The Host Handbook

How to host well, and safely.

List with confidence, screen guests, price your home, and earn the reviews that keep it booked.

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Be the host you'd want if you were the one moving in: clear, responsive, and fair. Almost everything else follows from that.
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What good hosting really takes

Your guests aren't tourists. They're people living in your home for a month to a year, often while life is in motion. The hosts who do best treat it as a small business and a hospitality job at once. Build these five habits into your routine and most of the rest follows.

1

Write the listing you'd want to read

Honest photos, a clear description, and a price that matches the home.

2

Screen every guest the same way

A consistent set of questions and checks protects you and keeps things fair.

3

Put everything in a written agreement

Dates, rent, deposit, what's included, house rules, and how either side can end the stay.

4

Reply fast, keep it on the platform

Quick answers win bookings and leave a record if there's ever a dispute.

5

Make move-in easy

The first hour sets the tone for the whole stay and most of your review.

Screening Guests

What to ask before you say yes

Good screening is the heart of safe hosting. Ask every guest the same questions, judge the answers consistently, and trust the process over a gut feeling about a photo or tone.

Why are you moving, and how long do you need?
A clear reason and a defined timeline are good signs. Vague or shifting answers are worth a second look.
Who will be living here?
You're confirming the home fits the household and no one undisclosed moves in.
How will you pay, and can you show proof of funds?
A guest who can comfortably cover the stay is your best protection against problems later.
Can you provide a reference?
A quick note from a past landlord or host tells you a lot.
Comfortable with a written agreement?
A serious guest says yes easily. Pushback on basic paperwork is a flag.
Any pets, and how many people total?
Confirms the home suits them and keeps the agreement accurate.
The Essentials

Do this. Never that.

Always do

  • Shoot photos in daylight with curtains open
  • Stage and tidy before you photograph
  • Be specific about what's included and the trade-offs
  • Screen every guest with the same questions
  • Use a written agreement, every time
  • Keep payment and messaging on the platform
  • Take dated move-in and move-out photos

Never do

  • Oversell the home with misleading photos
  • Accept an overpayment and refund the difference
  • Move payment off-platform to “save fees”
  • Skip references or proof of funds
  • Let a guest pressure you into deciding fast
  • Hand over keys before the agreement is signed
  • Ignore a story that keeps changing

Never accept an overpayment refund

If a guest sends more than they owe and asks you to return the balance, stop. Wait until the original payment has fully and irreversibly cleared before refunding a cent, and when in doubt, decline and report it. This is one of the most common ways hosts lose money.

Protect Yourself

Guest red flags, and scams aimed at hosts

Most guests are exactly who they say they are. A few aren't, and the signs are usually clear. If you see more than one, slow the process down.

Wants to skip the agreementPushes to move in fast without signing anything.
Paperwork protects both sides. A guest avoiding it is avoiding accountability.
Overpays “by mistake”Sends more than the rent, then asks you to refund the difference.
A classic overpayment scam. The original payment later bounces and you're out the refund.
Wants to pay off-platformAsks to move payment to a private channel.
Off-platform payments strip away your protections and records. Keep it on the platform.
Story keeps changingHeadcount, dates, or reason for moving shifts each message.
Inconsistency is the most reliable sign that something isn't right.
Refuses any verificationWon't share ID, proof of funds, or a reference.
A genuine long-term guest expects to be vetted and is happy to cooperate.
Heavy pressure to decide nowRushes you to accept before you've done your checks.
Urgency is meant to skip your screening. A real guest can wait a day.
A Great Stay

From move-in to five stars

Bookings come from your listing. Reviews come from the stay. Here's how to run one guests rave about, while protecting yourself along the way.

Make move-in effortless

Send clear arrival instructions ahead of time, have the place spotless, and leave a short welcome note.

Document the condition

Take dated photos before move-in. The simplest way to settle any deposit question fairly later.

Set expectations early

Walk through the house rules and how to reach you for repairs.

Respond quickly during the stay

A fast fix on a small issue turns an okay review into a glowing one.

Handle the deposit fairly

Compare your photos, return what's owed promptly, and explain any deductions in writing.

Ask for the review

A happy guest usually leaves a great review if you simply ask. Those reviews book your next guest.

Before Every Booking

Your checklist before every booking

Tick every box before you confirm a guest. If you can't, slow down and finish your checks first.

I screened them with my standard questions
I confirmed who will live here
I have proof of income or funds
I checked at least one reference
A written agreement is signed
Payment is going through the platform
I took dated move-in photos
Nothing about the request felt rushed

Host with confidence.

Get the basics right once and good guests, steady bookings, and strong reviews tend to follow. We're glad to have you hosting with us.

Homads