Airbnb Is a Risky Neighbor

Re:Airbnb Is a Risky Neighbor by aianus on Saturday June 21, 2014 @07:53AM (#7924765)

All of that is true and is why an AirBnb costs more than renting an apartment. However, the cost difference between an AirBnb and a comparable hotel room is all regulation.

Without the regulation, it would be unprofitable to sublease a single apartment on AirBnb as you'd be unable to compete with people who can run a whole building at scale with dedicated maid service etc.

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Re:Airbnb Is a Risky Neighbor by tptacek on Saturday June 21, 2014 @03:46PM (#7925890)

No, you've oversimplified again. Many whole-home Airbnb rentals --- most, if the narrative of the site is to believed --- are owner-occupied. They don't have the inventory risk problem. A hotel is an investment that must make some minimum return, or else go out of business.

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Re:Airbnb Is a Risky Neighbor by aianus on Saturday June 21, 2014 @10:13PM (#7926656)

I had the impression that most AirBnbs in NYC were not owner-occupied but full-time AirBnbs and that's what people were complaining about.

Anyways if you improve the legal alternatives and the margins get low enough I think a lot of the owner-occupied ones will simply give up. Right now it's so insanely profitable that it's well worth the work and inconveniences (and legal risk!) even for middle class people.

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