airbnb

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Article #430

#430

From: Mark Anderson
Date: Fri, 08 Jun 2012 21:24

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I happened upon this site and found it interesting.  Here's a link to 
Chicago listings:

http://www.airbnb.com/search?location=chicago%2C+il

What intrigued me is how cheap these places are.  There's a real BNB in 
my neighborhood all licensed and legal and he charges around $170/night 
and that might not include some taxes I don't know for sure.  On airbnb 
some music chic is renting out her entire apartment for $165/night -- 
which includes all her furniture and stuff.  Check out:

http://www.airbnb.com/rooms/226042

Now what's to stop someone from renting her apartment, backing up a 
UHaul and stealing whatever isn't nailed down?  I was somewhat amazed by 
this because in Chicago doing this is kind of highly illegal.  Chicago 
has pretty hefty hotel taxes and the one thing I remember at closing of 
my place is I had to be read a statement aloud saying I shall not do 
what this site wants me to do by some lawyer and then had to initial 
that clause in whatever contract was being signed at the moment.

I can't see a business model that depends on people breaking both zoning 
and licensing laws to survive for long.  It is interesting however.  
There are risks as travelers too.  How do you know the place you rent 
cheaply from airbnb doesn't turn out to be like the movie Hostel?

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From: Mark Anderson <mea@nospambradnylion.com>
Newsgroups: chi.internet
Subject: airbnb
Date: Fri, 8 Jun 2012 17:24:42 -0400
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