The Cottages

A couple of days ago, we had a lovely couple and their two sons and super-cute pup stay at Cottage West. She asked if the boys could jump on the trampoline and I told her they were welcome to. I came out with Little Miss, our foster daughter, and she was happy to play with the boys and run through the yard as the guest and I talked and she asked a ton of questions about the properties and the yard. "I was a little concerned when I googled the house because it looks nothing l...ike the pictures," she said. "You have done a lot of work since then!" This morning I sat down and Googled the address and was astounded. Yes, we have come a long way in just 18 months! Here is a medley of before, midway, and now...

What a sweet gift and note from a recent guest!

I had a lovely conversation with one of our guests as they were leaving Cottage West this morning. She asked me if I had been to many Airbnb's and I told her that I had only been to a few. "You have everything labeled, and just everything is so beautiful and thoughtful." It really made my day. The reality is, I created a place that I would want to stay in. I want for people to not only feel at home, but feel taken care of, that there is literally anything and everything that ...they could need to make their stay a pleasant one. I shared this with her and she began to tell me about an Airbnb that they had stayed in where the check-in wasn't allowed until 9pm and that they hadn't supplied any toilet paper. By that point, it was too late to find anyplace that had toilet paper in the small town! "When I mentioned this, he said, 'Well, you aren't staying at a hotel.'" To me, Airbnb, or VRBO, or any other short-term rental doesn't have to be a step DOWN from a hotel, it should be a step UP instead. You have the opportunity to prepare food in a kitchen, relax in the living room and watch tv, read books, play games, or even a little Sudoku - all available and within reach. When you stay at Cottage West or Cottage South, you are staying in a HOME, a place that can and should have nearly every need anticipated and provided. In the past month, I have taken suggestions from several guests and made sure that each location had a nice pack 'n play for guests with infants and toddlers, created a better guest handbook, and even added photos of the yard for a better idea of the surrounding area and what guests have access to. I'm improving guest stays every day!

I think this is one of the best reviews we have received on Cottage West!

For the record, Airbnb does not share a guest's photo or any real info when a request is sent to a host. So I would have ZERO way of knowing whether this person was black, white, or purple. And when it comes down to it, it's locals throwing parties that are the problem, not a matter of race. To date, ALL of the people who have ignored the no smoking rules or damaged Cottage West have been white, NOT black. Race is not an issue. Avoiding parties and being respectful of my neighbors IS.

Being what I like to describe as a "functional introvert" means that I like meeting new people on my home turf. Which is one of the reasons that Airbnb serves me so well. Yesterday we had a guest who is driving through with her mother and two dogs and a little one. I was down south when she messaged me and asked if her 2 year old daughter could jump on the trampoline. "Of course!" I replied, happy that it would be getting use and serve as yet another draw and benefit of stay...ing in Cottage West. When we returned home, there they were, mom and daughter happily jumping away. I walked over, introduced myself and we began to talk about the history of the homes, the yard (which is huge - three houses originally stood on it) and Airbnb properties in general. We visited while my four year old showed her daughter the playhouse and the trampoline and this little bridge we have crossing a section of the future pond. She had noticed, and commented on, the level of thoughtfulness we provide in Cottage West, making sure everyone has whatever they need - even qtips, packaged toothbrushes, analgesics, and multiple forms of entertainment - while staying at Cottage West. It is lovely to receive affirmation that I have chosen the right course - focusing on creating the most welcoming and thoughtful place for people to stay - that I can. As we spend the next couple of weeks putting together Cottage South, I am certain that thoughtfulness is the key to success. You aren't staying at a hotel, you are staying at your home away from home. And that is what makes The Cottages the perfect place to stay.

100% occupancy rate for July! And the positive reviews keep rolling in on Cottage West! Saturday night's guest hopes to catch us when she comes back this way and our month plus guests left the following review...

A comfortable, two bedroom, one bath home is waiting for you! Just minutes away from all major highways, downtown KC, the Plaza and more!

I'm very excited, our second Airbnb will be rolling out over the next two weeks with an expected "open" date of August 1st! This property is located in Belton, just 20 minutes south of Kansas City and very close to Research Belton Hospital, the Cerner campus, and Honeywell. I envision it being a fantastic place for people moving into the area to consider. The minimum stay at this property will be one week. It will have everything a family needs: three bedrooms with three quee...n beds, furnishings, a fully stocked kitchen and laundry facilities. With a beautiful backyard in a quiet neighborhood this home will serve as excellent transitional housing for those moving into the area or out of the area. And if all of that wasn't enough...we are also pet-friendly. We even have a doggy door installed in the kitchen that leads out to the backyard! Photos will be posted soon!

I’m sending this out to all of my clients and I’ll also be putting this on my author business page. As an self-employed creative, the virus fears and the responses to it on a national, state, and even personal level are affecting my income significantly. As many of you know, we recently opened up an Airbnb, which is now dead in the water due to travel restrictions/fears/et cetera. Several of you have expressed concern for me and mine, and I will admit, my family depends on th...e income from my cleanings and the Airbnb just as much as it does my husband’s income. In other words, we have seen our income halved, and that is incredibly difficult, especially if it continues for any length of time. I wanted to touch base with each of you and suggest a couple of ways you can help, if you would like to. You are under no obligation to do so, but every little bit helps. Here are a couple of ideas: If you shop for anything at all on Amazon, please consider using my affiliate link to do so. Depending on the item, I can earn anywhere from 2-4% of the sale and it costs you absolutely nothing. You could even continue to shop through it indefinitely by saving it to your bookmarks and just using that portal to do your Amazon shopping. Here it is: https://amzn.to/33DsjdU I have written seven books! Two are non-fiction, and the others range from time-travel romance to sci-fi virus, dystopian, and even a sexy thriller. You can find them all here: https://amzn.to/3biD8F8. And if your friends or family are bored, twiddling their thumbs at home and going stir-crazy, perhaps now is the best time for them to dive into a book. Please consider sharing the link on Facebook or other social network platforms. I even have five of them available on audio! Please know that I appreciate all of you, and hope that you are staying healthy and that I look forward to things returning to normal soon! See more

Another lovely review from a recent guest...

I just received a message from our guest asking if we could help him lock the door. He's gone, volleyball tournaments for his kids apparently, and will be back ...later. I told him I would go over and lock it, no problem and of course also asked how everything was, if he had slept well and if he needed anything there at Cottage West. Just the standard friendly level of service I would want. It's easy to ask and usually nothing is needed. His response made my day... "I love the place. Best sleep I've had in a long time." I woke up to a question from a potential guest about staying for a full month. The price was a little out of her range - I have a 41% discount, which, after Airbnb fees is just over $2,000. I see just under $1700 of that. She was looking for something that totaled $1500. I wished her a lovely day and didn't worry about it. April, the month in question, will earn me far more than the $1,100-$1,300 I would have earned with her month-long stay, and it really doesn't take much to clean the place, maybe half an hour of my time after each guest. I want to emphasize again, how easy all of this is. The hard work renovating, envisioning the space, and putting it all together is done, the hardest part now is cleaning up after guests are gone and typically that's a breeze. I look forward to making really good money in the months and years to come! Come spring I will be doing significant work on the front and back yards, which is something I would have done anyway, since I love creating gardens and planting flowers. To me, that isn't work so much as a labor of love.