How to Set and Adjust Your Base Price Like a Pro?

How to Set Base Price of your listings and why tweaking it matters more than the starting point and how Homesberg helps you do it right.

Why There’s a Base Price Setting in the First Place

When we started building Homesberg, we faced a decision:

Should we automatically decide prices for our users , or trust that hosts — who know their listings and markets better than anyone — should have the final say and let them set base price of their listings?

Unlike hotels, no two short-term rentals are the same. A cozy, modern-looking one-bedroom with a stunning view can easily outperform a basic three-bedroom unit. (Fun fact: data shows modern aesthetics consistently drive higher booking rates.)

That’s why we chose to let you, the host, set your own base price — the anchor for your dynamic pricing strategy. Homesberg does the heavy lifting around it, but you stay in control.

What Is a Base Price, Really?

Your base price is your year-round average nightly rate, assuming a stable market with no seasonality spikes, events, or economic shifts.

Don’t worry — Homesberg automatically adjusts for all these variables and more, day by day.

It’s not your lowest or highest price — it’s the middle ground, a reflection of the steady value your listing offers. We use your base price to build your pricing curve, dynamically adjusting it based on demand, competition, and your own performance.

Why Setting the Right Base Price Still Matters

Your base price may be just one number, but it’s where everything starts. A reasonable base price gives our AI-powered pricing engine the right foundation to optimize your earnings.

There’s no need to overthink it — just choose a figure based on your past performance or local market comparisons using the Homesberg Base Price Helper.

From there, Homesberg helps you refine it with weekly suggestions, based on how your listing is performing relative to the market.

Our dynamic pricing engine works alongside your base price, factoring in:

• Seasonality
  We map demand trends across the year — and actively adjust them when we detect that the market is over- or underperforming for future dates.
• Similarity & Competitor Benchmarking
  We benchmark against truly comparable listings in your area, not just by bedroom count — but by performance and quality.
• Lead Time Sensitivity
  Prices are adjusted based on how far in advance guests are booking in your area and current season.

Homesberg doesn’t rely on third-party pricing feeds. We collect and analyze our own data daily across millions of listings. Explore it yourself in our World Data section.

Why Adjusting Your Base Price Matters Even More

Markets shift — fast.

Inflation, local regulations, new supply, upgraded amenities, reviews (good or bad), even global headlines — all affect demand and visibility.

While setting your base price is step one, adjusting it is what keeps you competitive. That’s why Homesberg sends you weekly nudges — helping you respond to:

• Booking pace slowdowns
• Gaps in your calendar
• Competitor price changes
• Changes in review quality or volume

In short: base price isn’t a set-it-and-forget-it number — it’s your most powerful lever for long-term revenue growth.

Homesberg’s Base Price Helper: Your Performance-Driven Coach

We built the Base Price Helper to take the guesswork out of setting and optimizing your base price.

Here’s how it works:

• Day one: We suggest a base price based on your listing type, location, and local market tier.
• Once live: We track impressions, bookings, and conversion — and compare your performance to similar listings nearby.
• Every week: You get smart nudges in the UI and via email, recommending whether to raise, lower, or hold your base price.

Our goal? To help you consistently beat the market and your closest competitors.

How to Choose Your First Base Price

For New Listings

Use the Base Price Helper to explore top-performing listings in your area — grouped into four tiers:

• Budget
• Economy
• Midscale
• Top-tier

Compare your listing’s style, amenities, and location to these examples. Then, set a base price that reflects your position — and start slightly lower if you’re brand new and unrated.

For Listings with a Track Record

If your listing already has bookings and reviews, you likely have a sense of its potential.

Use your average ADR, Homesberg insights, and personal experience to set a realistic year-round average. Then, let our pricing engine take over.

About Homesberg

Need a nudge on your base price? Homesberg has your back. Get weekly base price recommendations compared with similar listings around you with our Base Price Helper.

Homesberg is an all-in-one vacation rental management platform built around the must-have features hosts truly need: self-reliant market data collection, an Airbnb ranking tracker, a robust dynamic pricing engine, and seamless integrations with all major channels. No more juggling multiple tools or paying for underutilized features. 

Sign-up now to start your free trial.