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In late 2022, a rumor started circulating around the internet: Airbnb (NASDAQ: ABNB) was running into trouble. Complaints about cleaning fees, chore lists, and other onerous demands on guests were going viral, while others emphasized the relative comforts of staying in a hotel versus an Airbnb.
Meanwhile, hosts were complaining that bookings were suddenly falling off, and a Time headline declared, “Too Many Rich People Bought Airbnbs. Now They’re Sitting Empty.”
It was enough that some dubbed the phenomenon an “Airbnbust,” implying a potential crash in the segment was imminent during which hosts would default on their mortgages or find long-term tenants as catering to short-term guests became less viable.