Sourcing furniture can be one of the most challenging, time consuming and expensive processes of listing airbnb’s. For our clients, we handle all of this for free at no cost to the owner. However, if you have not decided to partner with us yet, here are some great tips that can help you save some money when furnishing your units.
Tip #1: Laziness will kill your bank account. Yes, you can order everything on Wayfair, Amazon or Ikea but I guarantee you, that you could have gotten a better deal if you compared rates across all ‘bang for buck’ sites.
Tip #2: Everything is negotiable. If you have only one unit, it is relatively hard to negotiate with Warfare or Amazon but if you are putting up 6 units you can call your representative to see what the best they can do for each item in your cart and then compare those deals across each site.
Tip #3: Have a design theme and stick to it. If you are going modern with a specific color scheme then absolutely stick to it. This will become extremely important when you take photos of the property. Do not, just get something that works, it is always worth it to pay a little more to get something that matches for the long run than to cheap out and just go with what is low cost.
Tip #4: Budget and only get what you need. Some items have absolutely zero value from the consumers perspective, and that money could have gone towards something they do care about. Some examples of things to not buy for your units are, cheese graders, can openers, dressers, speakers (just trust us on this one), etc. Next time when you visit an airbnb, take a close look at what you actually use and need and apply that to your own units.
Tip #5: Spend money on what matters. Couches, beds, coffee machines, soap, and art are some things to consider to splurge on when furnishing your unit. Stay in budget and start with these items and then find other things you can cut costs on. Examples are glasses, cookware, plates, silverware, etc. I would get the cheapest items here that matches the theme of your units.
In conclusion, take your time when furnishing your unit and be very analytical with what you buy and what you save on. Any rushing, or undisciplined spending will result in an inflated upfront cost to your unit and extend the time it takes to make a return on your investment.
