Client: Historic Home

We highly recommend Melissa as a host or manager of your Airbnb.  Melissa helped us do everything to get our Airbnb started and then managed it for us for over a year. She provided great advice about all aspects of Airbnb management and treated our property as if it were her own. Melissa made sure the house was always perfectly clean, breakfast foods replenished, and everything stocked and ready for our guests. Her handwritten notes made people feel welcome as soon as they arrived at our home. Melissa has managed a number of different Airbnb spaces and is the best manager you could ask for!  Martha

The Story

When a couple from the neighborhood relocated to Portland, Oregon they were reluctant to sell their historic DC home.  They decided to use Airbnb to test the viability of managing the house as a short-term rental property.  

We provided an initial consultation on the space design, estimated expenses and projected income.  We also managed the onsite operations and cleaning schedule. With absentee owners, there were several avenues open to us in terms of creating optimal, maximum income. 

• Focus on attracting long-term individual “room” renters – a feasible strategy for DC interns and seasonal congressional staffers

• Focus on larger groups for Whole Home Rentals – families, tourists and event/conference oriented groups

• Split the space into a whole “home” rental with the upper two floors and a separate long-term basement tenant

Each option presented financial advantages and potential risks. After several months of adjusting for different formulations, we settled on booking only the whole house - and kept the calendar full! 

Success for this project meant:

• Covering the existing mortgage and property taxes

• Ensuring smooth, timely communications with guests

• Completing updates to help attract guests

The Positives

This historic home near Stanton Park and Union Station had kept all of its charm – lovely fireplaces, original wood mouldings and floors, and large open porches. It was situated in a great neighborhood close to Amtrak, metro and the popular H Street Corridor – with good restaurants, pubs, and easy access to downtown and the National Mall. The home was spacious and individual bedrooms were quite large.

The kitchen was stocked with essential cooking ingredients and snack/breakfast foods; we provided laundry detergent, and were able to accommodate families and groups of up to 10 people. 

The challenges

As a historic property the house also presented some challenges in regards to the layout and modern comforts - there was no central AC, and while there were four spacious bedrooms, there was no separate master suite with a private bathroom. The solution was to be upfront and clear about the layout and amenities so guests knew what to expect.

We tackled the updates. Charming details like vintage glass door-knobs presented us with vintage locking mechanisms that were difficult to fit with keys – but we succeeded! (Guests like to be able to lock their bedroom door!) 

Ready to book!

 With painting and initial linen purchases completed we were able to list the property very quickly.  A great advantage was the fact that the home was kept furnished and much of the artwork and textiles showcased the family’s international background, travel experience and style – it created a cozy, welcoming atmosphere that was unique and appealing in the market.