General Discussion

GoneOffShore

(18,020 posts)

36. Yes and no

Wed May 13, 2015, 10:33 AM

May 2015

It's pretty nuanced.

Particularly if you're an owner-occupier (full disclosure: I am an AirBnB host and have been for 6 years).

If I had several rental units, in this market (Philadelphia), I would not be renting them out via AirBnB - too much liability exposure, too many problems with taxes, etc, etc. As it is, we rent out one room in our house which wouldn't be on the rental market otherwise. And even if I had another room to rent, that wouldn't be on the long term market either.

Sure, there are folks who are doing the multiple unit rentals, but the problem is not as vast as assumed, and those who do this always find a way to maximise their money.

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Highlight:

"Airbnb is just like Uber. It's Desperation Capitalism" [View all] Liberal_in_LA May 2015 OP

"Think about why people need to rent out rooms in their homes to strangers or haul strangers around" corkhead May 2015 #1

They used to have these type of things in the yeoman6987 May 2015 #3

Yeah, they're called bed and breakfasts Cal Carpenter May 2015 #6

Woot! pscot May 2015 #16

lol Starry Messenger May 2015 #42

Yes, boarding houses. nt. My Good Babushka May 2015 #32

I love your sig line. nt silvershadow May 2015 #12

From my personal experience, I beg to differ - cilla4progress May 2015 #2

That sounds like a small hotel Gormy Cuss May 2015 #40

That article is wrong. It's 100% the fault of the wealthy that we're in the position we're in. Initech May 2015 #4

Message auto-removed Name removed May 2015 #29

Dunno. cilla4progress May 2015 #64

There are a lot of people that have rental homes they are renting on Airbnb Travis_0004 May 2015 #5

Silly Egnever May 2015 #7

sensibly said - thank you Psephos May 2015 #10

AirBnB is a great alternative to LibDemAlways May 2015 #13

Santa Barbara misses out on the additional tax revenue philosslayer May 2015 #35

It's not quite that simple. The regular Joe or Joanna making that money spends it locally. stevenleser May 2015 #37

Good points. Though I don't like AirBnB generally, I can't deny closeupready May 2015 #38

Here's the bottom line.... philosslayer May 2015 #44

That's not the bottom line. It is one way of looking at it that omits many pieces. nt stevenleser May 2015 #46

I disagree. I think they should have to pay hotel taxes. DanTex May 2015 #51

I'm not opining on whether they should, I'm saying what happens and how it affects stevenleser May 2015 #54

Well if you don't pay taxes... philosslayer May 2015 #58

The hotels will still be full at premium rates and the city will collect LibDemAlways May 2015 #65

Some other signs, IMO. moondust May 2015 #8

I think cab service is an area where shoppers most definitely do not have an abundance of choices. Warren DeMontague May 2015 #23

And until Uber came it didn't hit home just how bad cab service was. stevenleser May 2015 #57

or else it was one of those things like the weather. Warren DeMontague May 2015 #59

Wait..... nobody rented out rooms in their homes prior to Airbnb coming on the scene? Nye Bevan May 2015 #9

Once upon a time, you placed classified ads for such things Mariana May 2015 #43

The people I know who rent out on airbnb or drive for uber are, generally, psyched to do it. Warren DeMontague May 2015 #11

psyched to have a job redruddyred May 2015 #15

I'm sorry, but I don't buy the line that this is a symptom of economic dysfunction. Warren DeMontague May 2015 #17

what I'd really like to see them fix is higher education redruddyred May 2015 #19

I agree. But they're filling a niche which has been sorely neglected by the fucked up way we've Warren DeMontague May 2015 #22

sounds legit. redruddyred May 2015 #26

I think, for real, it sort of depends on personality type in many cases, if you're not talking pure Warren DeMontague May 2015 #28

I think most employment situations are geared towards the redruddyred May 2015 #31

True dat, certainly if you're talking retail. I had a good chunk of a decade in a VERY public kind Warren DeMontague May 2015 #33

number one secret to why red is such an a-hole: redruddyred May 2015 #34

Ha! Warren DeMontague May 2015 #70

psyched to make $10-$15 per hour? CreekDog May 2015 #20

Yep. Warren DeMontague May 2015 #21

how much are they making per year, net? CreekDog May 2015 #48

We're talking about two specific gigs, or more precisely potential revenue making situations; Warren DeMontague May 2015 #61

Message auto-removed Name removed May 2015 #14

Silly article. geek tragedy May 2015 #18

some people in areas with high cost housing are being forced into it CreekDog May 2015 #49

Agree marions ghost May 2015 #62

That's a little over the top, a lot of people I work with love it Sen. Walter Sobchak May 2015 #24

Not to mention it's taking rooms off the rental market daredtowork May 2015 #25

Yes and no GoneOffShore May 2015 #36

Message auto-removed Name removed May 2015 #27

My wife and I have been staying in B&Bs for... meaculpa2011 May 2015 #30

I don't like them because they are an end-around necessary regulations. alarimer May 2015 #39

Libertarian dream -yes. Gormy Cuss May 2015 #41

Boom. Starry Messenger May 2015 #45

+1 PasadenaTrudy May 2015 #52

+ 1000 nt abelenkpe May 2015 #55

The regulations have led to a miserable public transportation experience in the USA Fumesucker May 2015 #63

+1 leftstreet May 2015 #67

The pantie-wadding is strong in this thread. Throd May 2015 #47

why does everybody think this is for "extra money"? CreekDog May 2015 #50

I'm speaking about my own situation. Throd May 2015 #53

Pick up some bed bugs and you're good to go! Lars39 May 2015 #56

Thanks, Throd. LibDemAlways May 2015 #68

Uber and AirBnB customerserviceguy May 2015 #60

People have always done these things treestar May 2015 #66

Thank you. And, as a friend always says, scene. GoneOffShore May 2015 #69