SEATTLE — Hundreds of Airbnb hosts are getting ready to welcome guests to Western Washington as they visit for the World Cup.
And the company is offering up strategies and a $750 incentive to motivate new hosts.
So can you cash in?
Julia Um is getting a house ready to list on Airbnb: five bedrooms, six bathrooms in Seattle’s University District, open to visitors during the World Cup.
It was a bed and breakfast back in the 1990s. But it hasn’t been an easy transformation or a fast one.
“All red!” Um said, pointing out the walls in one bedroom. “All the walls were red!”
KIRO 7 first met Um at an Airbnb workshop in Pioneer Square.
“I want to be a part of this, especially because there’s nothing like this that has happened in Seattle since we had the World’s Fair,” she said.
It’s a sentiment echoed by other hosts, too.
“I just want to book that week just to say I’m with FIFA,” Airbnb host Jacqueline Espinosa said. “I’m in!”
For a year now, Espinosa’s been renting out her Airbnb, Sofie’s Junction, in West Seattle.
It’s named after her mother and was their family home before she and her sister inherited it. It has plenty of outdoor spaces, including a fire pit. It also has three bedrooms with four beds and a games area downstairs.
“I wanted to be a superhost,” Espinosa said. She already has bookings in June but has a few nights left.
Company officials told workshop attendees that the US versus Australia game is the biggest demand driver for Seattle matches right now.
They pointed out the tool on the Airbnb website that helps hosts compare how their home is priced with similar stays. And they stressed the importance of pricing appropriately, ensuring the home has enough availability, and being responsive to inquiries over messages.
“On Airbnb alone, we’re looking at twenty-three thousand guests booking for the World Cup,” Communications Lead at Airbnb Matt McNama said.
“So how do you make your listing stand out from the crowd?” reporter Linzi Sheldon asked.
“The first thing you want to do is have some really fantastic photos, so take photos with lots of great light,” McNama said. “You want to have a description that really speaks to the benefits of your home and also the benefits to your community. Keep in mind when people are traveling, they’re not just staying on Airbnb, they’re exploring the neighborhood.”
McNama said that means describing nearby attractions and things visitors can do.
“About 50% of bookings for FIFA World Cup are from families and groups,” he said.
That means features like kitchens, backyards, outdoor sitting areas, and even cribs can really make a difference in getting a booking.
Airbnb is offering $750 to new hosts in World Cup cities if they welcome their first guests before the end of July.
“Now is the time to get your listing up there,” he said. “So set up your listing. It takes about 24 hours for the listing to be set up on the platform.”
KIRO 7 checked and found Airbnb regulations vary widely from city to city, though most require a license or some type of registration.
In Seattle, you can only rent out your home and or one other property you own.
In Bellevue, you can rent out an apartment, condo, or houses in Planned Unit Developments in certain parts of the city.
In Renton, you have to live in your rental if multiple people are renting out rooms at the same time.
And in Redmond, the city allows short-term rentals in all types of residential homes, but there are certain requirements.
All three cities have more regulations than mentioned above, so it’s essential to read through the city’s websites.
For Julia Um, time is ticking as we get closer to the Cup kicking off.
And she can’t wait to welcome people from all over the world.
“With this opportunity, it just seems like it would be such a waste to miss out on the potential income generating, but also the kind of guests that will be going through,” she said. “I’m really excited to see what is to come.”
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