Host Guides
Practical guides for short-term rental hosts
Checklists, templates, money and guest communication: the operational side of hosting, explained plainly.
Guide · 7 min
Vrbo Cleaning Checklist for Vacation Homes: Whole-House Turnover and Deep-Clean Schedule
A Vrbo cleaning checklist for whole vacation homes: turnover order for big groups, bunk rooms, hot tubs and outdoor areas, plus a deep-clean schedule.
Guide · 7 min
Short-Term Rental Expense Tracker Spreadsheet: How to Set One Up (Tabs, Columns and Formulas)
Build a short-term rental expense tracker in Excel or Google Sheets: tabs, columns, Schedule E categories, SUMIFS formulas, occupancy, ADR and RevPAR.
Guide · 6 min
How Much to Charge for an Airbnb Cleaning Fee: A Simple Formula (With the 15.5% Fee Built In)
Set your Airbnb cleaning fee with a simple formula: true cost per turnover, grossed up for the 15.5% service fee, then checked against short stays.
Guide · 7 min
Airbnb Welcome Book Template: A Fill-in-the-Blanks Outline You Can Copy
A free Airbnb welcome book template: a page-by-page outline with fill-in wording for arrival, Wi-Fi, guest FAQ, house rules, local guide and checkout.
Guide · 8 min
Airbnb House Rules Template: Copy-and-Paste Rules (With the Reason for Each)
A free Airbnb house rules template to copy: standard and additional rules with the reason for each, wording guests follow, and where each rule belongs.
Guide · 6 min
Airbnb Check-In Message Templates: 5 Messages to Copy, From Booking to First Night
Copy-and-paste Airbnb check-in message templates: booking confirmation, pre-arrival, arrival day, first-night check and lockout reply, with timing.
Guide · 6 min
What to Put in an Airbnb Welcome Book (10 Sections Guests Actually Use)
What to include in an Airbnb or Vrbo welcome book, section by section, and how to keep it short enough that guests actually read it. Checklist included.
Guide · 7 min
How to Track Short-Term Rental Expenses for Taxes (A Simple System for Airbnb & Vrbo Hosts)
A simple year-round system for tracking Airbnb and Vrbo income and expenses: what to record, IRS-style categories, receipts, mileage and a monthly routine.
Guide · 6 min
Airbnb Cleaning Checklist: The Room-by-Room Turnover System (Free Printable)
Airbnb cleaning checklist for hosts and cleaners: the turnover order that saves time, room-by-room checks, restock levels and damage photos. Free printable.
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