The most foreign element of allowing visitors into your house when hosting on Airbnb for most hosts is the notion of letting strangers in.

On the plus side, Airbnb allows hosts to pick and choose these strangers by publishing guest profiles and providing reviews. On the other hand, this superficial engagement can't truly tell you the whole story of being a completely trusting host. And, of course, there's that nagging doubt most people have when they meet strangers they've met online for obvious reasons.

Fortunately, there are strategies for Airbnb hosts like you to choose trustworthy visitors that you're comfortable having into your home so that your social interactions with them may be pleasant and you can regard these strangers as...less strange. Here are some suggestions for utilizing Airbnb to screen possible guests that should be kept in your pocket throughout your usage of the site.

Make a To-Do List

There are numerous strategies to accomplish this. First and foremost, make a set of desired guest criteria for use with each Airbnb booking request you receive. Consider these visitor requirements as you would job recruiting: what kind of individual would I feel comfortable entrusting my home to? If you're new to being a host or are having trouble turning concepts into words, consider approaching this thought experiment by thinking of trustworthy coworkers, friends, or family members...then figure out what about them makes you think they're trustworthy. Keep in mind that fair housing rules may restrict you from adding race, ethnicity, religion, gender, or other similar criteria to your prohibited criteria list.

Once you've determined the golden ratio of desirable Airbnb guest qualities, you may filter prospective guests accordingly. In a manner, you're building an equation that will come to a guest that you'd be pleased to have. So stick to it because math is the only real science (according to them).

You've identified the type of individual that fulfills your ideal guest criteria, now you must choose what sort of Airbnb qualities would best represent that kind of person. Perhaps you'll consider how many reviews your potential visitor has. Alternatively, you could look at how many good evaluations they have. How early in the search results his or her profile appeared, for example. Whatever qualities you're looking for, whether they be technical skills or interpersonal competence, you need to find a manner for them to translate over secure guest messaging as well as across the Airbnb website itself. After all, this will very possibly be the only resource you have for evaluating potential visitors before they make an booking.

There's no way to restrict bookings based on personal criteria, but there are certain characteristics that Airbnb's system allows hosts to make public. Hosts may, for example, ask their visitors to display approved identification badges, which essentially confirm that they are who they claim to be. (If you want to employ this approach, you'll need to become validated first.) Taking such measures can help eliminate some unqualified visitors before you waste your time evaluating them.

You may want some way to separate the wheat from the chaff when it comes to Airbnb madness. So, now that you know how to come up with a list of essential qualities in a potential guest, here are some ideas for utilizing Airbnb to screen potential guests for those characteristics (and negate their negatives).

The Step-By-Step Process

1. Someone who does not have photographs is less interesting. Anyone who has completed their profile on Airbnb should be considered more serious than someone who hasn't bothered to complete all of the paperwork. It's also a chance for you to get an idea of the type of person you might be hosting and whether or not they'll fit your set standards.
2. Of course, it will undoubtedly be a major weight off your shoulders to know that the potential visitor is carrying an official ID, but it may not be one of your host requirements. In this situation, you may still want to verify that they included some minor forms of identification, such as an email address and a phone number. This will give you that extra assurance that your guest is who they say they are.
3. Airbnb has provided its customers with a social connections feature, which enables them to connect their Facebook accounts to their Airbnb accounts. Why is this useful? You might be wondering why this is impressive. Hosts like you can now check visitors for mutual friends and access reviews provided within your circles. However, Facebook isn't the only site to check: Airbnb users have the option to link their LinkedIn accounts as well. This will bring you one step closer to feeling more comfortable with your potential guest's identity.
4. Airbnb will not remove any guest reviews, with the exception of extreme situations. The whole idea of Airbnb's review feature is to foster community trust, therefore expect reviews to be honest and descriptive of the sort of individual you're getting involved with.
5. Users of Airbnb can use recommendations from coworkers, friends, family members, and so on to establish their credentials just as job seekers might for a resume. The references will only appear if the writer has an Airbnb profile, so don't be concerned if you don't see one; your potential guest most likely does. That being said, recommendations are merely one more approach for hosts to thoroughly vet prospective guests and learn as much as possible about them via the internet.

WARNING Signs

1. There are a few things you need to know before proceeding. Avoid guests who try to do business or communicate with hosts outside of Airbnb. For one thing, Airbnb enforces stringent standards and conditions that aim to safeguard its customers - external transactions expose them to the risk of losing these protections and coverage. Furthermore, since Airbnb is a welcoming atmosphere that allows great, trustworthy individuals to grow and standout, it's an ideal workplace. If your potential visitor has a need to go outside of the cocoon, there's usually a reason (and it's likely not a positive one).

2. Naturally, some type of communication will be a part of your evaluation procedure. They're telling you something if they don't respond to any messages or questions (this might imply inconsiderate, careless, and so on). While this may not be a major concern for every host when selecting a guest, consider the idea that you would never hire someone with these traits. Shadiness generally implies ill intent, and it's most likely because you wouldn't want it.

3. Keep an eye on the type of information your potential visitor is providing you throughout the discussion. If you get inquiries about surveillance, neighbors, or anything else questionable, I'd advise setting those potential reservations aside. If any replies seem strange, canned, or inconsistent, trust your instincts. You don't want to let a complete stranger disguise himself as someone else.

Just Ask

If you don't see anything you like or dislike, don't give up yet. You don't have to delete every possible booking with a red flag just because it has one. Instead, ask for the answers you're looking for or investigate any suspicious information provided by the user. For example, if you screen a seemingly solid Airbnb profile and find it lacking one or two important criteria, request for those details. Alternatively, if the profile is complete but lacks the verification you need, ask your possible guest to become an Airbnb member.

Final Approval

If you're still unclear about anything, there are a few things you can discuss with the visitor in order to get the process moving. For example, if you need a high-security deposit, consider how your potential visitors might respond to paying such a large upfront fee.

As a general guideline, use common sense and, above all, trust your instincts. Simply cancel the reservation if you don't feel confident about the user.

However, don't consider the screening process as the ultimate arbiter of your suitability: it isn't even on all the way when things are hectic. Why? Because Airbnb offers a host guarantee that will cover for any irresponsible guest damage. So if you make a blunder in your selection of houseguest, you won't have to pay for it. Finally, any negative host experience may be used as a basis to modify your criteria for the next person you allow into your home.

At this point, it’s possible to wipe your hands of the whole screening process and become a passive investor instead. Our team follows specific protocols to handle all of this. Maybe you don't have time, maybe you dont want the stress of surprise or maybe you just dont have the experience. A completely hands-off experience offered by Tofino could be the right fit for you.