Chicago and Denver rank as top cities to start hosting in the US

Jacob hosts this listing near the West Loop neighborhood. 

Aleah hosts the Cholla House listing in the Five Points neighborhood. 

• Occupation: Works for the Telluride Film Festival 
• Reason for hosting: “The layout of our house provided the potential to create an entirely separate studio apartment space. We love hosting friends and family in our space and hosting with Airbnb seemed like a natural evolution. We also frequently use Airbnb as travelers—we love the human aspect of the platform and the creative spaces you can find to rent!”
• Keys to quick success as a Host: “Cholla House is a very curated space. We are very intentional about every detail in the decor and the products we provide our guests. We fill the space with items we personally love to create an exceptional experience. (E.g., Casper mattress and sheets, Public Goods soap, shampoo & conditioner, local honey and locally roasted coffee.) Also, the location of the can’t be beat!” 
• Advice for others considering hosting: “Being mindful of the design of the space is very important. Creating a thoughtful space that is welcoming, relaxing and has character is probably the first and most important step. Being an informed and involved host is also vital! Hosting has inspired us to try new restaurants and experiences in Denver to remain an informed and helpful hosts to our guests. When someone asks what the best Vietnamese restaurant in the area is or your favorite neighborhood bar, you want to be prepared with a personal recommendation.”

Emma and Jordan host this listing, three blocks from the beach in San Diego. 

• Occupation: Emma is a nurse at a children’s hospital and Jordan is a supply chain consultant. 
• Reason for hosting: “We were renting nearby and loved the community so much that we wanted to settle down here. Purchasing a home in San Diego is expensive, but hosting on Airbnb allows us to offset our mortgage and meet some really cool people along the way.”
• What the income means to them: “The income we earn from hosting on Airbnb helps us make our mortgage payment each month.” 
• Keys to quick success as a Host: “We try to make every interaction personal, and we think that shows in our listing and messages with guests. Our community is special to us and we are excited to share it. We genuinely enjoy hosting people and can’t wait to recommend our favorite restaurants and spots.”
• Advice for others considering hosting: “Do your research! There are so many resources out there to help new hosts. In our opinion, the most important part of stress free hosting is having 2-3 excellent cleaning companies. They make sure each new guest arrives at a sparkling clean home. This is a huge weight off our shoulders and we don’t know what we’d do without them!”

Alissa hosts the Tree House Getaway listing in the Hollywood Hills.

• Occupation: Entrepreneur
• Reason for hosting: “LA is an expensive city to buy a home in. I was motivated to host on AirBnB as a way to generate passive income to offset the costs associated with home ownership. And I also really love my neighborhood. It’s steeped in Hollywood history and is a unique mix of nature and city. I love that I can share this little enclave with others. It really is a magical area that people may not otherwise ever get to experience.” 
• What the income means to them: “It’s allowed me to travel more. And have less anxiety about financing my home and covering the bills. It’s easy to target earnings and update pricing based on demand.”
• Keys to quick success as a Host: “I focused on highlighting my property’s unique features (such as access to nature 5 minutes from Hollywood Blvd & a dreamy, enclosed patio with beautiful foliage), and did everything within my power to generate great reviews by being communicative and ensuring a clean and comfortable rental that guests would enjoy and seek to revisit. I travel a lot and use Airbnb myself 90% of the time. I know what I like, and what I don’t in a rental and created a space I would want to stay in.”
• Advice for others considering hosting: “Follow the city’s home sharing rules, stick with Airbnb as they make collecting & remitting occupancy taxes a breeze, communicate with your neighbors, and set clear expectations with guests. Make your listing truthful & accurate. Ensure house rules are clear and communicated. And when in doubt, over communicate. Airbnb has platform tools that allow for automated messages that make guests feel the love and make your job as a host easy.”

Ben hosts this Modern Cabin listing in Sevierville. 

• Occupation: Head of IT Operations
• Reason for hosting: “I was always interested in purchasing a timeshare but was of the opinion that they weren’t the best investment, at least not for me. I also wanted a place to take the family on vacation and have always loved Tennessee and what better place than the Smokies!  Airbnb checked the boxes:  We get to use it and rent it out the rest of the year.” 
• What the income means to them: “The income from hosting on Airbnb has been reinvested back into the property. When I purchased it, there were some deferred maintenance items that needed to be addressed and it was in desperate need of interior renovations. Taking care of the property is in my opinion one of the most important things you can do to maintain guest satisfaction.”
• Keys to quick success as a Host: “Staying in my property and communicating constantly with my partners, the number one partner being my cleaners. Having a good relationship with your partners is key to being successful, pay them on time, treat them with respect and realize nobody is perfect and be understanding when something doesn’t necessarily go according to plan. Don’t be afraid to talk to guests, be available for them and try to put yourself in their shoes if you feel they are. being unreasonable. Customer service is the name of the game!  ”
• Advice for others considering hosting: “I say go for it but don’t expect being a Host to be completely hands off and expect the unexpected.  Do you enjoy talking to people? Do you like the area you are hosting in and is it a place you like to visit? Periodically stay in your property.  You will notice deficiencies others won’t.  If you self manage and don’t live close to your Airbnb property, make sure you have good “boots on the ground”.  Treat them as partners because they play a big part in your success as you do theirs. Be customer service focused. You will at some point run into an issue whether it be an internet outage, the door lock not working or something else completely out of your control.  It’s all how you handle the situation that determines the outcome.  I’m adding another property in a different market though so need I say more!”