ON THE COVER
Charming Phillips Avenue Craftsman Andrew Wieting, an investment broker, and his wife Lisa, a pharmacy technician, had been guests through Airbnb in cities like San Francisco and Chicago. "It just seemed like something we would enjoy doing," said Andrew. They started hosting a year ago this month, and have been living in their 1919 craftsman for two years. Andrew recalled, “This house was a little rough when we bought it, so I’ve done a lot of work to it.” The Wieting's historic home on
////////// Phillips Avenue is just a few blocks from both downtown Sioux Falls and McKennan Park. There are two listings for their space: One is for the front bedroom on the main floor, and the other is for the two remaining bedrooms by the kitchen (you can stay in all three by booking both listings). Andrew said in the wintertime when it's slower, the front room is $35 a night and the two rooms are $45 a night. During busy season, the prices are bumped up to $45 for the front room and $55 for the two rooms. “We could charge more, but I think
it’s better having it full all of the time and meeting people," he said. Since you're renting a private room(s), Andrew and Lisa are typically in the home with you, but stay in the basement where they have a TV room and their master bedroom. “We basically have a live-in unit downstairs, so it works out pretty good,” said Andrew. Their dog, Lux, can also be found down there.
The Wietings put together a welcome letter with house rules and Wi-Fi information, as well as a list of local shops, attractions, and restaurants to check out. They learned these types of touches from their experiences as guests. Andrew says being an Airbnb host has been a great opportunity to make extra money. "We've had months where we bring in more than $2,000," he said. The flexibility has been nice as well, as hosts can set their calendar for when they want to allow guests or not (again, not part of Instant Book). Andrew enjoys being able to be as busy as they want to be.
Guests have the entire main floor, including the kitchen that has a "coffee and espresso nook," and the living room with a TV and the latest magazines. Toiletries are available in the bathroom, as well. “You can block dates and have dates open and available as much as you want. Some months where we’re “We keep the fridge stocked with items and have coffee and espres- going to be around a lot and don’t have family or friends staying over, so," said Andrew. "We make sure there are breakfast items avail- we can have 28 out of 30 days filled if we want," he said. "Some able."
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