Let me tell you about my first experience in an AirBnb.  Now of course I had heard about AirBnbs but I had never stayed in one.  I was always a “hotel girl” meaning that when we had to stay overnight somewhere, I am looking for a nice hotel.  

Well several years ago, my family vacationed at DisneyLand in California.  DisneyLand of course was amazing. However, I was miserable the whole time.  I was miserable because I was all jammed up in a hotel suite with my husband and kids on the DisneyLand campus.  I could not unwind and relax because basically the “suite” consisted of 2 queen beds, a pull-out couch, a kitchenette and a bathroom.  Now, when we were booking this we assumed that it would be more than enough room for us to be comfortable during our stay. I was wrong.  

4 REASONS WHY I WAS MISERABLE STAYING IN A HOTEL

  1. Everyone was fighting over what to watch on television and there was no Netflix, Hulu or TIVO.
  2. Sharing one bathroom between the 5 of us was TORTURE! 
  3. Everyone was sleeping in the same area so I had to tiptoe around my kids when they fell asleep earlier than I did. 
  4. I hated eating all of our meals out. I missed home-cooked food and I wanted to make some of our meals.

So you get the idea.  I was cramped and uncomfortable.

Fast forward to the next year when my husband and I are deciding where we should go for our summer vacation.  My husband wanted to go to Disney World and I agreed. But secretly I was dreading it. I didn’t want a repeat of last year’s cramped vacation.  I was trying to look forward to it but inside I was screaming, “I don’t want to go!”.  

Well, we were going so I had to find a place for us to stay.  Disney World has so many options and I was overwhelmed. I had no idea what hotel to pick on the Disney World campus.  I called the customer service line and almost had a heart attack when they told me how much it would cost for a family of 5 to stay in a Disney World hotel for a week (over $6000!).  I had to find a comfortable, affordable option for us.

Then one day I remembered that one of my daughter’s classmates goes to Disney World several times a year with her family.  I was friendly with her mom, so I gave her a call to ask for help. Let’s call her Susan. When I called Susan I asked her what hotel she stayed in when she went to Disney World.  And I will never forget her response because it has literally changed my life. Susan told me that she NEVER stays on the Disney World campus. She suggested that I look at airbnbs in the area surrounding Disney World.  

AirBnb, Here We Come!

So I took her advice and began to search for airbnbs and vacation rentals near Orlando.  I was shocked to find out that you can rent a house with a pool in Orlando for a week at like $1500 – $2000.  And some AirBnbs were even less than that. We quickly booked a home and I began to hope that the airbnb we booked would help make our vacation fun, comfortable and relaxing.

Well long story short, we had an amazing time at Disney World.  And staying in an airBnb was a big reason why. After fun days in the parks, we would go back to our temporary home to unwind.  The girls would swim in the private pool while I cooked dinner. After eating, my girls would go upstairs to watch TV and play in the bedrooms.  While my husband and I talked and watched TV downstairs in the living room. The kids were upstairs while we were downstairs. Everyone had their own bedroom just like at home.  It was so relaxing because…

Basically, I felt like I was home.

Now every time we go on vacation or away someplace that my whole family has to go, I am looking for an airBnb.  I am ruined. I am forever changed. I will probably never stay in a hotel with my family if we travel or go on vacation. Can’t do it.  Airbnbs are just too comfortable.

Why I Became a Short-Term Property Rental Owner

My husband and I always said that one day we would become real estate investors.  Our plan was to buy a condo or townhouse in our area and rent it out long-term. We always thought that we would go “the landlord route”.  But up until that point, we never agreed on the property or location to get our real estate investment. However, when we left Disney World, we both had an “A-ha moment”.  We both came to the conclusion that we should change our real-estate investment dreams and get a short-term rental property to list on sites like AirBnb.com, VRBO.com and Homeaway.com 

Well, it took us about a year to research, plan and get our first short-term rental property up and running.  But we did it. And boy, since then it has it been an amazing journey. Fast forward a few years and now my husband and I have several short-term rental properties and plan to acquire more.  And we have helped our friends set up their own short-term rental properties to list on AirBnb and VRBO. It has been a fun ride and I never want to get off.  

So there you have it.  Uncomfortable accommodations at DisneyLand forced me to seek out better accommodations for an upcoming holiday at Disney World.  Then, that whole experience led me to become a short-term rental property owner and AirBnb host.  

Do you need help starting a short-term rental business?

If you are interested in becoming a short-term rental property owner, let’s talk about it.

Have you been struggling with setting up an AirBnb or starting a short-term rental business?  Do you dream of quitting your job and becoming an AirBnB host? If so, I have some good news for you! I’m excited to share that I have a few openings in my calendar this month to help women who own a property and want to rent it out via sites like AirBnb, VRBO and Homeaway, get a plan of action during a complimentary Strategy Session. Now there are only a few of these slots available, so if you want me to help you get clarity this month, you’ll need to apply for your free session asap.

In this session, we will meet privately by phone to discuss your property and the challenges that are keeping you from getting your listing up on AirBnB or VRBO. This is a powerful opportunity to find the support that you need and determine if and how I can help you move forward. During our time together, I will take a closer look at your property and provide a high-level assessment of what you’re missing and WHY you’re not getting the results you want. I will also make a professional recommendation for the best next steps you should take now to finally start making money with a short-term rental business!

You will leave this powerful session with:

  • Clarity on what you want to achieve with your short-term rental business
  • A deeper understanding of the life transformation that earning an extra $1,000 each month or each week from your short-term rental can provide.  
  • Recommended next steps that will help you get your short-term rental up and running
  • Renewed motivation and confidence that your property can create consistent income for your life and your children’s lives for years to come – generational wealth! 

Click HERE to schedule your session – FREE STRATEGY SESSION

I can’t wait to speak with you!

Dr. Marcella Wilson