The ups and downs of an Airbnb landlord – Wall Street Journal

In his State of the Nation Address, President Cyril Ramaphosa suggested that 21 million people would flock to South Africa over the next decade as tourists, but industry insiders and opposition members of Parliament thought this number was unrealistic. They suggested a more modest 16.5 million by 2030. Ramaphosa may have got his numbers wrong, but South Africa will always remain one of the top tourist destinations in the world.  Where else do you get the mix of one the most beautiful mountains in the world, the Big Five animal experience, golden sand beaches teeming with marine life linked to the culture of Africa and the cauldron of fabulous cuisines? A report by Airbnb in 2018 demonstrated that the company generated an estimated $678 million in economic impact on South Africa and supported over 22 000 jobs. In September 2018, two million guests have used Airbnb for their trips to South Africa and that number is growing. Many people list their properties on Airbnb to supplement income, cover a mortgage or to have company. The hosts tell stories of rowdy guests and friends that they have made through the service but what is it really like being an Airbnb host? This article in the WSJ sheds light on some of  the experiences and it seems that location, location is a the most important factor in income generation. – Linda van Tilburg

What It's Really Like to Be an Airbnb Landlord

By Matthew Kassel

Can you make your extra space earn its keep? Many people with more house than they need are turning to Airbnb and other services to rent out extra rooms, or even their whole house, to bring in cash—often to cover their mortgage or other critical expenses.

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