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Airbnb dominated by professional landlords

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Re: Airbnb dominated by professional landlords

#11

Post by nerdponx »

trevyn wrote: post #4

This is not a problem. In my experience, professional landlords & managers offer clean, updated apartments that are a joy to check into and are a way better place to stay than hotels. I love using Airbnb for specifically this reason. It seems like in Europe, professional short-term apartment rental is a common thing anyway -- Airbnb just serves as a centralized listing platform. This is less common in the US.

It is a problem because it abuses/avoids zoning laws and is generally disingenuous, making it hard to conduct public policy and regulate markets.

Re: Airbnb dominated by professional landlords

#13

Post by hendzen »

trevyn wrote: post #4

This is not a problem. In my experience, professional landlords & managers offer clean, updated apartments that are a joy to check into and are a way better place to stay than hotels. I love using Airbnb for specifically this reason. It seems like in Europe, professional short-term apartment rental is a common thing anyway -- Airbnb just serves as a centralized listing platform. This is less common in the US.

It's a problem for people looking for long term rentals as landlords can make more profit by listing a unit on AirBnB.

Re: Airbnb dominated by professional landlords

#14

Post by trevyn »

hendzen wrote: post #13
trevyn wrote: post #4

This is not a problem. In my experience, professional landlords & managers offer clean, updated apartments that are a joy to check into and are a way better place to stay than hotels. I love using Airbnb for specifically this reason. It seems like in Europe, professional short-term apartment rental is a common thing anyway -- Airbnb just serves as a centralized listing platform. This is less common in the US.

It's a problem for people looking for long term rentals as landlords can make more profit by listing a unit on AirBnB.

Is what the singularity feels like? Everything getting faster and faster, shorter and shorter term...

Re: Airbnb dominated by professional landlords

#15

Post by Symbiote »

trevyn wrote: post #9
yalogin wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Isn’t that what a family owned hotel/inn is?

No, Airbnb typically lists actual, real everyday apartments, so you feel like you're living in the city like a local, not in a hotel. If you haven't tried it, it's a great feeling.

On the other hand, if you're in the same building as an AirBnB rental, it may feel like a hotel.

So, from me: please don't try it.

Re: Airbnb dominated by professional landlords

#16

Post by 762236 »

trevyn wrote: post #4

This is not a problem. In my experience, professional landlords & managers offer clean, updated apartments that are a joy to check into and are a way better place to stay than hotels. I love using Airbnb for specifically this reason. It seems like in Europe, professional short-term apartment rental is a common thing anyway -- Airbnb just serves as a centralized listing platform. This is less common in the US.

Although not a problem for people staying overnight, it is a problem for the people that live in the community, as it dilutes their community by taking housing units out of the rental market. The cities are popular for overnight stays because their communities made the cities attractive places. It is a negative feedback loop.

Re: Airbnb dominated by professional landlords

#17

Post by cletus »

Put me in the camp that's very anti-AirBnB as a resident who doesn't want where I lived turned into a hotel. I live in NYC. It's a problem.

None of this is a surprise, so much so that AirBnB seems to be aware of this and is acting in a way that's, at best, ethically challenged and, at worst, illegal eg deleting listings before giving data to the state of NY that "shows" most hosts only have one unit [1].

If people want to run a hotel, there's a legal structure for this. And zoning. Go do that. I personally applaud efforts to shut down illegal hotels.

[1] https://ny.curbed.com/2016/2/25/11110594/airbnb-letter-state...

Re: Airbnb dominated by professional landlords

#18

Post by trevyn »

nerdponx wrote: post #11
trevyn wrote: post #4

This is not a problem. In my experience, professional landlords & managers offer clean, updated apartments that are a joy to check into and are a way better place to stay than hotels. I love using Airbnb for specifically this reason. It seems like in Europe, professional short-term apartment rental is a common thing anyway -- Airbnb just serves as a centralized listing platform. This is less common in the US.

It is a problem because it abuses/avoids zoning laws and is generally disingenuous, making it hard to conduct public policy and regulate markets.

Ah, ok, so it's a problem for some people.

It's a problem for me that regulation and zoning increases the cost of living.

Now we're even. :-)

Re: Airbnb dominated by professional landlords

#20

Post by camus2 »

thisisit wrote: post #3

Is this surprising at all? Most "sharing" apps are now overrun by professionals in their field. The apps help the professional (or company) achieve zero cost customer acquisition cost. In case the apps do catch up, these guys end up being "promoted" because they are a good fit. The pros make for much better "sales target" for these sharing apps.

A lot of occasional hosts underestimate the risks of subletting through Airbnb.

If a guest starts a fire or a flood unless you have a professional insurance you're fucked for instance, and lying to your insurance will make things worse if you get caught. If the neighbors file a complain about your guests you can get evicted, if you sublet behind your landlord's back as well. So it was just a question of time before most offers in the west get fulfilled by professionals, especially when Airbnb is starting to cooperate actively with local authorities when it comes to things such as the legal status of the host and taxes.

The whole grass-root share economy thing is just a PR farce.

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