Starting an Airbnb is one of the best ways to build long-term wealth. Whether you’re ready to build your own real estate empire, create passive income, or invest in a vacation rental you and your family will enjoy for years to come, starting your first short-term rental can help get you there.

But what happens if the perfect property to help you achieve your dreams is nowhere near you? Maybe you already own property that would be perfect for an Airbnb but it’s hundreds of miles away. Or maybe you found a great real estate investment in a vacation town far from you live. Or maybe you travel a lot and want to make sure you can keep your new Airbnb business running when you’re not at home.

Whatever the case, you need to know how to start an Airbnb that you manage remotely. The 7 can’t-miss tips below will help you do just that. (Take it from me, a more than 10x Airbnb Superhost who’s managed her Airbnb remotely since day one.)

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7 Superhost Hacks to Effortlessly Run Your Airbnb Remotely

Pro Tip: Starting a remote Airbnb is a lot like starting any other Airbnb. So, start by following this 7-step guide to setting up a typical short-term rental. You’ll need to do all the things in that list in addition to everything below.

1. Install a keyless entry

A keyless entry is an absolute must-have if you’re managing your property remotely because it allows you to remain in control of who has access to your property at all times. No matter where you are in the world, you can see exactly who has been entering your property and you can even change who has access at any time. Plus, unlike a traditional lock and key, you’re not giving your guests a physical key that can get lost or stolen, which would be a huge headache for you to deal with from afar.

I’ve found both the Kwikset keyless entry and Schlage Encode to be super reliable and easy to use.

Pro Tip: Even with a keyless entry, a lockbox with backup keys is crucial. You should also consider getting a Ring doorbell (so that you can monitor who’s coming and going, if necessary) and a Nest thermostat (to turn down your heating/cooling when guests aren’t staying with you.)

2. Plan for how you’ll restock supplies

If there’s anything I can say with 100% certainty about your Airbnb, it’s this: you’ll need to have a lot of supplies on hand and a plan for exactly how to restock them. That’s even more true if you manage your Airbnb remotely because you can’t just run to the store whenever you need something.

How will you know when crucial supplies (like shampoo, toilet paper, hand soap, dish detergent…the list goes on and on) need to be restocked? Hopefully your cleaners can let you know when items are running low. You’ll also want to do a thorough check yourself during your regular property maintenance checks.

How will you get those new items to your Airbnb? It’s a good idea to make sure you know WHERE you’ll order these items from (not every retailer will have what you need in the right quantity and for a reasonable price) and HOW you’ll get those items (Do these retailers deliver to your area? Can you get them delivered to your cleaners, rather than bothering your guests with a delivery?).

These might sound like small details, but figuring them out now will save you a huge headache down the road (and help you maximize profits!). Ensure you don’t miss a thing by using my 100+ essential items checklist.

Recommended: 100+ Essential Items for Your Airbnb (Complete Furniture & Supplies Checklist)

3. Make sure you have plenty of storage space

Before you open your short-term rental, be sure to stock up on all of your backup supplies (the items that will need to be refilled as guests use them). When you do, you’ll quickly figure out how much storage space you need (hint: it’s a lot!).

You’ll want to keep this space clean and organized so that your cleaners can easily find exactly what they need and you can easily keep track of items that are running low. You’ll also want to ensure that your storage spaces are locked so only the people you want to have access do.

Pro Tip: Your storage closet is another great place to add a keyless entry so you can remotely control exactly who does and doesn’t have access.

4. Throughly check all plumbing

Plumbing issues like leaks, frozen pipes, backed up toilets, and broken hot water heaters can quickly become huge disasters at an Airbnb. Prevent as many issues as possible by doing a thorough check of all plumbing at the property before your first guest arrives. If you don’t feel comfortable doing this yourself, ask a local plumber to do a preventative maintenance check for you (this is also a great time to start building a relationship with a local plumber who can quickly respond to issues when you can’t).

This is the time to address any small plumbing issues that are already popping up. Maybe your garbage disposal doesn’t always turn on. Maybe a toilet is starting to leak a bit. Addressing these minor issues now can save you tons of money down the road and help you avoid negative Airbnb reviews.

5. Find a good local handyman

You’d be surprised by just how many small things break at your Airbnb once guests who are unfamiliar with the property start spending time there. For example, just a couple of months after opening my Airbnb, a door handle needed to be replaced; two towel rods came loose; my blinds broke; and two sliding doors came off their tracks…just to name a few. Having a handyman who can stop by and address all these issues so they don’t impact other guests is essential.

Recommended: 5 Things That Went Wrong At My Airbnb This Summer

6. Plan to visit at least every six months (more often, if possible!)

Even after you do all of the above, there’s no replacement for you visiting the property yourself. In fact, planning for regular property visits might be the most essential step in this entire list.

That’s because there’s just no substitute for visiting your property yourself. No one will ever notice all of the small details you notice. Even if your guests do a great job telling you privately about small things they recommend fixing, you’re not going to hear about everything that needs your attention.

You can read about everything that I found my first time visiting my Airbnb six months after opening it. (I was BLOWN AWAY by everything that needed to be fixed!) Addressing these issues will help you get more 5-star reviews and avoid any potential disasters.

Recommended: Short-Term Rental Property Maintenance: Your Step-By-Step Guide

7. Brainstorm potential guest issues and how you’ll handle them

Lastly, take the time to brainstorm any potential guest issues that we haven’t covered above. Make a plan for how you would handle those issues remotely.

For me, the most common problem I run into is needing to replace my parking passes. Since my Airbnb is a condo, every guest who parks in our shared lot is required to put a parking pass in their windshield. And, it’s common for guests to forget to put these parking passes back in the Airbnb before checking out.

To prevent this from happening as much as possible, I tell guests on three different occasions that they need to replace both passes otherwise there will be a $50 fee (see my Airbnb messages and house rules.) Unfortunately, I’ve still had a few guests who forget to put them back (I don’t blame them, it happens to me when I stay there, too!)

When that happens, I do enforce the $50 fee, because that’s really how much my HOA bills me for each new pass. Thankfully, my condo’s property manager is fantastic and will drop off a new pass inside my condo because I can’t go pick it up myself. Without that, I have no idea how I would replace those passes. Make sure you have a plan like that for anything that’s likely to go wrong while you’re away.

If there are a lot of potential issues that you can’t (or don’t want to) handle yourself, consider hiring a co-host.

Recommended: Don’t Hire An Airbnb Co-Host Without Reading This First

Takeaway

Now you know how to start an Airbnb that you’ll manage remotely! There’s not too much to it, but doing all of these things in advance will really help you succeed as you manage your property from afar.

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Any questions about managing an Airbnb remotely? Let me know in the comments!