We've only hosted two so far so are not experienced by any means. But what we found is that while they may be so so roommates (both pretty bad at cleaning, especially their bathroom), they really care for the kids and bond well with them, so that makes it worth it for us.

This is great! I am so happy for you, OP. And thank you for posting.

I just feel the need to write this to counter the other post. It is definitely a difficult time for Host Parents to navigate the limited number of available Au Pairs but we have just started with a new au pair who is really great. We didn't offer extra money (although I am going to pay her more) or any special perks. She has a shared bathroom and shared car. We do live in an area with a lot of other au pairs which helps. She chose us because she felt a connection and realized that is more important than a fancy car. She is also very experienced with the kids and a very hard worker. So while I have no doubt there are bad au pairs (and bad host families) it is still possible to find a great au pair.