Airbnb: 8 Best Ways Airbnb Hosts Can Make More Money and Secure Positive Reviews

mirtmirt / Shutterstock.com Renting your home or vacation property on Airbnb can be a significant source of passive income . Maximizing that income means getting positive reviews so your place will be rented consistently and for a higher price per night than competing properties. Below are eight ways you can get more positive reviews for your Airbnb rental and make more money. Also here are the states where Airbnb hosts make the most money. Discover Next: Passive Income Expert: Here's How I Make $27,000 Every Week Airbnb Star Ratings Airbnb listings are rated by guests on a scale of one to five stars. Many guests will search for properties first by location, size and dates, (obviously) and then refine their search by star ratings. This means they see only the most highly rated properties that meet their criteria. According to Airbnb , guests are asked to rate their stays in several categories: Cleanliness Accuracy Check-in Communication Location Value Amenities Overall experience These categories provide a checklist for owners to ensure they get the highest possible reviews for their property and, by extension, earn the most money. Let's take a look at each of these areas in depth, from the point of view of the owner. Cleanliness This should be self-explanatory, but oftentimes it's not. A clean rental means more than just floors that have been recently swept and a sink that's devoid of dirty dishes. Is your rental free of clutter, so guests have a place to put their belongings? Are sheets and towels clean and free of stains? And are there cleaning supplies available in case the guests have to clean up a mess they made? On the subject of cleanliness, consider whether you want to charge a cleaning fee or not. A cleaning fee is a one-time charge for the entire stay (not a nightly fee) that covers the cost for the host to get the rental ready for the next guest. Cleaning fees seem to be an area of concern for guests, particularly if they are asked to also wash sheets and towels and vacuum or mop floors before leaving the property. A cleaning fee that's too high can lead to poor reviews, which can lead to fewer guests. Consider whether you want to charge a modest cleaning fee or just increase the nightly rate for your property and forgo the cleaning fee altogether. Accuracy Make sure your guests know what to expect when they rent your place. Be upfront about the number of bedrooms and bathrooms (and specify half or full), of course, but beware of misrepresenting other things too. For example, if your garage is too full to accommodate a car, specify that your rental has driveway (or street) parking only. Beware of subjective words like "nearby." If your home is two miles from the beach, say so. Check-In Guests want to check in easily, so be sure that your instructions are clear. If check-in requires that you be on site (and you usually are not) make sure you allow for the possibility that your guests will arrive early or be delayed. Communication If you've been an Airbnb host for a while, you know how important it is to communicate with guests in a timely way. Texts should be answered immediately if possible, particularly if the guest is on their way to or already at, your property. But five-star communication can mean more than this. Be sure to listen to what potential guests are telling you and communicate based on that information. For example, if you receive an inquiry from a family that indicates they have young children, let them know if your yard is fenced in or not and if your street has sidewalks. These are the kind of communications that let guests know you really care about their vacation. Location Being honest about your property's location and proximity to attractions is expected, but insider information on how to get to and from the airport (for instance, letting visitors know to avoid the main highway at rush hour) and local hidden gems can go a long way. Value You want to price your listing so that you get the maximum amount of money while listing as frequently as you want. But keep in mind that this category is called "value" and not "price," so if you're providing exemplary service in other areas, you can charge a little more for your rental. Amenities Describe any amenities, both on your property and nearby, accurately. If seasonality affects any of these, be sure to specify - for example, let people know if your pool is only usable between April and October. Overall Experience Airbnb asks for a separate rating for a guest's overall experience - this is not an average of the other ratings. It's pretty subjective, so you may have the least amount of control of this rating, but if you get five stars on each (or most) of the others, you should do well on this one too. Making a checklist of these eight areas can help you keep your Airbnb ratings high, which will help keep your property rented at the best possible price. More From GOBankingRates This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com : 8 Best Ways Airbnb Hosts Can Make More Money and Secure Positive Reviews