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Debra Clarke, in advertising and marketing and launching her own interior decorating firm, outfitted her home with eclectic furnishings and decor. (Photo by Jay Paul)
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The 2,600-square-foot home includes a suite with a king bed and two suites with queen beds. (Photo by Mia Artz)
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Guests are free to use the Clarkes’ remodeled kitchen. Cabinets were updated with a fresh coat of blue paint and accented with butcher-block countertops. (Photo by Mia Artz)
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There’s plenty of room to dine in, or out at one of Church Hill’s popular restaurants. (Photo by Mia Artz)
Treasure Trove
Location: Church Hill
Price: $425/night for the entire house
Working for an international auction house, Debra Clarke and her husband found themselves traveling so frequently that they decided to rent out their Church Hill home while they were on the road for business.
“We travel so much, and the house sat empty,” says Clarke. “When we would travel, I would have to pay [to board] the dogs, and it was expensive. Now [rental income] pays for the dogs, we make some money and the house isn’t empty.”
Clarke initially opened her home in September 2015 during the UCI Road World Cycling Championships, renting the house to a racer, her husband and their child. An experienced Airbnb-er herself, Clarke was familiar with the website, as she and her family have been using it for years. “We’ve used it everywhere — France, Scotland, England, Italy, Morocco, Sri Lanka, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Mexico, L.A., New York, D.C., Florida,” she says. “Lots and lots of places.”
Built in 1860, the Clarkes’ renovated 2,600-square-foot home has three bedrooms, each with its own private bathroom to give guests plenty of privacy. Amenities include a spa tub, a ping pong table, a sprawling deck and a backyard fire pit.
It’s only fitting that Clarke’s home is dressed to the nines — original artwork, vintage décor and fabulous furnishings are found throughout — as she is launching her interior decorating business DC Design. Within walking distance of neighborhood eateries such as Sub Rosa and The Roosevelt, the house gives out-of-towners an idea of what it’s like to live in Church Hill.
Most of the Clarkes’ guests are families of college students who are in town to visit their children or attend graduations. Weddings keep the house booked up as well, with small groups coming to town for weekend celebrations.
“They are very respectful about things,” says Clarke of her guests. “I have to do a couple hours’ worth of tidying, but I make good money on it. It’s worth it. … And [it] helps us pay for our traveling — very often to Airbnb destinations.”
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Kevin Comly, a middle school teacher and musician, and Jessie Gemmer, an architect and University of Virginia instructor, rent the upstairs of their Fan home to travelers via Airbnb. (Photo by Jay Paul)
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To update the kitchen, the couple removed scalloped wood valances and cabinet doors, and they painted the cabinetry a soothing blue and white. (Photo by Jay Paul)
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“People always make the bed and clean up after themselves,” says Gemmer. “I appreciate people being sweet.” (Photo by Jay Paul)
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The creative couple lovingly restored the house and added their own touches, like the marbleized mural painted above the fireplace. (Photo by Jay Paul)
A Historic Haven
Location: The Fan
Price: $75/night for the upstairs bedroom and bath or $115/night for the entire house
For homeowners Jessie Gemmer and Kevin Comly, who regularly bunk at Airbnb properties when they travel, it was only fitting that they open up their historic Fan home to fellow adventurers.
Built in 1842, their 1,200-square-foot house is the oldest in The Fan and once was used as a manager’s residence for a plantation on the James. “We got really lucky,” says Gemmer of their two-bedroom, two-bath abode.
The couple purchased the home three years ago, and just a few months after moving in and fixing up the house, they decided to list their upstairs bedroom and bath on Airbnb as a rental. The couple also rents out the entire house when on vacation to offset travel costs.
“People have a respect for us as the homeowner and the space as well,” says Comly of their guests.
For privacy, Airbnb guests have the run of the entire second floor — bedroom, bathroom and landing at the top of the stairs. While the couple resides in the downstairs bedroom, they open up their common spaces to travelers as well, the living area for relaxing and the cheerful kitchen for cooking.
According to online reviews, travelers who have stayed with the couple appreciate their funky sense of style, expressed via vintage furniture along with eclectic art and décor. There are plenty of historic touches as well, from the four fireplaces to the clawfoot tub in the guest bath.
“The reason people like our house the most is because of the cats,” Gemmer says with a laugh. “Cat people stay here.” The couple’s three cats, Omar, Winkle and Turtle, act as a greeting committee and even enjoy curling up with guests at night. Gemmer and Comly also keep chickens in their fenced backyard and provide fresh eggs for their guests.
The Airbnb network has allowed the couple to forge new friendships while providing them with contacts in other cities for when they are passing through and need a place to bunk.
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Interior designer Kelly Brown renovated her bungalow with Airbnb in mind. (Photo by Jay Paul)
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Brown created a contemporary full bath off the guest room, incorporating brass fixtures and sleek subway tile. (Photo by Kelly Brown)
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Guestroom amenities include comfortable bedding, a garment rack, a mini fridge and a coffee maker. (Photo by Kelly Brown)
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Guests have access to the newly expanded kitchen and spacious, light-filled living room. (Photo by Kelly Brown)
Cheery Bungalow
Location: Near Carytown
Price: $60/night for the back guestroom and bath
When living off Boulevard in a one-bedroom apartment, interior designer Kelly Brown of Kelly Brown Interiors opened her door to travelers for free through the website couchsurfing.com. “I loved the hosting aspect of it,” she says, “and I loved meeting new people from all over the world.” After her positive experience with couchsurfing.com, Brown decided to take her hosting to the next level and try Airbnb. “It’s on another level because there is a monetary exchange, and a certain expectation [from] your guests.”
After purchasing a 1,300-square-foot 1940s bungalow in January 2016, Brown renovated the house with Airbnb in mind. “I wanted to live somewhere where someone else was paying my mortgage and I could generate an income,” she says of her home, which is an easy walk to Carytown.
Along with renovating the main part of the house — opening up the kitchen and breakfast nook to the living space — Brown reworked the 150-square-foot addition off the back of the house, which was built in the 1950s as a porch, living room and half bath. She transformed the porch into a laundry area with a separate entrance for the Airbnb rental, turned the half bath into a full bath and switched out the baseboard heat for old-school radiators. In February 2017, after renovations were complete in the back room, she listed the space on the site.
The original white oak floors and white walls give the space a bright and airy feel. Brown outfitted the room with a mix of vintage furnishings and an IKEA canopy bed.
Her guests range from business travelers who stay the week to out-of-towners who are considering moving to Richmond and want to get a sense of the city by renting in a residential neighborhood.
“If I didn’t have someone in that room, then it’s wasted space,” she says. “Why not meet new people, make new friendships and make a little money off of it?”
Airbnb by the Numbers
$89: The average price per night to rent an entire home in Richmond
4.8/5 stars: The average home rating in Richmond on Airbnb
820: The number of hosts who shared their home at least once in 2017 in the city of Richmond
$924: How much Airbnb hosts make per month on average (worldwide), according to Priceonomics
4 million: The number of Airbnb listings worldwide
65,000: The number of cities with listings on Airbnb
Considering listing your property on Airbnb? Get to know the pros and cons.
PROS
- Renting out a room in your home allows you to build relationships with people from across the country and around the world.
- Rental income can offset your mortgage and other living expenses.
- If you rent out your house while you’re away on vacation, it may pay for your travel costs.
- Hosting is a good motivator to maintain your home, as you will always be tidying for the next guest.
CONS
- Your house must be very clean.
- From sheets to towels, you’ll be doing a lot of laundry.
- For peace of mind, you will want to lock up your valuables.
- Managing rentals is not passive income; it’s a job that requires continual effort.
The Legal Side
- In March 2017, then-Gov. Terry McAuliffe signed legislation to allow local regulation on short-term rentals like Airbnbs. Thanks to Senate Bill 1578, local governments now can create ordinances requiring residents to submit their short-term rentals in a local registry. Virginia cities can levy a penalty of as much as $500 on residents who fail to register their Airbnb properties. (The city of Richmond thus far has not created such a registry.)
- Airbnb rental income should be reported on your yearly tax return. You can deduct certain rental expenses on your tax return, such as mortgage interest, property tax, operating expenses, depreciation and repair, according to the Internal Revenue Service.
- Call your insurance company and let them know that you are renting your dwelling using Airbnb, as they may suggest that you get landlord rental property insurance. This policy protects the property and yourself, covering structures, belongings, loss of rental income, and medical payments if someone is injured on the property.