2361: Alligator Tears

[Eric M]

Originally Posted by My Sweaty Balls

A small businessman sees an opportunity and capitalises on it.

Chemda usually is supportive. Ari is way more morally sound than candy crush.

Great guests by the way.

Sent from my foam - stupid auto correct.

What he's actually doing doesn't really bother me at all it's just that he's acting like he's doing some noble service for the renters of New York when really he's just pissed off at Airbnb and trying to mess with them while making some money. He isn't going to even dent their system in the long run. He was annoying to listen to. He filibusters too much and holds on to the attention even when his thought has run its course

[My Sweaty Balls]

Originally Posted by Keith

Show me what 1436 bags looks like.

Give or take.

The look about 1mm thick - 1436 if stacked vertically would be about the height of a 10 year old child.

[starscream]

Originally Posted by My Sweaty Balls

The look about 1mm thick - 1436 if stacked vertically would be about the height of a 10 year old child.

OK, but how many 10 year olds stacked vertically to reach the moon?

[scottperezfox]

One thing that didn't really come up in the Airbnb conversation was the folks who will rent out only a room, not the entire apartment. These folks — whether they rent or own*— are presumed to live there as well, and thus will look after their guest to make sure no crime is committed or property is damaged. This, I feel, is the community aspect of Airbnb, where you actually get to meet people. The money is a nice bonus, and makes more sense than an empty room.

I don't have the numbers handy, but it seems like these are the bulk of listings. Most folks who rent out the entire apartment will only do so for one week every six months or so, if they go on vacation or something. But I agree that professional Airbnb-ers are definitely ruining the housing market overall. Not just in NYC, but these new "casual landlords" have been popping up all over, especially in places where lots of folks have second homes, like North Carolina or Arizona.

[starscream]

Yeah, and those second homes were never available before. I am on an island in Maine right now and half the houses are boarded up. People embracing Airbnb would only increase the available property here.

Mostly I don't get the whole place to myself though. In LA or in Brooklyn or in Portland (Oregon) I am in somebody's apartment who is renting a room out when they can or when they want because otherwise they can't afford to live in those cities and even if they could, having a roommate is fucking annoying. But they are a whole lot easier to endure when you know its only for a few days or weeks. Never mind when you are getting as much or more money from me for less time.

[Keith]

We enjoy Airbnb. We never came across a hotel type situation yet. They were definitely always real people.

Have you guys been coming across differently when you rented?

[starscream]

I've had some weird ones where I never meet the renter and things are just generally off. Seemed more incompetent than professional though. But I am generally getting lower priced shared apartment places. Getting an entire apartment in just a dream that comes true by accident once in awhile.

I have heard of people doing this on a smaller scale. In Los Angeles, mostly in places close to the ocean. They rent a place and then hire some sort of Airbnb specialist to run it for them. It doesn't sound like their sort of thing I could ever afford. In an apartment I could never afford under regular Ari-regulated circumstances.

And now actual hotels are getting into it themselves anyway...

[iheartnihilism]

If Sum 41 is one of your favorite bands, you deserve stabbed.

[Keith]

He just wants people to pay the appropriate tax. Is that too much to ask?!

[DaveNJ]

Originally Posted by Keith

He just wants people to pay the appropriate tax. Is that too much to ask?!

I don't think so. Businesses require different amounts of city services than private dwellings and can contain more risk, which taxes are in part designed to compensate for.

Again, I know people who broker Airbnb's in the city for folks with over a dozen locations. By squatting on rentals, they raise the price of housing in the city and take volume off the market.

A two bedroom walk-up in a Bushwick brownstone isn't a youth hostel. If you want more hotels and hostels in the city, that's fine, but people shouldn't be forced to live down the hall from them unless they choose to.

I think Airbnb can be terrific in a lot of places, but the practice of turning NYC rental properties into de facto hostels is real and does real damage. Those two things can be true at the same time.