One of the things I learned over the weekend is that Brattleboro is home to quite a few AirBnB rentals. If you haven’t heard of it, it is an online service to connect people with spare rooms and houses with vacation rental seekers, and to facilitate payments.
The first one I learned of when my sister was booking a stay. “Is this near you?” as she showed me a photo of the house directly opposite ours. She made her reservation. (Other family members followed up with other rentals about town.)
Doing a quick search for a trip to Brattleboro this coming weekend shows at least 7 locations in town, with an average $95 a night fee for services provided.
Seven are available this weekend, but that’s not how many people in Brattleboro are getting paid to rent out their homes and extra rooms, it is just how many locations are available right now for this weekend. Change arrival and departure times, or any other details, and the number of matching results changes.
$95 for 50 Saturday night rentals would amount to $4,750 in income. Book your $95 a night place for half a year (180 days) and you would earn $17,100. Wear and tear, cleaning, utilities, taxes, etc. would be your expenses.
But what of the Brattleboro Business License? Are these entrepreneurs under the town’s radar? How fair is this for licensed B & B’s and hotels in town?
AirBnB charges extra taxes in some locations, but my sister couldn’t find any mention of a local option rooms & meals tax on her statement for her rental in Brattleboro. She did see it noted on her statement for Woodstock, VT.
Very convenient, and good for extra income if you own property, but will this disruptor be able to coexist with other businesses? What say ye?
