There’s no question that being picky about who you entrust with your homeshare property pays off. Our screening process for house-sitters and room rental arrangements, whether through Airbnb, Furnished Finder or SabbaticalHomes.com, finds us in good company with traveling professionals and scholars.
We’ve had guests from both India and Russia getting certified to practice medicine. Internationals from England, Brazil and Korea were running arts programs, finishing a PhD in science, and building digital networks for a major corporation. Once we had a Columbia University law grad clerking for a federal judge. An older guest had been working in major league baseball for many years. He brought his friend from CNN to meet us. We’ve hosted a French baker, a Parisian Disney exec, and a young man from Sweden who came to intern at the museum of his national culture.
Homeshare guests stay longer than tourists, yet they are are still light on the lodging. Moreover, the wear-and-tear from traveling professionals or scholars is worlds away from that of a typical longterm-lease renter.
We sure know how to pick ’em.
What we give up in the way of convenience we make up in the way of longterm benefit. For example, automatic booking is out of the question. Prospective guests must participate in a volley of cheery communiqués drawing them out on the purpose of their visit and how they might comport themselves while lodging with us.
Screening is a sensitive art, though, because the questions asked during the inquiry could inadvertently sound like you’re trying to ascertain something else, for example, age, gender, religion or race. In our case, we need to see a proven track record of responsible behavior, a willingness to have ID or passport on file with us (not just through the booking platform), and an understanding that we live in the space. Extra credit for being hosts in the share economy themselves.
Once assured of a private area of their own, we know that the type of guest who’s open to a share arrangement (and its affordability over stand-alone lodgings) will embrace the eccentricities.
And the proof is in the pudding. Reviews are uniformly pleasing. Lodgers who’ve been integrated such as ours come away feeling like family, or at least like friends who will stay in touch.
