Raleigh’s last bed-and-breakfast to close, blaming Airbnb

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The site has 471 listings in that city.... impact? Yeah, you bet.
While locally there are only 6 listings, the major impact for me comes from the 1k+ listings in the big city near me. We have banked on overflow from the hotel/bnb market there... it has hit us for the last 2 yrs. I mainly see the impact when looking at event periods where I use to fill up months in advance and now I am still sweating it out to hopefully fill my rooms the week prior.
The big city has been looking at the problem but has not done much. Personally I think it is a lack of man power driving the lackadaisical attitude. And the council just approved car sharing movement (Ub er). The odd thing is they require lots of red tape (and $$$) for businesses who have van pooling for their employees.
 
Thanks CH!
46 within an hour of me from the mountains, our nearby city and one lake.
 
This also our slowest year ever out of 10. I know part of it is the weather, but it's not making sense to me at all. Is it airbNB? Or B**king.com? Or what? Scary. Just barely able to pay our taxes the other day cause reservation deposits are so slooooooow coming in. Although, this weekend was our busiest ever for the same time period, so Poppa and I are just keeping the faith, trusting the universe...
 
This also our slowest year ever out of 10. I know part of it is the weather, but it's not making sense to me at all. Is it airbNB? Or B**king.com? Or what? Scary. Just barely able to pay our taxes the other day cause reservation deposits are so slooooooow coming in. Although, this weekend was our busiest ever for the same time period, so Poppa and I are just keeping the faith, trusting the universe....
Egads, yes, taxes are due.
 
Depending on the date (and city) entered air listed 6 to 20 including me. One of the things that has hurt me is the glut of hotel rooms built since I opened - and more being built today. I estimate (conservatively) over 2000 rooms in the 40 miles in either direction along the Interstate (since WVU joined the Big 12). We at one time had 3 or 4 B & Bs in my county - I am the only one left. There are now 2 in the county north of me - across the mountain, one is in the boonies and knows she is a destination, not usually a travel stop as she is too far from the Interstate. The other is in the small town the other is a mailing address of. They are working together and the newest one is in the town.
I had a call last week from the Economic Development Office in another neighboring county asking about B & B - she thinks they need one in their college town. They used to have 2. One was a questionable even when it was in operation and the other was wonderful - a mansion and I mentored the original start-up owners. He lost one job (economy), trained for another line of work that took them to another State. The second owner (have no clue why she left) told me they were having a problem because the college was renting dorm rooms to visitors almost cheaper than she could do breakfast ($35 per).
 
Firstly let me say that in the UK I think the impact of air is much less, because already anyone can let out their spare room and call themselves a bandb, no taxes (other than personal), only limited legislation.
last year I listed one room with them and we had a few bookings.
this year I added the rest of my rooms and implemented an interface so my property management system syncs daily with their availability calendar. So far this year I've had absolutely nothing from them.
 
This also our slowest year ever out of 10. I know part of it is the weather, but it's not making sense to me at all. Is it airbNB? Or B**king.com? Or what? Scary. Just barely able to pay our taxes the other day cause reservation deposits are so slooooooow coming in. Although, this weekend was our busiest ever for the same time period, so Poppa and I are just keeping the faith, trusting the universe....
Momma Smurf said:
This also our slowest year ever out of 10. I know part of it is the weather, but it's not making sense to me at all. Is it airbNB? Or B**king.com? Or what? Scary. Just barely able to pay our taxes the other day cause reservation deposits are so slooooooow coming in. Although, this weekend was our busiest ever for the same time period, so Poppa and I are just keeping the faith, trusting the universe...
Fascinating how B&B's in the UK are doing well, while in USA its all chains and motels. Why would Air effect you when you could sign up with them and sell your rooms through them also?
 
This also our slowest year ever out of 10. I know part of it is the weather, but it's not making sense to me at all. Is it airbNB? Or B**king.com? Or what? Scary. Just barely able to pay our taxes the other day cause reservation deposits are so slooooooow coming in. Although, this weekend was our busiest ever for the same time period, so Poppa and I are just keeping the faith, trusting the universe....
Momma Smurf said:
This also our slowest year ever out of 10. I know part of it is the weather, but it's not making sense to me at all. Is it airbNB? Or B**king.com? Or what? Scary. Just barely able to pay our taxes the other day cause reservation deposits are so slooooooow coming in. Although, this weekend was our busiest ever for the same time period, so Poppa and I are just keeping the faith, trusting the universe...
Fascinating how B&B's in the UK are doing well, while in USA its all chains and motels. Why would Air effect you when you could sign up with them and sell your rooms through them also?
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Evan said:
Why would Air effect you when you could sign up with them and sell your rooms through them also?
Perhaps because many of the people listing places on Air can under-cut the traditional market prices since (a) they're doing this on the side, not necessarily as a self-supporting business, and/or (b) they're avoiding many of the costs that go with being a legally-licensed, tax-paying, fully-insured, real business...
 
This also our slowest year ever out of 10. I know part of it is the weather, but it's not making sense to me at all. Is it airbNB? Or B**king.com? Or what? Scary. Just barely able to pay our taxes the other day cause reservation deposits are so slooooooow coming in. Although, this weekend was our busiest ever for the same time period, so Poppa and I are just keeping the faith, trusting the universe....
Momma Smurf said:
This also our slowest year ever out of 10. I know part of it is the weather, but it's not making sense to me at all. Is it airbNB? Or B**king.com? Or what? Scary. Just barely able to pay our taxes the other day cause reservation deposits are so slooooooow coming in. Although, this weekend was our busiest ever for the same time period, so Poppa and I are just keeping the faith, trusting the universe...
Fascinating how B&B's in the UK are doing well, while in USA its all chains and motels. Why would Air effect you when you could sign up with them and sell your rooms through them also?
.
Evan said:
Why would Air effect you when you could sign up with them and sell your rooms through them also?
Because at our price point we offer so many more amenities than you will find in an Air place including a full breakfast. We are an entirely different experience and can not compete with low Air rates. Folks also know that we are licensed and have the required inspections and systems in place to insure their safety. We are not a hobby or a pop-up, but an established regulated business that incurs all the costs of legally being such.
 
This also our slowest year ever out of 10. I know part of it is the weather, but it's not making sense to me at all. Is it airbNB? Or B**king.com? Or what? Scary. Just barely able to pay our taxes the other day cause reservation deposits are so slooooooow coming in. Although, this weekend was our busiest ever for the same time period, so Poppa and I are just keeping the faith, trusting the universe....
Momma Smurf said:
This also our slowest year ever out of 10. I know part of it is the weather, but it's not making sense to me at all. Is it airbNB? Or B**king.com? Or what? Scary. Just barely able to pay our taxes the other day cause reservation deposits are so slooooooow coming in. Although, this weekend was our busiest ever for the same time period, so Poppa and I are just keeping the faith, trusting the universe...
Fascinating how B&B's in the UK are doing well, while in USA its all chains and motels. Why would Air effect you when you could sign up with them and sell your rooms through them also?
.
Evan said:
Why would Air effect you when you could sign up with them and sell your rooms through them also?
Perhaps because many of the people listing places on Air can under-cut the traditional market prices since (a) they're doing this on the side, not necessarily as a self-supporting business, and/or (b) they're avoiding many of the costs that go with being a legally-licensed, tax-paying, fully-insured, real business...
.
and did not see this until after I responded to Evan... yet we are totally in synch in our replies
 
This also our slowest year ever out of 10. I know part of it is the weather, but it's not making sense to me at all. Is it airbNB? Or B**king.com? Or what? Scary. Just barely able to pay our taxes the other day cause reservation deposits are so slooooooow coming in. Although, this weekend was our busiest ever for the same time period, so Poppa and I are just keeping the faith, trusting the universe....
Momma Smurf said:
This also our slowest year ever out of 10. I know part of it is the weather, but it's not making sense to me at all. Is it airbNB? Or B**king.com? Or what? Scary. Just barely able to pay our taxes the other day cause reservation deposits are so slooooooow coming in. Although, this weekend was our busiest ever for the same time period, so Poppa and I are just keeping the faith, trusting the universe...
Fascinating how B&B's in the UK are doing well, while in USA its all chains and motels. Why would Air effect you when you could sign up with them and sell your rooms through them also?
.
Evan said:
Fascinating how B&B's in the UK are doing well, while in USA its all chains and motels. Why would Air effect you when you could sign up with them and sell your rooms through them also?
The price is the main difference. Those that are flying under the radar are not paying all the licensing fees, insurance, collecting sales taxes or reporting income.
I wonder what people think when they book somewhere for $30 a night when most places are well over a hundred. There is always some reason (sometimes a list of reasons) why there is such a price difference.
 
Allow me to share a very real analogy, and this is one that could spawn ramifications in replies, so I do apologize in advance... but I want to say it is the same way hiring illegal aliens to do the work of tax paying employees has impacted what we do and how we live.
I am not saying anything negative about any person or peoples, I love everyone. My heart goes out to people who fight to put a meal on the table and provide for their families, if you know me you would know that.
heart.gif
 
This also our slowest year ever out of 10. I know part of it is the weather, but it's not making sense to me at all. Is it airbNB? Or B**king.com? Or what? Scary. Just barely able to pay our taxes the other day cause reservation deposits are so slooooooow coming in. Although, this weekend was our busiest ever for the same time period, so Poppa and I are just keeping the faith, trusting the universe....
Momma Smurf said:
This also our slowest year ever out of 10. I know part of it is the weather, but it's not making sense to me at all. Is it airbNB? Or B**king.com? Or what? Scary. Just barely able to pay our taxes the other day cause reservation deposits are so slooooooow coming in. Although, this weekend was our busiest ever for the same time period, so Poppa and I are just keeping the faith, trusting the universe...
Fascinating how B&B's in the UK are doing well, while in USA its all chains and motels. Why would Air effect you when you could sign up with them and sell your rooms through them also?
.
Evan said:
Fascinating how B&B's in the UK are doing well, while in USA its all chains and motels. Why would Air effect you when you could sign up with them and sell your rooms through them also?
The price is the main difference. Those that are flying under the radar are not paying all the licensing fees, insurance, collecting sales taxes or reporting income.
I wonder what people think when they book somewhere for $30 a night when most places are well over a hundred. There is always some reason (sometimes a list of reasons) why there is such a price difference.
.
Copperhead said:
Evan said:
Fascinating how B&B's in the UK are doing well, while in USA its all chains and motels. Why would Air effect you when you could sign up with them and sell your rooms through them also?
The price is the main difference. Those that are flying under the radar are not paying all the licensing fees, insurance, collecting sales taxes or reporting income.
I wonder what people think when they book somewhere for $30 a night when most places are well over a hundred. There is always some reason (sometimes a list of reasons) why there is such a price difference.
Ah OK thanks for that, basically B&B's in the UK can run without VAT (sales tax) until they hit a certain threshold of around £80k, no licensing fees, cheap insurance, cheap taxes on income. Now I see why theres such a difference.
 
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