Calendar & Availability

Please make sure you have your Houfy calendar synced into VRBO

Log into Houfy and select Menu > Manage Listings.

Select calendar of the listing you wish to export
Click Export calendar and copy the url (Select only Houfy reservations)

Log into VRBO and go to owner dashboard.

Select the property to sync > Select Manage > Select Calendar at the drop down menu
Click on the up/down arrows on the right side > Select Import Calendar
Paste the FULL HOUFY URL in the pop up

How often does your VRBO or Airbnb calendar sync? VRBO and AIRBNB calendars usually take a few hours to update. Airbnb usually within 2 hours and VRBO up to 6 hours. There's a chance that a guest could book on one platform, and another guest could book the same dates on another platform in the time it takes for your calendar to update. To avoid problems you can always "hard sync" on Houfy and on Airbnb.

To find out how to "hard" sync, click here

Houfy is programmed to synchronize every 3 hours. This means Houfy pulls in new data from other calendars every 3 hours.

How can I manually sync?

You can do a "hard sync or manual sync" when you get a booking on Airbnb or VRBO; go into Houfy's listing calendar section and click on the sync button to pull the reservation into Houfy's calendar.

If you get a booking on Houfy. Then Airbnb or VRBO need to pull that booking into their calendar. You can pull the reservation block in immed. by clicking on their sync button in their calendar dashboard.

It's up to Airbnb or VRBO to pull in Houfy's new calendar info. So you should find out how often Airbnb "syncs/pulls in data" with other sites. It is our understanding Airbnb syncs every 2 hrs and VRBO up to 6 hrs.

Click on the little update/sync button.

You can do a hard sync when you get a booking. It's up to Airbnb or VRBO to pull in Houfy's new calendar info. So you should find out how often Airbnb or VRBO "syncs" with other sites. It is our understanding Airbnb syncs every 2 hrs and VRBO up to 6 hrs.

Example: if you get a booking on Houfy. Then Airbnb needs to pull that booking into their calendar. You can pull the reservation block in immed. by clicking on their sync button in your Airbnb calendar dashboard.

You can do the same in Houfy as well. It's called doing a "hard" or "manual" sync. If you get a booking on Airbnb, then go into Houfy's listing calendar section and click on the sync button to pull the reservation into Houfy's calendar.

This is the furthest date in the future that you want to accept bookings

Manage listings > Calendar > Scroll down to booking cut off date (Set date or choose months from today)

By leaving this date blank you'll have the option to accept a booking at any future date

This means you're taking responsibility to keep your rates up-to-date. (e.g. with a Base Rate set high enough that you won't be disappointed if someone inquires to book a high season date far in the future that you haven't updated)

Example: a guest wants to book a special anniversary in two years when you haven’t set a rate. Please make sure your rates are updated.

You also have an option to set a booking cut off date in months from today.

Please make sure you have your Airbnb calendar synced into Houfy.

Log into Airbnb.

To export the Airbnb calendar:

On airbnb.com go to Host and select Listings > Select Listing
Select Calendar and Click Availability settings
Scroll down to Sync calendars, select Export Calendar and copy URL.
Paste the Airbnb URL into the Calendar address (URL) field at Import at Houfy.
Name your calendar. (Airbnb)
Click Import calendar.

Log into Houfy.

To import a calendar into Houfy:

Menu and select Manage Listings.
Select calendar of the listing you wish to update
Click Import calendar
Paste the copied Airbnb Calendar URL

Please make sure you have your VRBO calendar synced into Houfy.

Log into VRBO and go to owner dashboard.

Select the property to sync > Select Manage > Select Calendar at the drop down menu
Click on the up/down arrows on the right side > Select Export Calendar
Copy the FULL URL in the pop up
Uncheck (Incl. Tentative Reservations)

Log into Houfy and go to My Listings.

Select calendar of the listing you wish to update
Click Import calendar
Paste the copied VRBO Calendar URL

Syncing Calendar

Frequently asked questions about calendars

Once you have synced your calendars correctly, you should be all set!

Calendar synchronization with Houfy

If you list your place on Houfy and other websites, you can prevent multiple guests from booking the same dates by syncing your Houfy calendar with your other calendars. The "correct" way of Synchronizing Calendars: (assuming 3 sites) EXPORT Airbnb + VRBO and IMPORT into Houfy EXPORT Houfy + VRBO and IMPORT into Airbnb EXPORT Airbnb + Houfy and IMPORT into VRBO TIP: When doing this, keep the browser tabs open.

https://www.houfy.com

DANGER: You are listed on Tripadvisor, Airbnb, VRBO and Houfy; above example shows just 3 sites. (Airbnb, VRBO and Houfy) The screenshot below 4 sites! Make sure you have everything synced correctly.

Houfy says: can NOT import this link?

Most probably, you copied the wrong link, you might have copied the url in the browser. Please read the above document. ALL larger marketplaces have proper synchronization set up through specific export and import links. (.ics files) - These do not show in the browser.

I'm blocking dates on VRBO but they do not show on Houfy?

Please make sure you have VRBO synced into Houfy.

I added a reservation on Houfy ("Add Booking") but it doesn't show on Airbnb?

Did you import Houfy into Airbnb? Please make sure you did. Airbnb can not get any data from Houfy if you did not import the Houfy calendar into Airbnb.

What does the little sync button do?

The little sync button fetches data from the linked website. As far as I know, only Houfy, Airbnb and Tripadvisor have this.

How do I delete a calendar from Houfy?

Log In > My Listings > Select property > Calendar

Houfy offers two import options: Reservations Only and Everything

EX: if you block dates on XXXX platform, but want them to remain bookable on Houfy, select to import "Only Reservations" instead of "Everything."

Menu > Manage Listings > Calendar > Import tab

If you list your place on Houfy and other websites, you can prevent multiple guests from booking the same dates by syncing your Houfy calendar with your other calendars.

The "correct" way of Synchronizing Calendars: (assuming 3 sites)

EXPORT Airbnb + VRBO and IMPORT into Houfy
EXPORT Houfy + VRBO and IMPORT into Airbnb
EXPORT Airbnb + Houfy and IMPORT into VRBO

TIP: When doing this, keep the browser tabs open.

Step 1) Export Airbnb and VRBO & Import into Houfy

Calendar importing allows you to automatically keep your Houfy calendar up to date with an external calendar that supports the iCalendar format, including Google, Airbnb, HomeAway or VRBO.

Select the correct listing and find: Availability Settings

To export a calendar:

On airbnb.com go to Host and select Listings > Select Listing
Select Calendar and Click Availability settings
Scroll down to Sync calendars, select Export Calendar and copy URL.
Paste the Airbnb URL into the Calendar address (URL) field at Import at Houfy.
Name your calendar. (Airbnb)
Click Import calendar.

Scroll down and find "Export Calendar"

Copy the link - Make sure you select the whole link..

Open a new Tab on your browser. (Browser Tab 2)

Log in to Houfy
Click on the menu icon top right
Go to Manage Listings on Houfy.com
Click Calendar for the listing you want to import.
Click on the top-right corner of your calendar view, select Import calendar and paste the Airbnb link.

Open a 3rd tab: Log into VRBO and go to owner dashboard. (Browser Tab 3)

Select property > Manage > Calendar

Click on the up/down arrows > Export Calendar

Click on the top-right corner of your Houfy calendar view, select Import calendar and paste the VRBO link.

NOW YOU HAVE IMPORTED AIRBNB AND VRBO INTO HOUFY

Step 2: EXPORT Houfy + VRBO & IMPORT into Airbnb

Copy the export Houfy link (First one) and go to Tab 1: Airbnb > Select "Import" and paste the Houfy link.
Copy the export VRBO link from tab 3 and go to tab 1: Airbnb > Select "Import" and paste the VRBO link

Step 3: EXPORT Airbnb + Houfy & IMPORT into VRBO

Copy the export Houfy link(First one) and go to Tab 3: VRBO > Select "Import" and past the Houfy link.
Copy the export AIRBNB link from tab 1 and go to tab 3: VRBO > Select "Import" and paste the AIRBNB link

Youtube video:

Houfy - How to sync your calendars

Houfy Help Tutorial: How to sync calendars

https://www.youtube.com/

Calendar sync is a way to integrate your calendar with other calendars to update all or some of the calendar data automatically.

In the vacation rental industry, Calendar Sync allows reservations from one calendar to be shared with another calendar automatically. Calendar sync is done using a format called iCal. (.iCal is an format just like .pdf / .com & .xml for example)

With Houfy: Calendar importing allows you to automatically keep your Houfy calendar up to date with an external calendar that supports the iCalendar format, including Google, Airbnb, HomeAway or VRBO.

The "correct" way of Synchronizing 3: AIRBNB, VRBO & Houfy Calendars: