Creating a listing
Some of our hosts requested to hide the "nearby listings section" on their listing page(s). You will need to sign up to our Lite Plan to be able to do this.
Go to:
- Your Account > Settings & Privacy
- Scroll Down to: Nearby Listings and select Hide.
How long does it take for nearby listings to stop showing on my page?
Instantly once you subscribe to our Lite Plan.
Why do you offer this option?
We created this option for the very few members who wanted this. As it goes against our community spirit we made this a paid for option. Airbnb does not show nearby listings at all.
Where do I see nearby listings on my Houfy listing page?
You will see the Nearby Listings section below the Policies & Rules section when viewing your listing.
Listing your property for FREE on Houfy (excluding a 1 time Host verification fee) is simple. No commissions. No traveler service fees. Your Place, Your Rules.
Here are a few reasons why you should join Houfy:
- Communicate directly with your prospective renters via phone, text, or email so you can vet them before booking; no hidden phone numbers or emails. Set your own rules; Houfy does not override your cancellation policies.
- Create FREE local guidebooks that you and your guests can share on social media.
- Houfy is a great tool in addition to your own website. We offer calendar, quote, reviews, and pricing embed tools.
- Use your Houfy listing as a website to link to your Google My Business Listing or Facebook page & be found on Houfy for travelers who google your property to avoid paying service fees. Have your repeat guests book for FREE on Houfy!
FAQ About Houfy
Want to save time?
Before creating your listing, send a quick TEST INQUIRY as a traveler to this listing. It will save you a ton of time during set up since you will have already seen the process of a traveler booking: where they are presented your policies, where they agree to them, what the message field prompt says, where the credit card field is, and what notification the traveler receives on their end. NOTE: This listing has Square or Stripe connected so is online bookable. Those without one of these processors connected will only receive inquiries instead of "booking requests."
1) Import or manually add listing to Houfy
Adding your listing is extremely simple! You can do this by using our import tool if you have a VRBO/Airbnb listing OR just manually add your listing. After clicking the link above, be sure to scroll down to use the import tool. The import tool adds your listing to our network in less than 10 seconds. This will import you entire listing except for the Calendar and Rates.
How do I find my Airbnb url?
How do I find my Vrbo url?
2) How do Rental Agreements work on Houfy?
Hosts can add a rental agreement or choose not to use one at all. Travelers will "click to agree" to your policies before booking or sending an inquiry. Hosts can require guests to return a signed agreement along with ID if they wish.
Tips for creating a rental agreement:
- Here are some sample Rental Agreements hosts are welcome to use.
- Reasons why it's a good idea for guests to sign a rental agreement.
- Reasons why it's a good idea to verify ID of the credit card holder.
- Why it's a good idea for guests to sign and acknowledge your cancellation policy.
- Here is where travelers view your rental agreement during the booking process.
3) How do lodging taxes work on Houfy?
Does Houfy collect, file, and remit my lodging tax?
4) How do payments work on Houfy?
Follow these steps to allow your guests to pay online easliy just like they would on Airbnb or Vrbo:
- Stripe and Square: Which Should You Use?
- How do I connect Square or Stripe to Houfy?
- FAQ: How do payments work with Houfy?
- How does a traveler reserve my property and make payment?
5) How can I set up a damage deposit on my listing?
6) Final and most important step when listing on Houfy
**** Be sure to do test inquiries in order to become familiar with the platform. You may need to have a family member or friend test with another email address and go through the entire booking process, as owners cannot book their own properties.***
Get started marketing your Houfy listing with these easy tips
Join our Facebook groups:
Our Facebook Member Group is currently the quickest way to receive customer service/tech support. Also receive the latest insights and updates. Houfy uses powerful programs which can easily be changed to any of your wishes/suggestions.
Join our Houfy Vacation rentals Group to advertise your availability to travelers or post ISO (in search of) requests.
We are striving to create a perfect marketplace of the most up-to-date listings and hosts who respond promptly with accurate pricing info. Please help us!
The caution message will disappear once your pricing and calendar are perfectly up to date.
- Log in
- Menu (top right)
- Manage Listings
- Edit > Calendar
- Make sure your Calendar is updated and synced with VRBO, Airbnb and or others. (If fully available: you can manually block one day in the far future)
For more information about synchronizing calendars please review this article.
We require all our hosts to have correct pricing & updated and or synchronized calendars.
The message will go away using one of the options below:
- Synchronize your calendars with Airbnb, VRBO or with a channel manager.
- Block a date sometime in the future at your calendar. (This for hosts with completely open calendars)
In order to provide Houfy guests the best direct booking experience we ask our hosts to make sure they respond to guest inquiries within 24 hours, their pricing is correct and their calendars are synced.
We use automated programs to flag listings for the follwing reasons:
- The host does not respond within 24 hours to an inquiry
- The host has not updated his or her calendar
- The pricing on the listing is outdated.
Please e-mail us at info@houfy.com to reactivate the listing(s) once your pricing and calendar are completed and correct.
Would it be possible for a new owner to create his own account and transfer the listing to his account ?
Yes, we can transfer the listing to the new owner account. There is no need to start from scratch.
We will need proof of ownership which can be provided by a deed or an insurance policy or new bill.
If you have more questions, please join our facebook member group
- Click the plus menu (+) and select "Marketplace Listing."
- Import Listing from Airbnb:
- To import a listing from Airbnb, simply paste the public URL into the "listing URL" field.
- Once you've entered the URL, check the "agree" box and click Import to begin the import process.
- To add new listing manually:
- select Lodging and click Get started.
- Next, fill in the basic listing information and click Continue.
Create memorable links to use on social media and on business cards
Create one custom link for all your listings or all your listings with map:
- Please select menu > Manage Listings.
- Scroll down the page, add the custom link for all listings, and click on Save.
- You can copy the link and share on social networks or on business cards.
Create a custom link for an individual listing:
- Please select menu > Manage Listings.
- Select edit > Overview and click on Property Details.
- Scroll down the page and add the custom link, and click on Save.
For price comparison to show on your listing, you must have an active Airbnb/VRBO/Homeaway url added to Houfy.
There are several reasons why the price comparison might not be working:
1) Your dates are blocked on VRBO or Airbnb and available on Houfy. Make sure you correctly syncronized your calendars.
2) Your have hidden or removed your Airbnb and or VRBO listing for their platforms. Please re-activate them or remove the url's at Houfy:
- Edit listing > Reviews
- Edit listing > Settings >Contact
- Edit listing > Verifications
3) You have not added your Airbnb or VRBO url to Houfy at:
- Edit listing > Reviews
- Edit listing > Settings >Contact
- Edit listing > Verifications
4) Make sure you have not added short URLs. It does not work if you add short URLs like "airbnb.com/h/abcd", you must have an URL with listing # like airbnb.com/rooms/1212313123
Remove inactive URLs from your edit listing and add the correct URL at any of the 3 places mentioned above.
Note: Price comparison shows after you select check-in and check-out dates.
Here more information on how to find your Airbnb url or VRBO url.
Google Analytics lets you measure your advertising ROI as well as track your Flash, video, and social networking sites and applications. We have connected Houfy for you to track analytics for all your Houfy activity. (Including post/guide/listing views etc.)
The process is really easy. Please review these screenshots.
It is fairly easy to find your airbnb url. Please follow the instructions below.
- Log in to Airbnb
- Go to your listings
- Select the listing you need the url from
- Click on preview icon (top right - next to the calendar icon)
- Copy the url from your browser address or Click on Share and select "copy link"
- Paste at Houfy (Import/Reviews/Pictures)
Your listing address bar may display your long URL link. If the long URL doesn't work try deleting ALL TEXT after and including the ? symbol.
It is fairly easy to find your VRBO url. Please follow the instructions below.
- Log in to VRBO
- Go to your listings
- Click on the left top picture of your listing
- Click on Share or copy the url from your browser (Control + Command C)
- Select Copy link
- Paste at Houfy (or Control + Command V)
Your listing address bar may display your long URL link. If the long URL doesn't work try deleting ALL TEXT after and including the ? symbol.
For security reasons Houfy only allows an import from Airbnb or VRBO once.
Please e-mail us the urls you need to clear from our system. This process can take up to 24 hrs. You can send an e-mail to: info@houfy.com
If you have more questions, please join our facebook member group
