Post by High Priestess on Nov 4, 2018 15:46:27 GMT
I think the issue with locals brings up the critical aspect of the screening question, "What's bringing you to my area to want to stay in a short term rental?" Eg the PURPOSE of the stay in the area. I think as hosts hone their skills with investigating/asking about this, they will be able to do better with either accepting or declining locals.
There are some issues that are more likely to occur with locals than guests from out of the area, and these may pose a concern to hosts.
(1) Guest wants to stay in an STR because they just got evicted from their place.
(2) Guest wants to stay in a local STR because they just fought with their spouse or roommate and "got kicked out".
(3) Guest wants to stay in local STR because they plan to go to a party and get drunk and won't be able to drive home.
(4) Guest wants to stay in a local STR because they are desperate to find permanent housing but haven't found any yet.
(5) Guest wants to stay in a local STR because they are trying to obtain information about local hosts/listings and need to book in order to get information.
(6) Guest wants to stay in local STR because they want to have a party, and dont' want to mess up their own place, would rather mess up someone else's. (Some have actually stated this in their inquiry message!)
(7) GUest is someone with a serious mental illness who is in a period of "decompensation" and family members dont' want to be around them in this state and are trying to pass them off on someone else. I once had an inquiry along these lines. Parents of someone who I could guess had a serious mental illness, were desperate to have him stay at my house, even though they had space in their home (suspicious). The guy was unable to communicate with me himself (2nd red flag) and his parents were saying they'd drive him to my house and PAY CASH for him to stay with me (enough red flags already)
By contrast, here are some reasons locals might want to stay in an STR that would be less likely to cause concern:
(1) Guest owns a home in the area where construction work is being done and they have to vacate the house for a short time while that is happening.
(2) Guest lives nearby and is having relatives visit and stay at their home, but there is not enough room for all of them there so they will stay elsewhere while their in laws stay at their house.
(3) Guest lives nearby but not quite close enough to the location of an event they want to attend for 2-3 days, which goes on for a long time each day and they would rather not have to drive the 30-45 minutes home and back each day.
There are some issues that are more likely to occur with locals than guests from out of the area, and these may pose a concern to hosts.
(1) Guest wants to stay in an STR because they just got evicted from their place.
(2) Guest wants to stay in a local STR because they just fought with their spouse or roommate and "got kicked out".
(3) Guest wants to stay in local STR because they plan to go to a party and get drunk and won't be able to drive home.
(4) Guest wants to stay in a local STR because they are desperate to find permanent housing but haven't found any yet.
(5) Guest wants to stay in a local STR because they are trying to obtain information about local hosts/listings and need to book in order to get information.
(6) Guest wants to stay in local STR because they want to have a party, and dont' want to mess up their own place, would rather mess up someone else's. (Some have actually stated this in their inquiry message!)
(7) GUest is someone with a serious mental illness who is in a period of "decompensation" and family members dont' want to be around them in this state and are trying to pass them off on someone else. I once had an inquiry along these lines. Parents of someone who I could guess had a serious mental illness, were desperate to have him stay at my house, even though they had space in their home (suspicious). The guy was unable to communicate with me himself (2nd red flag) and his parents were saying they'd drive him to my house and PAY CASH for him to stay with me (enough red flags already)
By contrast, here are some reasons locals might want to stay in an STR that would be less likely to cause concern:
(1) Guest owns a home in the area where construction work is being done and they have to vacate the house for a short time while that is happening.
(2) Guest lives nearby and is having relatives visit and stay at their home, but there is not enough room for all of them there so they will stay elsewhere while their in laws stay at their house.
(3) Guest lives nearby but not quite close enough to the location of an event they want to attend for 2-3 days, which goes on for a long time each day and they would rather not have to drive the 30-45 minutes home and back each day.