InHouse

As hosts and property managers are well aware, the short-term rental market has changed dramatically in the past 2 years. The number of new listings surged by 24% in 2022 and another 12% in 2023. Despite this growth, demand has not kept pace, leading to a decrease in rental prices by 1.6% in 2024. Earlier this week, The New York Times published an article detailing the state of hosting in the hyper-competitive Scottsdale market. Hosts they spoke with, like Carissa Vivirito, are winning bookings with eye-catching interior designs and enhanced guest experiences, featuring pools, fire pits and "makeup studios with mirrors, ring lights and swivel chairs" - perfect for the bachelorette parties that have made the city a popular destination. There's a lot to unpack in the article, but we thought Annette Grant of the influential industry podcast Thanks for Visiting put it best: "“They are really seeking experiences. “It’s not just about getting an Airbnb.”

Our team is currently having a ball at our first conference - the Vacation Rental Design Summit in High Point, North Carolina. It's been incredible meeting design leaders like Jessica Duce, Paula Oblen and Terri-Leigh Huleis, who are at the forefront of the STR design community. Connecting with the entrepeneur designers at VRD, it's only become clearer how transformative great design can be in a hospitality setting, and how intentional, well-crafted design will power the next-generation of short-term rentals. We have so much more to share but we're so grateful to be at the Summit - thank you to Jessica Duce and Jane Dagmi for building such a warm and welcoming community. We'll be back!

From crayons to co-founders! Meet InHouse's not-so-secret weapons - who just so happen to be brothers. From helping hosts launch new properties to curating incredible guest experiences, the brotherly magic behind InHouse is helping reimagine the short-term rental hosting experience. And we're just getting started!

Welcome to the wild world of Tanglebloom Cabin, in the woods of Brookline, Vermont. Our CEO & Co-Founder Jono Schafler sat down with Tanglebloom's host, Melissa Hessney Masters to learn how she transformed a (still-operating) flower farm into an award-winning short-term rental stay. Tanglebloom is a cozy, off-grid forest retreat with artful touches and hyper-local charm but it's Melissa's above-and-beyond approach to hosting that makes it extraordinary. Melissa also shares key strategies other hosts can use to make their properties stand out, from professional photography to thoughtful guest communication. Watch the preview here and read our full interview on the InHouse blog: https://lnkd.in/eZd_ApSg

We're thrilled to announce the official launch of Frontdesk - InHouse's all-in-one digital guidebook transforming the short-term rental experience. Our team has been building Frontdesk to deliver on our core mission: leveling the playing field for independent hosts by arming them with powerful, hospitality-grade tools previously only available to hotels and enterprise operators. Frontdesk is simple to use, with an intuitive drag-and-drop guidebook builder, and revenue-generating, with an integrated upsell engine. We truly can’t wait to see how hosts use it to craft exceptional guest experiences. We’re making Frontdesk available to all short-term rental hosts for free. Because leveling the playing field means that all hosts should be able to deliver five-star guest experiences, regardless of scale or budget. More from ShortTermRentalz below. For any interested hosts, please reach out to Jono Schafler or Barr Balamuth for a demo! https://lnkd.in/esG5jvMf

Meet Jenn Notaro, our Co-Founder and Head of Brand Partnerships. Jenn has been with InHouse since its founding, bringing over 15 years of experience in consumer retail, wholesale and e-commerce. In her role, Jenn leverages her expertise across retail models and markets to bring brands that hosts love to InHouse - like Business & Pleasure Co. , Public Goods and West Elm. When she's not bringing incredible brand partners to InHouse, Jenn loves to travel. Some of her favorite destinations include Paris, St. Barth, and Capri. In her free time, Jenn enjoys activities like wellness, skiing, appreciating art, and interior design. Jenn is a frequent short-term rental guest herself, so it's no wonder she calls InHouse her "dream job." We're so grateful to have Jenn on team InHouse!

The kitchen is the beating heart of every short-term rental. It's where guests convene to cook, share meals, and create memories. A well-equipped kitchen isn't just a convenience add, it's a cornerstone of the guest experience. A Tripping.com industry survey finds that 64% of short-term rental guests prefer to cook their meals, citing the ability to save money, eat healthily, and accommodate dietary needs. In fact, a fully equipped kitchen often ranks higher in priority than even the cost of the booking. Experienced hosts know that crafting the perfect kitchen is not one-size-fits-all. As with everything on or inside your property, the ideal setup depends on location and the unique needs of your guests. Are you surrounded by culinary hotspots or 30 minutes from the nearest grocery store? Considering how often your typical guest will cook is key to sourcing the right appliances and cookware. For more advice on setting up a booking-winning kitchen, read the latest from the InHouse blog.

Last month, Airbnb rolled out a handful of changes meant to address recent criticisms of the platform. Here's a quick rundown of these changes and what they mean for hosts: 1. "Guest Favorites" Badge: Listings with reviews of 4.9 or better and outstanding customer service from hosts will be marked with a new badge. Unlike the "Superhost" status, any qualifying listing can earn this badge. 2. Revamped Reviews: Guests can now view a breakdown of ratings and sort reviews by recency and relevance, making it easier to find information relevan to their needs, like family-friendliness or safety concerns. 3. Enhanced Listing Tab: Hosts can create an AI-powered photo tour and update their arrival guide in the app, offering guests a comprehensive view of their property. Impact for Hosts Top line, these updates represent a strategic move to address growing guest concerns around inflated prices and unreliable listings. Features like the "Guest Favorites" badge and enhanced review systems are designed to nudge hosts towards maintaining higher standards and transparency in their listing. For veteran hosts with hundreds of bookings under their belt, these changes may not amount to much. For newer hosts, however, these changes lower the barrier for success, as becoming a "Guest Favorite" will likely require less effort than attaining Superhost status. Similarly, the AI-powered listing features should give newbie hosts an easier way to make their listing pop, as Airbnb is likely to prioritize listings using these new features.

Every month, our team speaks with over 200 independent short-term rental hosts from across the United States. There's no better window into the fast-evolving short-term rental industry (now worth over $100B) than speaking with the entrepreneurs on the frontlines. Hosts are navigating the turbulence of shifting travel demands, adapting to meet ever-changing guest expectations, and keeping pace with new technologies transforming the industry daily. Their insights provide an invaluable on-the-ground view of the opportunities and challenges in this high-velocity space. We're excited to share the first of these conversations, with Laura Pilcher, MBA the host behind 100K Cabin in Granby, Colorado. Laura walks us through her hosting journey, shares her blueprint for delivering unforgettable guest experiences, and reflects on the altering landscape of guest demands over the past five years. Watch the preview below, and read the full interview on the InHouse blog. https://lnkd.in/esQTbczy

What if you could leverage the power of AI to set up your Airbnb in just five minutes? It takes an average of 13 weeks to purchase, furnish and list the typical short-term rental, which means 13 weeks with zero booking income but TONS of expenses for hosts. Even at higher budgets, finding the right stuff for your property to make it stand out in a highly competitive market can be extremely difficult. We built Smartlists specifically to address these pain points. Using AI, we can make the set-up process easier, less expensive and all-in-all less painful for our hosts. Here's how: -Data-Driven Personalization: Smartlists is not a one-size-fits-all solution: our AI provides furnishing recommendations based on your property's unique characteristics, ensuring a personalized touch. We analyze your listing to suggest products and setups that are most likely to result in high guest satisfaction and, consequently, great reviews. - Efficiency: With AI doing the heavy lifting, you can set up your property in a fraction of the time it usually takes. And time saved is money earned. - Quality Brands, Wholesale Prices: Enjoy access to 100,000 products from the InHouse Marketplace, including trusted brands like West Elm, Public Goods, and Great Jones—all at up to 70% off retail prices. - Upsell Potential: Our AI also identifies opportunities for you to enhance guest experiences with upsells and rentals, effortlessly integrating with Frontdesk, our customizable digital home guide. Smartlists are available now to InHouse members. Learn more here https://lnkd.in/eNZGKhkc and join now to create yours for free.