I want to share a quick story about something that happened to us recently with one of the northern Virginia rental properties we manage. We had someone come to us and ask about a property we were renting out. She asked if she could rent it from us and then use it as an Airbnb to rent it out to other people. She would advertise it and allow people to rent for just a few nights or weeks at a time. We said no, but it got us asking how people do this.
The Airbnb Business Model
Apparently this particular person had been doing it elsewhere with full disclosure. Owners she rented from knew about it. So, it is happening out there, and you need to be aware of people who might try to use your home as a business or as a short term rental on Airbnb. As a rental property owner, be careful and watchful. You probably don’t want your tenants renting out rooms or using your property as a place to do business.Property Management Northern Virginia
There are some things you can do to protect yourself. In your lease, have something that says the tenants cannot use the property for business purposes, and they cannot rent out rooms. This will protect you against something like this. Mention guests as well. Maybe guests can only stay for a certain number of days in a calendar year. You don’t want someone who has not been screened to be in your property for six months. Make sure your tenant understands the consequences of
renting out your home on Airbnb. Set that ground rule upfront and hopefully you won’t have weird things going on or room rentals and businesses coming out of your home.
If you need any help or advice from a northern Virginia property manager, please contact us at Richey Property Management. We would love to tell you more about how to be a successful landlord and real estate investor.
