|
Post by helgaparis on Jul 2, 2016 18:02:01 GMT
I was a bit out of touch and will be occupied for a while, as I will become sedentary in Paris after being a nomad for 16 years. I'm giving up my second home as it was becoming too expensive and no chance to finance it by renting it. 10 years ago, the seaside home financed itself and part of the Paris atelier. A few years ago, other rental websites dwindled down, airbnb brought only a few clients and it financed at least part of the local costs. This year, I had a 3 days rental there and one request declined.
The reason are a few new hosts, who sprung up over night with dozens or even 50 reviews. In a 40.000 habitants town, I knew the competition. These hosts seem to be professionals who convinced every owner with an unsold property to give it a try. They rent without a minimal stay at ridiculous prices. One "host" manages lists of properties. The prices they practice can't pay for cleaning, water and electricity.
About a week ago, I told myself to finish it on the spot and not go for another Summer. Clearly I had no request at 75 per night, which is lower than a few years ago, and I would not rent the apartment for 35 as some do.
As my homes are 800 km apart, it's not easy. I take a high speed train early in the morning, work the day, half the night and the next day and go back during the night. I'm booked with short term guests through July in Paris, but train tickets would be even more expensive in August and it's even hotter then.
Monday/Tuesday another such trip, bringing back two more suitcases full of memories and wrap more paintings, end of the week another trip to charge a small van. If necessary, after a few one nighters, I have another 4 nighter, whom I can leave for a last trip. If you pay 120 euros or more for the trip, there is not that much worth fetching anyway.
After that, when I go down, I'll do it as a guest. Or travel elsewhere, to see family and friends.
|
|
|
Post by High Priestess on Jul 2, 2016 18:31:57 GMT
Helga, are you sad about this change? It sounds sad, to have to give up your second home because you can't bring in enough money from renting it. I would not have expected that to happen in a desirable locale, even with competition. It's hard to imagine unless the vast majority of properties there are being rented out, and few people actually residing there. Maybe that is the case. In some vacation areas it seems to be. But I have not yet heard of a vacation area where one could not do good business in renting out a place. Maybe a slow season, but not only one 3 day rental for the whole year. That seems bewilderingly slow!
800km is quite a long distance -- very far! I cannot imagine doing that every week. I traveled that far to see my parents in March and I was worn out -- it seemed so far to go, even though I spent almost 2 weeks driving there and back, taking vacation along the way.
35 Euros a night does seem much too little for a whole place. At current rates that is less than $40 USD, and I don't even know many people in my area who rent just a room for that little. Usually in my area a room costs $55-75 a night or 50-68 Euro. Really sad to see the market being undercut by such low prices. Who can continue to afford to do business at those rates?
|
|
|
Post by Inanna (Shaun) on Jul 3, 2016 3:51:06 GMT
Helga, Very sorry that you have had such difficulties that you had to close the house. As Deborah said, who can afford to do business at those rates. Sending you good wishes.
|
|
|
Post by katherine on Jul 3, 2016 20:00:37 GMT
I'm sorry too Helga. I wish I could offer you some good suggestions but it's you who always has the good suggestions for everyone. I'm sure you've thought it over and it's probably the right decision to make. I can only offer this little phrase "when one door closes another one opens". Good luck!
|
|
|
Post by CC on Jul 4, 2016 2:00:02 GMT
Rhonda in Hawaii just put 2 of her mainland rentals up for sale & I just dumped my other house. For my part, I'm breathing easier.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 4, 2016 19:38:25 GMT
Alohas to all!
CC is correct. First house sold within 3 days. Cash sale, stated as listed, no bargaining. Second house is still rented long term; I'm in no hurry. It seems to me as if tourism is down every where this year; I haven't hit my monthly target since March 2016 with over 100 reservations which pretty much wore this old body and brain down.
I rented out my first floor apartment listed on airbnb as a month to month rental to make up the difference. Many other hosts here are reverting back to the month to month gig due to lack of bookings as well as the work involved regarding guests.
I'm not sure what I will do when I'm down to this one house.
I'm all for lifestyle changes. It's only through the contrast of life that we are able to pinpoint where our true joy is to be found.
As CC stated, it's much easier to breathe when we are working and worrying less and enjoying life more.
|
|
|
Post by CC on Jul 4, 2016 19:45:46 GMT
Well, aloha, Rhonda! 🏝
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 4, 2016 22:53:21 GMT
Aloha CC!! Helga, Deborah, Andrew, et al,
Apparently I joined this group, thanks to Deborah's and Andrew's hard work last October.
Extremely glad to reconnect with you all again.
You can all blame CC's prompting to locate it.
Helga, tis always lovely to hear from you; as previously asked, how are you feeling about this Lifestyle Change?
Personally, I shall not forget the relief I felt when it was official that the properties were for sale, and I'd decided to give up what no longer brought me more joy than worry and responsibilities.
Today is an American holiday.
Yes, it is too much to ask our airbnb, or other site guests to inform us of their time of arrival. Yes, it is the worst hosting to 'locals'.
Two check in's today.....absolutely lovely sunny day where I should be in the ocean, pool, gardening, or treating myself to the lava that is flowing hot and furiously. Nope, none of the 4 people checking in could read the house rules or my response to their reservations made long time ago. 10:30 am #1 (local) Responds ..."Great!! see you at 3 pm"......check-in is 'anytime after 4 pm' 12:04 pm #2 Responds..."We're so excited, hope to be there around 5 pm".
Just asking......Are you feeling better with less 'care taking' responsibilities and considering all the possibilities of enjoyment available with your additional amount of time to enjoy life?
A little birdie told me CC's yard is totally ass-kickin beautiful since she has reduced some of the responsibilities of her life.
Even since my renting out the apartment full time (huge reduction in potential airbnb income vs no reservations), I've found more time to just relax and enjoy life.
I wish you the best with your Lifestyle Change, to always know that things are always working out for you, and to wake up each day more selfish than the previous day of how you shall choose to spend your day and life.
As always, With much aloha
|
|
|
Post by helgaparis on Jul 8, 2016 10:17:28 GMT
Thank you all so much for your kind words! It's a pleasure to hear from you again Rhonda! Maybe you will enjoy your paradise for a while with less work? There are times one needs a break and you did work much too much last year.
I'm not even sad. After another two days stunt plus 1 day breakdown in Paris, the apartment is down to mostly empty furniture, bags, boxes, huge sacs with wrapped canvases and one or two such trips still to go.
I don't have to drive, it's 4 hours high speed train, 40 minutes night busses, but thanks to holiday season, the trains are full, expensive and late. Monday morning, I'll not even have a seat on the 6 am train. Pff, I'll have to be early, claim a bench between compartments and curl up for a nap.
In the South, they did "not invent working" as an Austrian proverb calls it, it seems to be even a concept they can't grasp. Not for any money, you could find a worker prepared to come for 2 or 3 hours of work like carrying things down 2 floors. So I carried a lot down myself, took pictures of accounting documents and others and threw out the whole lot. No way I will carry those folders and boxes again. It was still work, to put the empty folders in transparent bags as everything marginally useful, and the documents in black bags to put inside the bin. Recycling works well: put useful things beside the bin and they disappear quickly.
I put a lot of informatics equipment into a shop and the owner decided to rearrange his wares to create a corner for my other small electric devices. As people always try to buy his fan and his espresso machine, he is happy to have those on offer too. Less things to take or throw out.
How does it feel? A bit like seperating after a bad relationship. I put things in a caddy to bring to the shop or but them in suitcases to take them and ask myself why on earth did I buy this stuff just months ago? Depression shopping. Making it all nice and complete for guests when the rest of the town offers cheap basics.. You'd think that it should be an interesting offer: very nice and middle price range if the others offer either high priced luxury or very cheap basics. Some of those look like theater decoration. You see that they were nice for the photo but will be worn down after a season. No matter, they will sell it for years with the same pictures.
We have another saying about places: " I don't even want to be painted on a wall there" The town started to feel like this to me. It's pretty, some people are very nice and it's a good holiday spot if you ate into lazy hot holidays. Unfortunately that are 3 words that I don't appreciate. ;-)
It's a good time to turn the page.
|
|
|
Post by CC on Jul 8, 2016 19:52:57 GMT
Don't forget about us here, Helga!
|
|
|
Post by helgaparis on Jul 9, 2016 8:57:14 GMT
Never, CC! End of the month, it will be finished.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 10, 2016 18:59:24 GMT
Aloha Helga,
Does that mean you will no longer be accepting guest at your Paris apartment regarding your comment this 'month it will be all over'? I'm interpreting this as it sounds as if you are choosing to give up both residences with this Life Style change.
Inquiring minds want to know.
With much aloha, Rhonda
|
|
|
Post by maria on Jul 11, 2016 12:44:29 GMT
Never, CC! End of the month, it will be finished. Sorry to read this Helga. We sold our primary residence and left our town after almost thirty years and recently moved to a different city. It is such a big change. We still have not settled down. At least you will have the familiarity of your surroundings by keeping your apartment. Wish you good luck!
|
|
|
Post by helgaparis on Jul 11, 2016 18:12:06 GMT
I'm back in the boiling heat of the South, sold some furniture, emptied the rest of the cupboards. 2,5 m large, 2,4 m high, I'm 1,65m tall, so a lot of climbing involved. Those high mirror doors are heavy! Tomorrow we will carry my stuff down, then the cupboards, then comes my friend with the van, transports the cupboards 2 streets on, comes back, we load my stuff, as much as may fit and he goes back by car. That makes him 2.400 km from his holiday home to Paris. not bad for someone who had one lung removed in January. We will be a merry troup tomorrow: my friend can't lift, he drives. The lady, who bought the cupboards, has some screws around her spine and can only lift small stuff. My other friend is over 80. That leaves me and the neighbor she recruted to carry the heavy stuff.
Another development of today means I'll keep the flat for a while for cheaper, as storage. The owner does not know what he wants to do with it and needs the autumn or maybe winter to contemplate his options. That means I'll have a place here and I'm not obliged to throw out stuff that I can't sell here. I can organise transport later and sleep here as long as I have not sold all beds.
I'll keep hosting in Paris, but only one person, the bed listing. The whole apartment only when I visit family. Maybe I create another listing. I have 2 connected ateliers. If I lock my door, the other one is a complete unit for one person. Maybe I rent that for one in my absence instead of the whole apartment for one or two. A bit less money but less work too.
I'm posting whilst I'm gathering forces to get the stuff out from under the bed. 2m x 1,8 m, knee high at least and covered by a devilishly heavy latex mattress. Underneath are paintings. And paintings. And more paintings. Maybe some books. Pfff.
|
|
|
Post by High Priestess on Jul 11, 2016 22:00:35 GMT
Helga -- is your place by the seaside one that you own, or one you rent? I was assuming you owned it but in this post you referred to the owner....so....I thought maybe I was incorrect.
Paintings, paintings and more paintings -- I'm curious Helga, do you paint? Are any of those your paintings?
|
|