then competition,” suggested a commenter. “once you’re established you can increase.”
BroBible reached out to @firstcabinkey via TikTok direct message and comment and to VRBO via email.