A mother hosts the home she wants to keep

When Superhost Magaly had her third child in 2018, it was time to find a bigger house. But their two-bedroom ranch in Wenatchee, Washington, was special—it overlooks their family landscaping business and holds memories of raising their older kids.

Listing it on Airbnb felt like the perfect solution. They’d get to keep the house, Magaly could continue to stay at home with her kids, and she’d get to provide “a little oasis for guests.”

Magaly researched short-term rentals in the area, got inspiration from top-rated Airbnb homes, and prepared her space for guests while moving her family to a bigger house. In late 2019, she listed Selah Vivienda.

Magaly fell in love with hosting. She focuses on making her guests feel at home, and even has her young kids help write handwritten notes. “Magaly is a hostess at heart,” one guest reviewer writes.

She hopes that through hosting, Magaly is teaching her kids “to welcome anybody and have that hospitable heart,” she says. Plus, “This is a great example that full-time moms can be business owners.”

When Magaly first considered hosting on Airbnb, it ticked all the boxes: keep the house, have time with the kids, nurture her inner hostess. What she didn’t realize was that there were more boxes to tick: own a thriving hosting business, model hospitality for her kids, and forge meaningful connections.

“It was actually the best decision that we made for our family,” she says. “Being able to connect with certain guests—why they’re here and what memories they made—that's been one of my favorite parts.”

Magaly set out to provide a welcoming space where guests could pause and reflect; in the quiet moments before they arrive, she has found the space to do the same.