Why guests are picking the other place over yours

I sit down with homeowners and investors all the time to give consulting advice as they are preparing to rent their homes on vacation rental sites like Airbnb and VRBO. Whether the owner is a bare minimum kind of person or a design junkie, many people are missing a key component that will help their listing stand out among the competition: a unique feature. Your potential guests want more than a good deal on a place to stay, they want to have an experience they can't have anywhere else. They want to have their eyes opened to other people's sense of style and personality. What feature or features are you offering your guests?  

At one home I manage the decorator and homeowner decided to purchase an inexpensive shuffleboard table to put in the open kitchen layout. It's in our main photo and a lot of our guests book because of the table! Maybe you want to give guests the ultimate outdoor fire pit experience. How can you make something as primal as sittings around a fire feel special? I recently heard about a vacation rental owner who refurbishes old arcade games for a living, so his Airbnb includes a full-on arcade! The key is not to spend a lot of money, but to make sure you have some aspect of your rental that separates it from the competition.

Your guests are choosing your home over a hotel for more than just money. They want a unique experience. Be yourself.