Post by bridgetandmark on Sept 7, 2016 19:10:53 GMT
(D, if you would like to move this to another thread, that is fine, this one looked more populated)
For over 2 years we have been hosting in our Tiny House which is on our property (which is a native plant and animal habitat) and, until last month, across the lane from a wooded area that hadn't been developed. We are in a suburban city (Redmond, WA Home to Microsoft) but this wooded block really gave the feeling of being more remote.
All things change. We have known that development was planned and permitted but at the end of July it suddenly started happening with an unexpected ferocity. Because the trees were huge and old, they brought in a logging operation to take the trees down whole and carry them off. Short version - many tears shed. The nonstop felling of trees was like a series of 4.9 to 5.2 earthquakes all day long. I closed the listing during this period and for the debris clearing after that (good thing as an chunk of iron pipe was thrown through my car windshield one day!).
So, at this point they are doing digging and grading, 6 days a week, starting anytime after 7 am. Still rumblely during the day but I think livable for business travelers who are up earlier and out all day. Actually, just before this happened I had decided I wanted to focus on biz travelers as much as possible anyway because they are generally so clean, so appreciative and leave short, positive reviews.
I have rewritten my description, think about Evelyn's advice to put the negative stuff right up there. I'd rather have fewer guests than have ones complaining about a situation that I can't control for the next couple of years. I only open bookings a couple weeks in advance because of my own schedule so i will be able to update it to include whatever is currently going on, like nail guns or yelling workers or whatever. Because of our ladder, I always do a back and forth with potential guests to be sure they have read and agree to the entire listing and detailed house rules by including the code word from the listing so that exchange now includes explicit language about the construction hours. Especially anyone who looks like they are the romantic weekend away couples who used to love our place, it just isn't quiet enough for any sleeping in anymore.
The photos are all accurate, they point towards my side of the street. The other side is literally a full block of bare dirt and tractors.
My dear fellow hosts, can you spare a few minutes to look at my listing and see if I have done a good job conveying the current situation? It is hard not to come across as bitter about the loss of the habitat, at the same time realizing that new guests will never have seen it (although it is in tons of the reviews).
www.airbnb.com/rooms/3603003
I appreciate it. It is hard to get back into hosting now, with such a complex space but just gotta get to it! Thank you so much for your time and wisdom!
Bridget
For over 2 years we have been hosting in our Tiny House which is on our property (which is a native plant and animal habitat) and, until last month, across the lane from a wooded area that hadn't been developed. We are in a suburban city (Redmond, WA Home to Microsoft) but this wooded block really gave the feeling of being more remote.
All things change. We have known that development was planned and permitted but at the end of July it suddenly started happening with an unexpected ferocity. Because the trees were huge and old, they brought in a logging operation to take the trees down whole and carry them off. Short version - many tears shed. The nonstop felling of trees was like a series of 4.9 to 5.2 earthquakes all day long. I closed the listing during this period and for the debris clearing after that (good thing as an chunk of iron pipe was thrown through my car windshield one day!).
So, at this point they are doing digging and grading, 6 days a week, starting anytime after 7 am. Still rumblely during the day but I think livable for business travelers who are up earlier and out all day. Actually, just before this happened I had decided I wanted to focus on biz travelers as much as possible anyway because they are generally so clean, so appreciative and leave short, positive reviews.
I have rewritten my description, think about Evelyn's advice to put the negative stuff right up there. I'd rather have fewer guests than have ones complaining about a situation that I can't control for the next couple of years. I only open bookings a couple weeks in advance because of my own schedule so i will be able to update it to include whatever is currently going on, like nail guns or yelling workers or whatever. Because of our ladder, I always do a back and forth with potential guests to be sure they have read and agree to the entire listing and detailed house rules by including the code word from the listing so that exchange now includes explicit language about the construction hours. Especially anyone who looks like they are the romantic weekend away couples who used to love our place, it just isn't quiet enough for any sleeping in anymore.
The photos are all accurate, they point towards my side of the street. The other side is literally a full block of bare dirt and tractors.
My dear fellow hosts, can you spare a few minutes to look at my listing and see if I have done a good job conveying the current situation? It is hard not to come across as bitter about the loss of the habitat, at the same time realizing that new guests will never have seen it (although it is in tons of the reviews).
www.airbnb.com/rooms/3603003
I appreciate it. It is hard to get back into hosting now, with such a complex space but just gotta get to it! Thank you so much for your time and wisdom!
Bridget