What happens when your Airbnb is full — but one of your regular guests still needs somewhere to stay?
You send them next door!
In this episode, I explore something I rarely hear mentioned when people talk about running an Airbnb: the importance of having great relationships with your neighbours.
It starts with a young Malaysian student arriving in the UK for the first time. I'd promised to collect her from the bus stop after dark — before realising I wasn't actually going to be there.
One phone call to my neighbour solved the problem.
But why was he so willing to drop everything and collect a complete stranger on my behalf?
The answer goes back more than 20 years, to the day I first moved into my home and made a conscious decision: I was going to like my neighbours.
Over the years, cups of tea, glasses of wine, shared garden tools, parties, small acts of kindness and countless little favours became hundreds of deposits into what I call my relationship bank account.
And when I eventually found myself in serious financial difficulty and Airbnb became increasingly important to me, those neighbours became an extraordinary part of my support network.
Today, three of them even act as my “guest reservoir” — accommodating trusted regular guests when all my own rooms are full. They earn the money, my guests still have somewhere to stay, and I don't lose valuable regular customers.
My Airbnb actually makes money for my neighbours.
So perhaps your Airbnb “power team” shouldn't just include your plumber, electrician, cleaner, handyman and gardener.
Perhaps some of its most valuable members are already living next door.
And if you're not an Airbnb host but your neighbour is, perhaps there's an opportunity for you too. Could your spare room, your time or simply your willingness to help become an extension of their business?
My Superhost Secret
“Build relationships before you need favours.”
Don't be nice to your neighbours because you might need something from them one day. Make those tiny deposits without expecting to make a withdrawal.
Because one day, when you really do need somebody, you might discover just how wealthy that relationship bank account has become.
Register for my next FREE webinar on how to monetize your own home, here - https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/61WTjBMhTF2MPCh_WrcMbA
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