SFGate.com is my regular news read. Recently there was an article about new small businesses opening to serve as host for guests using Airbnb rentals to meet, greet and assist travelers.
San Francisco has over 6,000 AirBnB listings. These new startup management companies help the listers deal with the problems that arise like how to work remote controls or access the internet or find laundry detergent; the problems a person is likely to encounter when staying in someone else’s place.
Here are some AirBnB articles from SFGate.com:
Airbnb spawns array of companies to aid hosts. (March 2, 2014)
Airbnb’s swank digs reflect growth, but controversy grows (Jan 27, 2014)
This article talks about the company HQ design and the controversial topics of paying lodging tax in New York City and San Francisco on rentals and the fact that local law makes it illegal to rent some places for less than 30 days. Also, there is concern that the rental market is shrinking in these two high-priced cities as bigger income can be generated through Airbnb than residential renters.
Airbnb Open: Show & Tell (Nov 12, 2013) talks about Airbnb business model allowing microentrepreneurs to grow in the ‘sharing economy’.
Tnooz.com has this article about insurance in the rental market: HomeAway thinks $1M Airbnb Host Guarantee is as empty as a vacant apartment (May 29, 2012).
