Nobody likes the feeling of sticker shock, thinking you’ve found a good deal only to see extra fees tacked on to the total. And in most cases, these tacked-on fees are not supported by the listing sites we promote your home on (Vrbo, Airbnb, Booking.com, etc.). They usually appear for guests after they have begun the booking process, and can cause guests to “walk away” without booking your home.
One easy way to avoid "sticker shock" on your professionally-crafted listing (and potentially lose a booking) is to limit any fees in favor of simple and clear pricing that builds confidence and loyalty. In fact, Evolve will only support the addition of these three industry-standard fees:
- Cleaning Fee
- Pet Fee
- Pool Heat Fee
It’s also important to charge a reasonable amount for the above fees.
Cleaning Fees
Most vacation rentals charge cleaning fees ranging from $40 to $60 per bedroom. Guests will often shy away from listings with cleaning fees above this range.
Pet Fees
If guests are bringing pets, we can charge them a per-stay fee. The amount will typically be dictated by your cleaner, but $50 is the standard amount and should not deter guests from booking your home.
Pool Heat Fees
You can determine the pool heat fee by determining the average amount it costs you to heat the pool. Industry standard is anywhere from $10-$25 per night.
We understand the desire to earn more and believe that the best way to increase income is to encourage more guests to book your home so we can optimize your rates over time. The total you’ll earn through more bookings far outweighs any small amount you might capture through unexpected fees.
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