How do I re-instate my listing - Whale Watchers Inn a/c ref. 17232230 which was accidently disabled?

[Whale-Watchers-Inn0]

Whale Watchers Inn - Witsand W.Cape south Africa Account reference 17232230 - 10 rooms/units as follows:-

Whale Watchers Inn - Salmon, Whale Watchers Inn - Southern Right, Whale Watchers Inn - Yellow Tail, Whale Watchers Inn - Steenbras, Whale Watchers Inn - Galjoen, Whale Watchers Inn - Musselcracker, Whale Watchers Inn - Elf, Whale Watchers Inn - Big Cob, Whale Watchers Inn - Garden Cottage, Whale watchers Inn - Mom's Place.

[Scott80]

LOL I don't think it was accidentally disabled....Just Google "airbnb removal of multi-hosts listings" to get what I am talking about. There is an AirBnB executive that was quoted as saying something like multiple, hotel like, listings do not embody the individualized experience that AirBnB attempts to facilitate. But I cannot find the source at the moment. Also politically allowing hotels to advertise on AirBnB without the taxation/regulation that  Online Travel Agents have erodes AirBnB's position that they are facilitating small-time, individuals who are doing it as a side-gig, but not enabling hotels to dodge taxes and regulation.

Perhaps listing your Inn on an Online Travel Agent site like Expedia or Booking would be more appropriate.

[Lisa293]

@Whale-Watchers-Inn0

I deactivated a listing once but did not delete it.  It stayed on the profile with delisted written beside it if memory serves.  I was able to go to the menu where you snooze the listing and reactivate it.  I would imagine it is pretty hard to accidently delete a listing.  

If it is missing entirely from your profile page this is another issue altogether.  I think the number of completed trips stats were affected by my delisting but not the reviews or the review stats.  Are your previous reviews still visible on your profile page?  If not, is it possible you have a duplicate profile?  It has been suggested that you can logout and try to sign in with facebook and see if you have accidently created 2 accounts.

Failing that, as Scott said, they may be removing multiple listings in your area.  Bummer.

[Lisa293]

@Whale-Watchers-Inn0

PS I forgot to look at your profile before answering.  Good news - your listings are all visible from here!  Pardon me if I write in a side note here for Scott.

@Scott80

We have a building with 6 apartments that we bought to do permanent rental with.  Turns out it is so weird that nobody wants to actually live there but guests really like it especially the Europeans.  It was a 1920's convalescent home for returning soldiers.  All the hallways are outside and the layout is so crazy I told the real estate agent that nobody in their right mind would buy it.  Also turns out this is exactly the type of properties that airbnb is looking for.  Anybody who has something unique to offer is apparently welcome.

I always really love your posts and your sense of humour (the $10,000 for your home contents still has me chuckling) but I would have to disagree with you on this point.  By the way, we are also on booking.com and expedia and the only difference between airbnb and the OTA's is that we had to actually prove to the OTA's that we owned the building and were allowed to list it!!

[Scott80]

@Lisa293 Thank you for your kind words. I am jelious--I would love to own/run a six room inn as a full time job. Unfortunately here properties like that are rare and would cost more than a million dollars. So I am starting small with a condo unit. 

I am curious, and I hope you don't find this question too personal, but since your property is unique and it sounds like it might not conform to typical lender criteria, how were you able to finance it? I am guessing land contract. I think when I am ready to move up to a multiple unit dwelling I am going to buy on contract and just know that I am going to be cash poor for a few years.

[Lisa293]

@Scott80

We were just really lucky to buy the Beachside Cottages at a good price.  You can see them as Beachside SPA Cottage and Beachside JUNGLE Cottage.

After we renovated them, the bank valued the cottages at double what we had paid for them on a bank foreclosure purchase and we were able to get a valuation for the mortgage based on the increase in the cottages value and the value of the apartment land.  We bought the apartments for the cost of the land only as the building had been declared uninhabitable and was slated for demolition.

We actually did not have to put any money down except a $5000 deposit at the time of purchase.  People ask us how we can sleep at night in this position and my partner always answers that he sleeps like a baby but he wonders how the banker has any peace of mind at all!!  

We had to do 7 months of renovations as it still had the original bathrooms and some kitchens that had been put in around the 1950's.  I wish we could have kept the old bathrooms - they were something else!  You kind of realise the scope of the project when you make a shopping list and find you need 46 bedside tables!!  That was a wake up call.  And hiding 25 airconditioning units was a big brain tease as well.

It's pretty fun if you like high risk stakes - not always my cup of tea...  You need to have nerves of steel and a good business plan as here they are allowed to factor in potential income into the loan.  You never know unless you ask.  Find a good business banker and ask him to help you draw up a 5 year plan.  Some banks have financial advisers that they will let you speak with for free or a nominal fee.  I think we are really an exception to the rule but you never know.  I certainly hope it works out for you!  Lisa