For how quick an in-person Airbnb check-in usually is, the amount of time and energy sunk into the process is surprisingly intense. First, there’s the time spent on communication. The quick task of coordinating a guest’s arrival can easily turn into a day-long drip of messages about plane delays, traffic jams, and revised ETAs. Usually, no one feels worse about these messages than the guests.

Then, in addition to the actual time you spend with the guest, there’s the buffer time before and after where you still feel like you shouldn’t actually leave your house. What if they arrive early or need something right after they’ve checked in? The mental energy and time restrictions require so much effort for an in-person check-in that many guests would actually prefer to avoid.