Furnishing Budget

The furnishing budget is what you plan to spend outfitting a rental, from beds and sofas to kitchenware and decor, before a single guest checks in. For many hosts it is the largest single startup line item, so getting the number roughly right shapes the whole deal.

A common starting benchmark is 8 to 12 percent of expected first-year gross revenue, but that range varies with the property’s size, your market, and the quality tier you are targeting, so derive your own figure from comparable listings rather than a rule of thumb. Mattresses and linens are not the place to cut corners, since worn or uncomfortable bedding shows up fast in reviews.