Tips for negotiating a deal on Airbnb

Who doesn’t love a nice vacation in the summer? If you’re like me, you probably scour Airbnb listings just as much as hotels when it comes to figuring out lodging for your travel plans. What I love about Airbnb compared to hotels is the ability to negotiate your rate directly with the property owner or manager. In this article I’m going to share some tips for negotiating a deal on Airbnb.

You don’t get what you don’t ask for

When looking at prices on Airbnb keep in mind the listing prices are the asking prices. Much like a real estate deal, you can always try to negotiate. There’s no guarantee that the property owner will engage with you, but there’s no harm in trying first. Even if I know I am going to end up booking a listing at the offered price, I’ll still inquire to see if there is room to make an adjustment on the price.

Here’s a few tips to put the odds in your favor:

1. Give background and come off like a “real person,” not a bot: short info about who you are traveling with, why, etc
2. Do them a favor: compliment your offer with a promise to book right away, or agree to waive the refund policy
3. Share your budget and be reasonable: If you want 10% off, share a budget that lines up with 15% off.
4. Name an “all in” price: this will ensure that if they do negotiate with you, they’re taking taxes and fees into consideration
5. Reference the market and hint at booking elsewhere: find competing listing that are priced lower and hint at booking elsewhere if they can’t make the numbers work
6. Manifest your stay: sign off with, “looking forward to booking with you” — research shows this is a solid tactic in sales and it works in negotiations too
7. Keep trying: you’re going to get rejected more times than not, that’s just a part of it.

This is not a fool proof system—like I said, I am usually prepared to pay full price when I start out with these attempts. Here’s an example of a no-hassle deal I was able to work out for a Labor Day vacation this summer:

And here’s an example of an unsuccessful attempt:

Again, you’re going to get a lot more “no’s” than “yes’s” but persistence can pay off. One of the biggest perks of booking through Airbnb is your ability to negotiate directly with property owners or managers, so make sure you are at least trying! Feel free to reach out if you’d like more travel hacks for saving money on your vacations.