There is so much focus on Airbnb interior design but first impression is the exterior of your listing. It’s so import for you to understand these exterior design Airbnb tips for your listing!

There is so much to prep and manage as you get your listing up and running, worrying about how your listing looks on the outside is probably the last thing you’re thinking about. To be honest, I think that is ok. Most guests are booking your property based on the interior amenities unless your destination’s amenities call for exterior ones.

You do not need to spend a lot of money on the exterior of your listing but you do need to care well for it as it is the first impression guests will get of the listing. I am going to give you 11 easy exterior design Airbnb tips for your listing that do not cost a lot of money.

This post is all about design Airbnb. 

Best Exterior Design Airbnb Tips

1. Clean and well lit parking area

Having a clean and well lit parking area is directly correlated to guest experience and will impact your reviews. This one seems pretty obvious but do not make anything ambiguous for your guests. Put pictures in your check in instructions on exactly where they can park and how they access the front door to the listing from the parking area to take the guesswork out of everything. If it seems obvious, still document! I recommend having flood lights that turn on automatically so you’re not relying on your cleaners or previous guests to keep the lights on for the guests coming in at night.

One of my listings is in a neighborhood that doesn’t have street lights which is incredible hard for guests to find the property late at night. I clearly communicate this in my listing description and check in instructions so they know to expect it to be pitch black at night. This eliminates almost all guest questions for late arrivals.

2. Clean and well-kept exterior

You’ll want to ensure the exterior of the building is kept free from spider webs, insects, birds nests, dirt and grime on the walkways. It’s definitely worth having your cleaners or a handyman pressure wash the exterior every 6 months and getting your windows professionally cleaned. These little maintenance things matter so much! Also, have your property professionally sprayed for bugs regularly. The last thing you want is to get a guest call for spiders or insects.

One of my listings is in an area that is known for water roaches (YUCK!). I disclose this in my listing description but also get the house professionally sprayed every month to stay on top of any major issues. If your listing is in an area with a lot of insects, definitely pay for this, it will directly affect your listing’s reviews.

3. Maintained yard and flower beds

Landscapers are worth their weight in gold! If you do have a yard, make sure it is well maintained and groomed. Replace dead plants and actively add to your flower beds. Resorts are what we want to model our listings after. Most major resorts have elaborate gardens and flower beds making for an inspiring and relaxing environment for their guests. Use these properties as inspiration and I know it will pay off.

I really focus on this and while most guests don’t use the exterior, the fact that it’s so beautiful comes up a lot in my public reviews. I truly believe it sets my listing apart from the rest in my area.

4. Good exterior lighting

Like discussed above with the parking area flood lights, you’ll want to have good exterior lighting so guests can clearly see walk paths, doors and get to their car at night. There are many solar and timer options so you can be hands off and no one has to remember to turn lights on and off every day.

5. Clear walkway areas up to the doors

All walkways need to be clear and clean up to doors. If you don’t have concrete paths, line with pavers or decomposed granite. Guests will be hauling in luggage and other items so you want it to be an easy experience for them hauling all their stuff back and forth.

This is also crucial to maintaining the exterior of your property. If you don’t have clear walkways, guests could end up walking through flower beds or garden areas where they shouldn’t further damaging the look of your property.

6. Easy amenities

Add easy win amenities like a swing, hammock, fire pit or lawn games. You will get points on the Airbnb platform and your listing will stand out from the competition but the cost to add these are super low. You can literally pick up a fire pit for $100 and not provide the wood and guests will be thrilled. Now if the house comes with big amenities like a pool, leverage that in your listing photos and provide fun toys for guests to use.

7. Outdoor seating

Whether you have a condo with a small balcony or large property with a big patio, outdoor seating is crucial. By adding something as simple as a bistro table with a chair or two, you’re adding another room or work space for guests. If you have space for a dining table, add that as well. Guests will truly appreciate the ability to get outside in nature and enjoy the sun for a meal.

8. BBQ

A BBQ is another easy amenity win! This gives your guests cooking options and let’s be real, the men will love this. It can be as simple as a charcoal grill or as fancy as a Traeger. Either way, I would personally classify a grill as a necessary amenity. Get one on sale at Home Depot or off of Facebook Marketplace. You want your guests to feel at home and to have as many cooking necessities as possible when staying at your listing. Your guests will love this!

9. Clean exterior windows

Make sure to keep up with this maintenance as most cleaning companies will charge extra and won’t do the exteriors without an additional fee. What I have found works well is to do them after the rainy season and maybe one other time during the year depending on the area. For more mountainous terrain with extra dirt, they need to be cleaned way more often. If you’re boasting beautiful views, make sure those windows are cleaned regularly! The last thing you want is guests trying to enjoy the view through water stained windows.

10. Colorful front door

This is not only a super fun way to add eye catching design but it makes it very easy for guests to identify the house. I’ve found that having a smooth check in process is vital to securing a 5 star review and by making it super easy for guests to identify the front door, that makes the process that much smoother.

I’ve done a handful of colors over the years that I would probably never do at my primary residence but since it’s a vacation rental, why not have fun with it! Make sure the color coordinates well with the exterior siding colors and doesn’t clash. Pinterest is a great resource for this and you can find all kinds of free resources with actual paint names for every brand of paint out there.

 

11. Front door security camera

Having a front door security camera is crucial and should be a staple at every short term rental property you own. It comes in handy in SO many ways, I can’t even believe it. Everything from helping guests with check in, to seeing if they’ve checked out, talk to delivery people, check weather conditions from afar, monitoring who’s coming and going, double checking your cleaners are showing up when they say they are and so many more reasons. You obviously need to disclose this to guests in your listing and Airbnb has a dedicated section for you to do so. Below is a snap shot of my camera at a property. It over looks the front yard and is one of the best management tools I have in place.

Airbnb design ideas for the exterior

There are many other things you can add depending on your market. Airdna.co has a great amenities tracker for each market where you can see the top ones for your area. You should absolutely check this out and see what the top amenities are for your area. How can you implement these amenities in your listing to ensure you have what guests are looking for when they travel to your area.

While specific amenities will be largely decided by market, this exterior design Airbnb tips list is evergreen and will apply to any listing in any market around the world. What do you do on the exterior of your listing to keep it attractive to guests? I’d love to know in the comments below!

This post was all about exterior design Airbnb tips.