The unfortunate truth is that not everyone is a fan of short term rentals. Bad guests, or what I call “goddamn guests” cause problems for neighbors and one bad apple spoils the bunch. That’s why not every city is Airbnb-friendly. Navigating Airbnb’s local laws can be tricky, and it’s essential to know the rules before spending all that time and money on something that isn’t allowed. If you want to do Airbnb arbitrage, you have to find out if you need a permit to do in that city.
A Personal Story of Mine
Recently, I was working with a friend of mine who lives in Turkey. He has a great apartment and wanted to make some rental income while he wasn’t living there. Since I was a host, he wanted to do cohosting with me. We spent a lot of time planning, installing a smart lock for self-check-in, and even upgrading the furniture to make the place more guest-friendly. After getting everything set up, I created the Airbnb listing, thinking we were good to go.
But then, just as I was about to hit “publish,” Airbnb flagged the listing, telling me that a permit was required to host in that city. All that planning, time, and effort for nothing because we didn’t check the local regulations first. It was a big lesson learned, and I want to help you avoid the same mistake.
This Tip will Tell You if Airbnb is Permitted in Your City
There’s a quick to check if short-term rentals are allowed in the city of your choice.
Create an Airbnb Listing as a Draft
Start by creating a listing but do not go publish it live. It will stay as a draft. Then
add some placeholder photos and a simple description. You don’t need to spend a lot of time—this is just for testing purposes.
Use the Property’s Address
Enter the actual address of the property or, if you’re just exploring, grab a random address from Google Maps in the area.
Check for Local Laws at the Final Step
Once you reach the last step of the process, Airbnb will automatically notify you if any permits are required to host in that city. The platform has built-in tools that check local regulations, and if there are specific rules or permits needed, they will tell you before you can publish the listing.
This quick trick can save you a lot of time and frustration, just like it would have saved me in Turkey. Before you get too far into the planning process, take a few minutes to see if Airbnb hosting is even allowed in your area. It’s a small step that can save you from a major headache down the road.
Doing Airbnb arbitrage takes a lot of time, money, and it can be full of headaches. That’s where we come in. Our property management services handle everything—from getting your property permit-ready to managing guest communications, check-ins, and maintenance. Let us take care of the details so you can enjoy the benefits of hassle-free hosting! Use the contact form in the footer to reach out to our team – we are looking forward to hearing from you.
