MITCHELL — Turning rental properties into Airbnbs wasn’t exactly what the Reimnitz family had in mind for some of their local properties, but they say it turned out to be a wise move.
While a few of the Reimnitz family’s rental properties in Mitchell have sat vacant for long periods of time, Destiny Reimnitz, manager of Mid-Dakota Properties, reflected on listing them on the Airbnb app. When opening a few properties on Airbnbers, Reimnitz said they attract guests almost instantly.
“The demand is huge, and it’s far-reaching,” Reimnitz said. “It gives us a nice extra income. We stumbled upon it originally, but found there was a huge need for Airbnb properties in Mitchell.
Rather than leave a property vacant, Reimnitz has found a way to monetize all of its rentals by opening up certain properties to Airbnb.
Airbnb is an online marketplace that people can use to rent a house or property in an area they may be visiting for a vacation or temporary stay. For those who want to open their homes for Airbnb stays, Reimnitz said the process was simple and smooth.
From sports teams to traveling nurses, Reimnitz said their Airbnb properties have hosted a wide range of guests.
“We had a whole crew stay at one of our Airbnbs on the lake during a recent swim meet in Mitchell,” she said.
As for what’s driving demand for Mid-Dakota Properties’ Airbnbs, Reimnitz pointed to the growing trend of remote working and the recent loss of a popular Mitchell Hotel as two major factors.
“As more and more people started working from home during COVID-19, we saw people who wanted to travel across the country and continue to work. They would do short stays in our Airbnbs and visit the area, pack up and do the same in another state,” she said. “It’s perfect for people who want to travel.”
Since Mitchell’s Ramada Inn closed in early January, Reimnitz said he’s seen an increase in the number of Airbnbers at their properties. The price range for overnight stays at the property management company is also comparable to that of some hotels.
The latest property the Reimnitz family hosted on Airbnbers is a 5,870 square foot home with five bedrooms and an indoor basketball court. Boyd Reimnitz, owner of Mid-Dakota Properties, recently purchased the home that sits along the west side of Lake Mitchell to make it his home and share it with others for various occasions.
Sam Fosness / Republic
While Airbnbs are commonly used for short-term stays that can typically range from two days to a week, Reimnitz said there’s a misconception that all of Mid-Dakota Properties’ Airbnbs are vacation rentals. short term.
At one of the company’s quadruplex properties, Reimnitz said several units require a stay of at least two weeks. Reimnitz said some of their properties allow month-long stays.
“People have no idea that Airbnbs can be long-term stays,” Reimnitz said. “I’ve had so many people say there’s no place they can stay for an entire month.”
Address labor shortages, attract long-term residents
While many businesses in Mitchell are grappling with labor shortages, some of the Airbnb properties in Reimnitz have provided temporary housing for workers who fill a need for certain local industries.
“We have traveling nurses who will rent for a few months and work here,” she said. “We had people building a grain silo, and they needed a place for two weeks.”
In some cases, Reimnitz said Airbnb stays have led to long-term rental agreements at some of their Mitchell properties. With the housing shortage Mitchell faces, Airbnbs in Reimnitz provided a temporary landing spot until a home opens up.
“I just had a lady who stayed in one for six months and then ended up doing a regular long-term lease with us,” Reimnitz said, noting that Airbnb provided a unique form of marketing. of units available from Mid-Dakota Properties. “We had another person who was struggling to find a home, and the Airbnb we had was able to give her a soft landing until she found one.”
Although Mid-Dakota Properties has seen success in the Airbnb marketplace, Reimnitz said not all of their properties are available for Airbnb. The Reimnitzes have been selective in deciding which properties are viable. Large apartment buildings and certain types of residential rental units are among the properties Reimnitz said the company uses exclusively for long-term tenants.
While the Airbnb Marketplace has been a success for local property managers, Reimnitz said she’s grateful the City of Mitchell is allowing the company to provide the kind of Airbnb services it’s been providing for the past few years, because it knows that is not always the case. the case in some cities.
In Chamberlain, city officials passed an ordinance in November prohibiting certain types of residential properties from serving as lodging establishments for guests who planned to stay less than 30 days.
The ordinance passed by the Chamberlain City Commission prohibits “transitional commercial use” of residential properties in low and medium density residential areas.
“It’s great that the town of Mitchell allows us to do Airbnb. We are addressing a serious need in the community,” she said.
