We began hosting on Airbnb in 2018 in Denver, Colorado.

At the time, Alex was managing a brewery and Elizabeth was pursuing a master’s degree and working part-time as a freelance designer. When we learned we would be welcoming a baby the following year, we realized we needed a little more space than our modest one-bedroom apartment provided.

Denver has strict primary-residence laws for short-term rentals, and people were looking for creative, legal ways to Airbnb their rental properties.

A company called Loftium provided a solution. They partnered with home-owners and tenants to “house-hack” properties — half Airbnb, half primary-resident renter (Host) — and created a profit-share model so all would benefit. We worked with Loftium and managed two Airbnbs on our property, all while juggling work, school, a new baby and two dogs.

In 2020, we moved home to Virginia, bought a house we knew would work for both our family and as an Airbnb, and got to work. Now, our “Cozy Guest Suite in Bon Air” is consistently occupied with Airbnb guests who love their experience and often come back to stay with us again.

We have learned a lot over the past 6 years and, along they way, have improved our processes and guest experience. We have hosting down to a science, though we are still absorbing new lessons all the time. At the end of the day, we love hosting and want to share our experience with others.