# Your First Airbnb — Guide + Audiobook
## Launch legally and profitably — read it or listen to it
Most first-time hosts start with linens and photos. The ones who profit start with what you can't see from the setup screen: the local law that decides if you're even allowed to list, the 15.5% fee most guides still get wrong, and the behaviors that outrank hosts charging less. 34 sourced pages, every claim cited in the margin, current to the late-2025 fee change older guides describe wrong.
Inside — the eight gates:
The legal gate first, not the decor (NYC listings fell ~70% after Local Law 18)
The fee stack you actually keep — net runs ~25–35% of payout
Ranking that rewards behavior, not a lower price
Smart Pricing's conflict of interest (it can underprice you 15–30%)
Superhost as four numbers — 4.750 keeps the badge, 4.749 loses it
Cancellation policy as a revenue dial
No deposit — AirCover and a 14-day clock
Reviews compound on a 14-day window
You get: the full 34-page guide (PDF) + the complete audiobook — learn it hands-free while you commute or set up your place. Instant download, yours forever.
Read the eight gates before your first guest checks in.