4 YEARS on Airbnb: How Much We Made & What We Wish We Knew

In this video, we’re breaking down 4 years on Airbnb — what we actually made, what we wish we knew when we started, and whether running a short-term rental has truly been worth it. If you’re thinking about getting into Airbnb, short-term rentals, or just want a real, transparent look at the numbers behind a Joshua Tree Airbnb, this one’s for you. We share the biggest lessons we’ve learned over four years of hosting, from starting with what you have, doing things right the first time, building systems that reduce stress, and why outdoor maintenance is often the hardest part of owning a vacation rental.

At the end, we get fully transparent and walk through our 2025 Airbnb income, month-by-month performance, operating costs, and how our direct booking website grew over 150% year-over-year. If you’re interested in short-term rental income, Airbnb profitability, or building a sustainable hosting business long-term, we hope this video gives you clarity, inspiration, and realistic expectations.

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👋 *New to Our Channel?*
Hi there! We're Kristen and Michael — a couple embarking on the wild adventure of transforming our dream desert home into a thriving short-term rental business!
After leaving Los Angeles (our home for 7 years), we chased our dreams and bought our desert house in summer 2021. Since then, it’s been a full DIY renovation journey and building our rental business from scratch!
Follow along for laughs, tears, DIY fails (and wins!), and all the behind-the-scenes moments of Airbnb hosting.

✨ Drop your questions or suggestions in the comments — we love hearing from you!

🏡 *Explore More*
🔹 Check Out Our Airbnb Listing: https://www.theseventhrayhouse.com
🔹 Follow Our Airbnb on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theseventhrayhouse/

🛒 *Shop Our Favorites*
Shop Our Home
🔹 LTK Page: https://www.shopltk.com/explore/Kristen_and_Michael
🔹 Amazon Storefront: https://amzn.to/3UH6qUq
🛍️ Shop Our NEW Merch Collection (Get 10% Off with code: kmyoutube): https://theseventhrayhouse.myshopify.com/
🏠 Shop Our Airbnb Living Room Remodel | https://www.shopltk.com/explore/Kristen_and_Michael/collections/11ef4df63dac28f58cc30242ac11000f
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🎨 Get $50 Off Your Havenly Design: https://havenly.com/referral/get-started?havenly_referral_code=nc44b3633d

🏡 *Watch Our House Tours*
🏠 Full House Tour | Before Renovations: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qde4XXhl4BM
🏡 Full House Tour | After Renovations: https://youtu.be/g0C3Yc2mNPw

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00:00 – 4 Years on Airbnb: What We’ve Learned
00:43 – Start With What You Have (Don’t Wait for Perfect)
01:42 – Do It Right the First Time (Avoid Costly Fixes)
03:33 – The Hardest Year of Hosting
04:47 – Building Systems That Reduce Stress
05:32 – Why Outdoor Maintenance Is the Hardest Part
07:12 – Why Owning an Airbnb Has Been Worth It
08:54 – Breaking Down the Numbers (Costs vs Revenue)
09:20 – Growing Direct Bookings with Lodgify
10:58 – 2025 Monthly Airbnb Income Breakdown
12:21 – Year-Over-Year Growth (4-Year Comparison)
12:50 – Profit, ROI, and Channel Breakdown
14:03 – Lessons for New Airbnb Hosts
14:46 – Goals for 2026 & Boosting ROI

#AirbnbHost #ShortTermRental #AirbnbIncome #AirbnbTips