Superhosts Down Under with Silvia and Ray

Brittany Blackman spent 14 years in vacation rental property management in Destin, Florida. She helped grow one company from 42 properties to 115, then started Breathe Easy Rentals from scratch, built it to 30 properties in four years and sold it in 2024. She now coaches business owners and their teams through Discover Freedom. She joins Ray and Silvia to talk about building a hosting business you can sell, and what being on call for 14 years taught her.

Silvia opens with this week's topic: claiming money from guests for extra cleaning or damage. She and Ray walk through what happens when a guest refuses to pay, how an AirCover claim is assessed, and why short-term rental insurance still matters. Brittany's advice from the property manager's side: document everything up front.

In this episode

• Claiming for damage and extra cleaning: receipts, time-stamped before and after photos, and the 14 day window
• Why AirCover can give hosts a false sense of security
• How Brittany fell into the industry as a reservationist and stayed for 14 years
• What has changed: technology, co-hosts, more competition and private equity
• Collaboration over competition in a crowded market, and why your name is all you have
• Why hosting can be a lonely business, and how to build a network around you
• Selling a business: getting yourself out of the day to day, and the identity crisis afterwards
• Giving a team its "why", including the magazine vision board exercise she ran with her staff
• Burnout, turning your phone off, and why you do not have to reply to every guest immediately
• The personal reasons behind her decision to sell
• Moving into coaching and working towards her PCC credential with the International Coaching Federation
• Her advice for new hosts: connect with people, inside and outside the industry
• Automation, AI and keeping the human side of hospitality

Connect with Brittany

• Discover Freedom website
• Brittany on LinkedIn
• Discover Freedom on Instagram: @discoverfreedom.life
• Discover Freedom on Facebook

Stay with Ray and Silvia

• Ray's properties
• Silvia's Sydney Airbnb

Follow the hosts

• Ray on Instagram: @rayzworld
• Superhosts Down Under on Instagram

Follow Superhosts Down Under for more conversations with hosts across Australia and beyond.

Tristan Kavanagh helps run two stargazing dome stays in NSW. He also built Host Port after struggling to find affordable booking management software for small hosts. He joins Ray and Silvia to talk about hosting, direct bookings, and building the tools he needed.

We discuss his path into hosting, managing bookings across different platforms, guest communication, and how much to automate when you run a small accommodation business.

Connect with Tristan

• Host Port website
• Host Port on Instagram — @host_port

Tristan’s stays

• Romantic Stargazing Dome Retreat — Megalong Valley
• Beyond Bubbles Stargazing Dome with Hot Tub — Bucketty

Stay with Ray and Silvia

• Ray’s properties
• Silvia’s Sydney Airbnb

Follow the hosts

• Ray on Instagram — @rayzworld
• Superhosts Down Under on Instagram

Follow Superhosts Down Under for more conversations with hosts across Australia and beyond.

This week Silvia and Ray open with a myth worth killing: that hosting and property management run on autopilot, and that anyone in the business is really just a rent collector. Ray goes back to collecting cash rent from a roofer at twenty one, Silvia makes the case that it is a job that takes real experience, and Carlos adds the line that frames the rest of the episode. Automation does not remove the work, it just moves it. The judgment layer is the real job.

From there we turn to Carlos Castillo, co-founder of DirectBookMe, a subscription based direct booking platform he and his wife launched in October 2024 with no tech background, no real estate background and no outside funding. Around 150 hosts are on the site today.

Carlos is candid about the parts most founders leave out: the valley you walk into after the idea high, hiring web development agencies when you cannot write the code yourself, and the fact that growth has been slower than he expected. He is equally clear that he is not asking anyone to leave Airbnb. Run direct alongside it, move fifteen to twenty percent of your bookings across, and own the guest relationship that the big platforms keep for themselves.

What we cover

• The myth that hosting runs on autopilot, and why the labour never disappears
• Ray on collecting cash rent at twenty one, and why doing the job yourself makes you a better client later
• Whether AI can take over hosting, and where the human part starts
• The moment Carlos realised he was building on rented land
• How DirectBookMe works, with no commission on either side
• The two pricing tiers, and why subscription rather than per booking
• How payments work, with Stripe for subscriptions and the booking left to the host
• What stays on the host: rental agreements, deposits, insurance, damage coverage
• Why the platform is deliberately not algorithm driven
• Owning your guest data, and capturing repeat guests
• Trust and safety, and the gap where AirCover sits
• Running direct alongside the OTAs, iCal sync and PMS integration
• Building a platform with no technical background
• What is next: ID verification, easier onboarding, and a vetted partner resources page

Find Carlos
DirectBookMe: https://www.directbookme.co
Instagram: @directbookme

Sponsor
This episode is recorded with Riverside. Use code RAY15 for 15% off.

Stay with us
Ray's place, Scandinavian Suite in South Yarra: https://www.raymondyee.com.au/airbnb
Silvia's Airbnb: https://www.airbnb.com/slink/Kpse4K4X

Follow the hosts
Ray on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rayzworld

This week, we head to the other side of the world to meet Ruben de Bruin. For the past four years, Ruben has run Cozy Maisonette by the Sea, a one-bedroom beachside retreat in Boscombe West on the UK’s south coast—all while living in London.

Ruben has turned long-distance hosting into a reliable system, combining a trusted local team, automation where it counts, and a personal touch where it matters. That same attention to detail also inspired a business: The Curated Host, which creates digital and printed guest handbooks for short-term rental hosts. These thoughtfully designed guides help reduce late-night questions like, “How does the heating work?” while improving the guest experience and supporting better reviews.

Silvia and Ray talk with Ruben about remote property operations, the realities of the UK coastal market, and why a well-designed welcome book is one of the highest-leverage investments a host can make.

• How Ruben got into hosting—and why he chose Boscombe West on the Bournemouth coast
• The types of guests a one-bedroom beachside retreat attracts and the seasonality of the market
• Ruben’s biggest surprises during his first year compared with now
• Managing changeovers, maintenance, and day-to-day operations from London
• How to find and vet reliable cleaners and handymen from a distance
• Building a remote property team that can handle problems when they arise
• Where Ruben draws the line between automation and the personal touch
• The gap in the market that led him to create The Curated Host
• Digital versus printed handbooks—and why guests use both
• How clear, well-designed communication can improve reviews and star ratings
• The essential sections every guest welcome book should include
• Handling awkward guest conversations, including linen changes during longer stays
• Why investing in quality pays off in short-term rentals
• Ruben’s number-one tip for buying your first remote investment property

• Cozy Maisonette by the Sea on Airbnb
• The Curated Host
• Follow Ruben on Instagram

• Ray’s Airbnb
• Silvia’s Airbnb

Jeff Stibbard has run the same training company for more than 30 years, and for the last decade he has pointed all of that systems and performance experience at short term rentals. He now runs six properties, four he owns and two on rent arbitrage, including a four bedroom home in Surry Hills that books at $1,000 a night while similar properties sit at $330.

In this episode Jeff explains the three things that separate a top earning listing from an average one: photography, reviews and furniture. He makes the case for going multi channel from day one, explains why he is deliberately avoiding AI in guest communication, and why he would rather hold his price and accept a vacant night than chase occupancy. Ray gives an update on his move to Guesty and multi channel distribution, including what changed with payouts and cash flow, and Silvia raises the peak season pricing mistake she keeps seeing new hosts make.

Chapters
00:00 Welcome
00:20 Weekly topic: Ray's move to Guesty and multi channel
03:45 Does your co-host need a trust account
06:40 Meet Jeff Stibbard
08:35 The infrastructure behind six properties
09:50 Inside the STR intensive programs
12:35 The 3x earning gap: photography, reviews, furniture
15:30 Multi channel, and where the bookings actually come from
18:00 Calendar sync and avoiding double bookings
21:00 AI, automation and the personal touch
26:00 Review culture across platforms
27:10 The most costly mistakes new hosts make
29:30 Testing photographers and the hero shot
31:00 Repainting stairs and choosing robust materials
34:00 Do not put heirlooms in your listing
36:30 Pricing: smart pricing, engines, and holding your rate
42:25 Silvia on peak season pricing mistakes
44:30 Rent arbitrage versus owning the asset
49:25 Regulation, the 180 day rule and development approvals
53:35 Jeff's advice for anyone getting started

Find Jeff
www.discoverperformanceadvisory.com
Instagram: @discoverperformance

Stay with us
Ray's South Yarra Airbnb: https://www.airbnb.com/slink/I2cCaaW5
Ray's North Melbourne Airbnb: https://www.airbnb.com/l/KGfcunu3
Silvia's Airbnb: https://www.airbnb.com/slink/Kpse4K4X

Recorded on Riverside. Use code RAY15 for 15% off.

Join us as Laura shares her journey from managing a few properties to running a thriving Airbnb business in regional Victoria. We dive into strategies for calendar management, expanding your portfolio, and building community connections—essentials for hosts looking to thrive in regional markets.

• ​The impact of calendar open periods on booking volume and revenue
• ​How seasonal events and local attractions influence pricing and occupancy strategies
• ​Managing growth from a family operation to a mid-sized hospitality business with 50 properties
• ​Methods for maintaining quality and consistency with linen, cleaning, and guest experience
• ​The importance of community relationships and word-of-mouth in regional settings
• ​Adapting to technological challenges with internet connectivity and platform changes
• ​Strategies for balancing family life and business, including staffing, scheduling, and involving children
• ​The significance of personal stories and sentimental branding in regional hospitality
• ​Planning expansion into neighboring regions and selecting properties aligned with local demand
• ​Experimenting with policies like strict cancellation to stabilize income streams

Connect with FCG BNB Services:

Website:

https://fcgbnbservices.com.au/

Instagram:

@fcgbnbservicessunraysia

Other Resources:

• ​Ray: ⁠raymondyee.com.au⁠ and ⁠lanestay.com.au⁠
• ​⁠Silvia's Airbnb

What began as an experiment with a spare bedroom has become an important source of income and a rewarding way to meet people from around the world. Silvia shares how home sharing has evolved, the practical systems she uses to live comfortably alongside guests, and how becoming more available helped lift her rating from 4.7 to 4.9.

Silvia begins with Airbnb’s move towards simplified pricing. She explains her transition from paying a 3% host service fee—with guests paying an additional fee—to a host-only fee of 15.5%.

She discusses Airbnb’s tool for adjusting nightly rates, while Ray questions whether the fee has disappeared for guests or is simply incorporated into the price. They also discuss direct bookings, platform fees and the seasonal slowdown affecting hosts in Victoria and Sydney.

Silvia started hosting while working as a real estate agent. She had an unused bedroom but didn’t want the commitment of a permanent flatmate.

After speaking with another woman who hosted her spare room, Silvia decided to try Airbnb. Both she and her first guest were nervous, but the experience quickly showed her that sharing her home could work.

As Airbnb expanded into entire-home accommodation, Silvia learned to clearly tell guests that they would be sharing the property with their host—preventing mismatched expectations and awkward arrivals.

Silvia takes listeners inside The Grid, her architecturally distinctive Sydney apartment building.

Designed around natural ventilation instead of air conditioning, it uses cross-flow breezes, a thermal chimney, water ponds, terrazzo flooring and adjustable louvres to regulate temperature. During winter, underfloor heating keeps the bedrooms and bathroom warm.

Clear expectations are essential when sharing a kitchen and bathroom.

After guests repeatedly left the kitchen messy, Silvia introduced a detailed rule asking them to clean every surface and appliance they use. The change immediately improved guest behaviour.

Ray also introduces Silvia to bath stones—a fast-drying, mould-resistant alternative to traditional bath mats.

For Silvia, the greatest rewards extend beyond income.

Hosting has introduced her to people from different cultures, professions and stages of life. She has celebrated engagements, supported guests through difficult circumstances and helped international visitors experience Sydney like locals.

When Silvia stopped working full-time, she worried that being home more often might make guests uncomfortable. Instead, her rating increased from 4.7 to 4.9. She credits taking greater control of the cleaning and being available to answer questions and share local recommendations.

If you have a spare bedroom, most of what you need may already be in place. Silvia’s advice is simple: give home sharing a try. If you enjoy it, continue. If it isn’t right for you, you can easily stop.

Ray’s properties:
https://www.raymondyee.com.au/airbnb

Silvia’s Sydney Airbnb:
https://www.airbnb.com/slink/Kpse4K4X

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/superhosts_down_under/

Airbnb’s Simplified Pricing ChangesFrom Spare Room to SuperhostLife at The GridMaking a Shared Home WorkThe Human Side of HostingSilvia’s AdviceStay with Ray and Silvia

Welcome to Superhosts Down Under! This week, Silvia and Ray are joined by Narelle Beavan, a mental health nurse who turned a childhood-memory beach house on Queensland's Capricorn Coast into a five-star Airbnb in under a year. Narelle shares how she found the property, why she leans into storytelling and social media, and how she is preparing for one of regional Australia's biggest events.

The Weekly Topic: Style, Era & Guest ExpectationsSilvia opens with a common frustration: guests reviewing a property on its style, era, or theme rather than the quality of the stay. Ray shares how his minimalist Scandinavian studio in South Yarra attracts complaints about TV size and natural light, while Silvia explains how clear listings and face-to-face communication help set expectations in her shared home.

A Beach House with HeartNarelle grew up in the tiny fishing village of Keppel Sands and always remembered a little house nestled into the hill at Yeppoon's main beach. Returning home from a cancer appointment with no disease progression, she and her husband took a leap and bought that very house—now extended over 45-plus years into "Vibe on Vaughan".

From Nurse to HostAs an acute care mental health nurse covering central Queensland, Narelle explains how building rapport quickly and warmly translates directly into hosting. She shares her strategies for easing anxious guests, setting expectations early, and creating psychological safety long before check-in.

Social Media & StorytellingNarelle shares how free tools, trial reels, lifestyle photos, and local community pages drive bookings at zero advertising cost. Her tip: match your music and visuals to the vibe you want guests to feel, and tap into local events and community groups.

Pricing, Events & Beef WeekNarelle unpacks rookie pricing mistakes, the power of regional events, and Beef Week—a world-recognised event held every three years that books out accommodation within a 100km radius of Rockhampton. She explains how she plans to offer corporate stays with hampers and guest transport to stand out.

Two Listings, One PropertyWith three pavilions sleeping up to 11 guests, Narelle also runs "Afterglow"—a smaller standalone couples' space—to capture midweek bookings and give her family a break on busy weekends.

Lessons from Year OneFrom kids on the roof to a mystery smell she couldn't detect after losing her sense of smell to chemo, Narelle shares the surprises, the honesty, and the authenticity that earned her a perfect five-star rating.

Connect with Narelle Beavan:

• ​Vibe on Vaughan: https://airbnb.com/h/vibe-on-vaughan-pavilions
• ​Afterglow: https://airbnb.com/h/afterglowpavilion
• ​Instagram: @vibe_on_vaughan_pavilions

Other Resources:

• ​Ray: ⁠raymondyee.com.au⁠ and ⁠lanestay.com.au⁠
• ​⁠Silvia's Airbnb

• ​

Welcome to Superhost Down Under! This week, Silvia and Ray tackle the unglamorous issue that can make or break every short-term rental: linens. They are joined by Usha, founder of Parvatii Stays and a Home Time partner who grew from one Airbnb to managing around 20 properties across NSW and South Australia. Usha shares how her business grew through COVID, why she vets owners before properties, and how AI is helping her save time.

This episode is brought to you by Riverside. Riverside's AI suite handles post-production, including vertical shorts, dynamic captions, and one-click studio-grade audio.

Special Offer: Try Riverside free and get 15% off any paid plan with code RAY15.

The Linen Problem

Ray shares his four-star wake-up call after a guest reported hair on the linens despite spotless cleaning photos. It pushed him to overhaul his linen system and move to hotel-style commercial linen hire, where stained items are removed at scale.

Usha never planned to run a short-term rental business. It started with the lower-ground floor of her first home in the Adelaide Hills, rented out while travelling. That grew into Parvatii Stays, with Parvati meaning "daughter of the mountains".

COVID became the turning point. Three months managing remotely from overseas helped Usha build the systems she still uses today.

AI & Automation in Hosting

Usha discusses how hosts can use AI to answer common guest questions, streamline communication, and reduce repetitive work. Ray shares how AI can help with bookkeeping, receipt reconciliation, and tax-time admin. The message: keep up with the tech, or keep doing the manual work.

The Home Time Partnership

Rather than spending years getting a real estate licence to handle owner funds, Usha partnered with Home Time. Its backend distributes listings to Airbnb, Booking.com and Stayz, with dynamic pricing through PriceLabs.

Choosing Owners & Setting Standards

For Usha, it is owner first and postcode second. She vets owners on goals, standards, and fit before onboarding. Her non-negotiables include hotel-grade mattresses, pillows and quilts, nothing stained or unhygienic, and no compromise on guest experience. If standards cannot be met, the property does not get onboarded. It is Usha's profile on the line.

Channels, Guests & Insurance

Airbnb is value-driven and competitive, Stayz/VRBO attracts higher-value holiday-home guests, and Booking.com can be hit-and-miss. Usha also shares an insurance reality check: short-term rental insurance differs from standard cover, and a broker can help hosts avoid voiding their policy. General information only, not financial advice.

One detail hosts can miss is the owner-occupancy clause. Some underwriters require the owner to stay in the property for a minimum number of nights, which is easy to overlook and breach.

Advice for New Hosts in 2026

Understand your goal, be transparent with owners about today's market, and give genuine advice over the hard sell. Silvia also reminds hosts that once they try AI tools, they quickly become an everyday helper.

Connect with Usha:

• Website: Parvatii Stays
• Instagram: @parvatiistays
• Partner: Home Time

Other Resources:

• Ray: raymondyee.com.au and lanestay.com.au
• Silvia's Airbnb

Welcome to Superhost Down Under! In this week's episode, Silvia and Ray tackle the great pet debate: to host or not to host furry friends? We are then joined by Lis, a former magazine decorating editor turned successful farmhouse Airbnb host. Lis shares her origin story of turning an investment property into a highly sought-after rural retreat, the power of professional photography, and her top cleaning hacks for managing large properties.

Are you a creator looking to dramatically reduce your marketing workflow? This episode is brought to you by Riverside. Riverside's AI suite handles post-production effortlessly, offering perfectly vertical shorts with dynamic captions, and one-click studio-grade audio.

• ​Special Offer: Try Riverside for free and get 15% off any paid plan using the code REY15.

Silvia and Ray discuss their differing views and personal experiences regarding pet-friendly short-term rentals:

• ​The City Apartment (Silvia): Does not allow pets due to space and building constraints. Silvia shares a cautionary tale from a fellow host involving a dog and a hallway wall.
• ​The Traveling Pet Owner (Ray): Traveling with a large Greyhound is tough. While Ray seeks pet-friendly spots on the road, his studio apartment isn't durable or large enough to host pets.
• ​The Farmhouse Approach (Lis): Welcomes pets with a sliding doggy door. She mitigates risks by checking for flea treatments, ensuring current vaccinations, and charging an extra cleaning fee.

From Magazine Editor to Host

Lis turned an investment property in Wairala into a thriving retreat known as the Big Sunny Farmhouse. After dealing with a nightmare long-term tenant, she pivoted to short-term rentals, outfitting the large space with spare furniture to attract families and working teams.

Styling & Photography Insights

Drawing from her career as a decorating editor, Lis emphasizes that styling for the camera is everything.

• ​Ditch the iPhone: Professional lighting and photography are non-negotiable for making your listing stand out.
• ​Budget-Friendly Upgrades: Paint old pine furniture white and incorporate cotton tablecloths with distinct accent colors.
• ​Unique Touches: To help rural guests find the driveway, Lis creates custom, arty letterboxes through Letterbox Art.

Pricing and Technology

• ​Manual Pricing: Lis found that dynamic pricing tools didn't work for her rural market. She prefers firm cancellation policies and manual pricing.
• ​Direct Websites: Instead of relying entirely on OTAs, Lis built a custom direct booking website to host local maps and provide added value to guests.

Cleaning a massive farmhouse is time-consuming. Here is how Lis streamlines the process:

• ​Ditch the Long Checklist: Lis created a hidden page on her website with photos showing cleaners exactly how to arrange towels and set up rooms.
• ​Furniture Sliders: Put sliders under heavy furniture so cleaners can easily push them back to vacuum underneath.
• ​Robo-Vac: Invest in a robot vacuum to clean under beds while human cleaners tackle other tasks.
• ​Color-Coded Linens: Keep three sets of sheets on hand, color-coded by bed size.
• ​BBQ Fees: Leave a polite note with cleaning tips for the BBQ, including a warning that a small fee applies if left excessively dirty.

Connect with Lis:

• ​Direct Booking Website: Big Sunny Farmhouse
• ​Airbnb Listing: Lis's Farmhouse Retreat
• ​Custom Letterboxes: Letterbox Art
• ​Instagram: @bigsunnyfarmhouse

Other Resources:

• ​Ray's Direct Booking Sites: raymondyee.com.au & lanestay.com.au
• ​Silvia's Airbnb⁠