Have you ever been curious about what it’s REALLY like to live in short-term rentals full time?
We’re finally sharing all of our Airbnb living secrets! Dustin, our toddler, and I have been living out of Airbnbs full time since the beginning of the 2023 ever since we sold 90% of our belongings, packed what we could fit into our Subaru Outback and left California. We have been staying in short term rentals for a few weeks to a few months at a time and exploring new places to potentially call home in the US Mountain States, specifically Montana, Idaho, Utah, Colorado and Wyoming.
We’ve reached the end of our Airbnb journey (for now 😝) and will soon be settling in NW Montana. We feel so much joy and confidence in our decision because we had the chance to legitimately live in so many places we had always dreamed of.
For us, living out of Airbnbs turned out to an absolutely incredible experience, although, we did run into a handful of booking mistakes and not-so-great surprises along the way. We filmed this video to to share with you everything we’ve learned so that you can avoid common mistakes, book smarter, get deals and ultimately, be super satisfied with your Airbnb (30+ days) experience.
Enjoy!
xx Savannah & Dustin Dwyer
www.savannahdwyer.com
Timestamps:
0:00 What to Expect
0:37 Context on Us
2:06 Pro 1: cost comparison
2:49 Pro 2: consumables
3:19 Pro 3: save on vacations
4:07 Pro 4: learn what you like
5:01 Con 1: access to mail
6:12 Con 2: finding what you need
6:49 Con 3: storage
7:24 Con 4: sleep
8:16 Tip 1: check alternate listings
9:05 Tip 2: book more, save more
9:52 Tip 3: real estate listings for add’tl photos
10:18 Tip 4: google maps street view
10:59 Tip 5: brand new listings + superhosts
12:11 Tip 6: sublets on facebook
12:49 Tip 7: forego security deposits
13:40 Tip 8: book 2-3mos out + cancellation policies
15:15 Tip 9: reading reviews
16:32 Tip 10: host requests
17:21 Tip 11: location vs. house
18:12 Tip 12: utilize friends of friends
18:35 Tip 12 v2: double check fine print
19:29 Tip 13: hoa perks + yard work
20:16 Tip 14: work hard for the review
22:44 Tip 15: skip the scathing review
23:12 Sentimental Thoughts