Email ElizabethShould You Offer Airbnb lodging?
Should you offer Airbnb lodging? Homeowners across the country have begun offering Airbnb lodging to travelers. They’re bringing in a few extra dollars each week by renting out a guest house or even a room or two inside their homes. If you’ve considered getting a little help with monthly expenses by offering Airbnb accommodations, the first thing you should do is your homework.
Before offering Airbnb lodging, check the regulations: Check with the City or County to see if you’re going to be breaking any zoning regulations. Some Cities or Counties – and even some subdivisions – don’t allow rentals. Some don’t allow two unrelated parties to dwell on the same property.
If you pass that hurdle, check to see if you will be required to pay an occupancy tax. Visit the Airbnb website (https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/2297/occupancy-tax-collection-and-remittance-by-airbnb-in-california) to check the regulations for various California Counties. Note that in addition to the county regulations, you may be required to pay a City tax when you offer Airbnb lodgings.
Now put in a call to your homeowner’s insurance carrier: Don’t assume that your current homeowner’s insurance will cover you for liability should a paying guest be injured on your property. Further, don’t assume that your insurance will cover their possessions should the house burn or become flooded. Call and find out what you need and what it costs before you make the decision.
When you’re talking with your insurance agent, ask about coverage for damage caused by guests. While you may require a damage deposit, any hotel manager will tell you that some guests can do far more damage than a deposit would cover. Offering Airbnb lodgings in your home without adequate insurance coverage could turn into a financial nightmare.
Consider the impact on your family life: Will having strangers on your property change how you and your family members interact? Will it change your enjoyment of your outdoor spaces? If you have a pool and offer it to guests, will your friends and family want to use it when guests are present?
What about the neighbors? Offering Airbnb lodgings could put a strain on your relationships with neighbors. Some don’t appreciate the extra traffic in the neighborhood, the annoyance of guests who assume it’s fine to park in front of their homes, and the added noise.
When you think of offering Airbnb lodgings, it’s easy to think that all your guests will be quiet and respectful, but that isn’t always the case. Some play loud music or invite friends in for loud parties. And of course, some are not respectful of your home. Renting part of your home to short-term guests may give a welcome boost to your budget, but do think it over carefully before making the decision.
If you are in need of professional representation when buying or selling a home, or would like more information on best locations to set up an Airbnb, please call Weintraub & Wallace Realtors at RE/MAX Gold, call 916-233-6759.
— JaCi Wallace
Sizzling Advertising Words to Sell Your Home
This article below about how to sell your home using sizzling advertising words was previously written by my partner, Elizabeth Weintraub, for another website. This classic advertising advice is timeless, Enjoy. — JaCi
“There is an art to writing attention-grabbing headlines and stimulating ad copy, but I suspect some agents are so busy taking listings these days that few stop to give more than a few moment’s thought to their advertising copy. In older neighborhoods, for example, often the type of home is misidentified. Sometimes I see high-water bungalows identified as Victorians or a Four-Square called a bungalow. That shows the agent is clueless. On top of that, I see lots of ad copy that is vanilla and boring.
That’s not to say a seller or the agent should overstate or make the home sound grander than it is, because buyers will spin a 180 and walk out if they feel misled. It’s important to pick out the top features and play up those benefits in ad copy. Moreover, don’t violate Fair Housing Laws. I had an agent insist it was perfectly acceptable to write that the home was located within walking distance of a popular synagogue. That sentence contains two violations that can carry steep fines.
Fair Housing Compliance
And then there’s the law. You’ll want to stay on top of this, too. The Fair Housing Act prohibits housing discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, gender, disabilities, or familial status. You don’t want to say anything in your ad that even alludes to these issues. If you have a real estate agent or attorney, ask him to review your ad to be sure that it complies with federal fair housing laws before you publish it. ”
If you would like to sell your home and have an advertisement copy that offers sizzling content about your property, call Weintraub & Wallace Realtors with RE/MAX Gold, at 916-233-6759.
Elizabeth Weintraub
A Blog A Day Keeps The Doctor Away?
A blog a day keeps the doctor away, or is it is “an apple a day keeps the doctor away?” Either way, both blogging and eating an apple a day are healthy things to do. I try to do both, and sometimes I do them together. Late at night, when I’m preparing to write a blog, and I really want to eat a candy bar or a big bowl of ice cream, instead I often grab a big fat juicy apple and put my laptop in dictation talk -to- text mode.
Terrific Tuesday ended today upon arrival home from work at 10:30 PM. I had a late appointment in another county with a 90-year-old, very sharp client. She wanted to review all of the disclosures and of course that took several hours. This was one of those 5-hour appointments that can happen on a few occasions. There was a lot to see as the HOA area is as large as a small city and has an amazing lake. This community has everything, but then that is another blog post.
If you are in need of professional representation when buying or selling a home, please call Weintraub & Wallace Realtors at RE/MAX Gold, call 916-233-6759.
— JaCi Wallace
Terrific Tuesday In Sacramento Real Estate
Terrific Tuesday in Sacramento real estate can mean many things to many people. We closed an escrow on Boathouse in Natomas. Today on terrific Tuesday, the funds wire into our seller’s account. Also, the buyer’s agent and I both get paid today. So far, so good, lots of positive things are happening. Also, today sent out a multiple counter offer for another listing in Natomas. It is due back by the end of the day today. This seller is going to be very excited to get into a purchase contract. It is turning out to be a terrific Tuesday, but wait there is more.
Today, our team signed a new listing in Rancho Cordova. It is completely remodeled, to the studs. Both the seller and her husband met with me today for the final turning over of keys. The housekeepers are scheduled for Thursday. The contractor is finishing up a short punch list. Professional photography is next and we will do some virtual staging. They could not have been more grateful. Such friendly people make you love your job even more if that’s possible. They are both retired, a Pharmacist and a Physician, both originally from Vietnam selling a long term rental.
Also, I met with a new client today that found me on Zillow. The property is in Sacramento County. This bright young woman doing her research on Realtors and contractors. She was considering doing quite a bit of upgrade work on a recently vacated rental property, she owns. We discussed a change of plans which will save her quite a bit of money. The area does not support these types of high-end improvements. This was certainly a terrific Tuesday for her as saving money is always well received.
When deciding on improvements to increase the resale price of your property, always consult with your Realtor. Over-improving a property does not conform to every neighborhood.
We wish you a terrific Tuesday in Sacramento. If you would like to purchase or sell real estate, please don’t hesitate to call Weintraub & Wallace Realtors, with RE/MAX Gold, at 916-233-6759.
— JaCi Wallace
How Many Years is Your Real Estate License Issued For?
Real estate license, was written by Elizabeth, for another website about a decade ago. That got me to thinking about when I first obtained my original license, in about 1980. That was almost four decades ago, so a really long time ago, lol. Enjoy the article. It is as relevant today as it was when written. Many people see my name tag, especially at the grocery store. They ask me about our licensing requirements. This post below beautifully illustrates the answers.
— JaCi Wallace
” I’m working on an article about real estate agents who leave the business or, for whatever reason, decide they can’t make it in real estate. I’m suspecting that last year’s fallout numbers will not even come close to this year’s attrition figures. Which in many ways is a good thing because it weeds out the ineffective and non-producers.
The word on the street often heard with regards to agent experience is “Don’t Hire an Agent With Less Than Five Years of Experience.” I’ve been wondering about that statement. I think you hear that more in California because licenses need to be renewed every four years. So if a buyer or seller is working with an agent who has five years’ experience, they can be relatively assured that the agent has been in the business long enough to at least renew a license.
But it makes me wonder about agents in other states. So here are two questions for those of you who care to answer: For how long is your real estate license active, meaning how many years before you need to renew it? And in which state(s) do you work?
For more information about getting your real estate license, we can provide you with resource links, so call Weintraub & Wallace Realtors, with RE/MAX Gold, at 916-233-6759.
— Elizabeth Weintraub”
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