How You Know It’s Time To Hire A Cohost for Your Airbnb

I am diving into the co-hosting side of my business—a service I’ve been offering officially since this summer, though I’ve been quietly co-hosting and managing short-term rentals since 2019. For almost three years, I’ve been managing a property for my mother-in-law alongside my own, with just a few short breaks when she opens her home to family during the holidays.

This part of my business lights me up. Helping other hosts elevate their guest experience through thoughtful hospitality feels natural and rewarding. One of my goals this year is to bring on two more co-hosting clients, and we’re well on our way. So, let’s talk about what co-hosting really is because even within the short-term rental world, it’s a term that’s often misunderstood.

What Is a Co-Host?

A co-host is someone who helps manage your short-term rental—whether it’s listed on Airbnb, VRBO, or a direct booking site. They handle the operational side of things so you don’t have to.

Co-hosts can take on as much or as little as you need. Some property owners only want help with communication, while others hand over everything from bookings to maintenance. Think of a co-host as the person who makes your short-term rental business feel more “passive” again.

Here are some common co-host duties:

• Guest Communication: Managing inquiries, answering questions about amenities or policies, handling reservation changes, and communicating during a guest’s stay.
• Supply Management: Restocking essentials like toilet paper, trash bags, and dishwasher tabs.
• Scheduling Cleaners and Maintenance: Coordinating cleaning crews between guest stays, arranging check-ins after longer vacancies, and handling seasonal issues—like our annual Kentucky stink bug season.
• Contractor Coordination: Scheduling HVAC repairs, plumbing fixes, or other maintenance needs.
• Listing and Pricing Optimization: Updating your listing titles and descriptions to reflect local attractions or events, and managing dynamic pricing for holidays, concerts, and high-demand weekends.

Essentially, a co-host takes care of the daily details that make a short-term rental run smoothly—so you can focus on the big picture.

Making Your Investment Feel Passive Again

Many people step into real estate investing because they’re drawn to the idea of passive income. And while long-term rentals can be relatively hands-off once tenants are in place, short-term rentals require ongoing attention. Guests come and go every few days, there’s more wear and tear, and small tasks pile up quickly.

That’s where a co-host becomes invaluable. They take over the constant communication, coordination, and care that short-term rentals demand. In my own workflow, I use a property management system called Logify, which connects my listings across Airbnb, VRBO, and direct booking platforms. It even allows me to create a direct booking site—something I recommend asking your potential co-host about. Having that direct option lets repeat guests book with you again without paying third-party service fees, which is a huge win for both parties.

Signs It’s Time to Hire a Co-Host

So how do you know when it’s time to bring someone on? Here are a few tell-tale signs:

1. You cringe when your phone dings.
   If every Airbnb notification fills you with dread, it might be time. Maybe you’re tired of answering the same questions over and over (“Is it a Keurig or drip coffee maker?”), or maybe you’ve been woken up at 2 a.m. by a guest who can’t find the lockbox code. A co-host can handle that communication so you don’t have to.
2. You’re running out of supplies—again.
   If guests are messaging that they’ve run out of toilet paper or hand towels, and you’re making emergency Sam’s Club runs, that’s another red flag. A co-host can track and restock your inventory so guests never experience a shortage and your reviews don’t take a hit.
3. Your reviews are starting to slip.
   Often, when guest communication or supply management begins to lag, it eventually shows up in your ratings. That’s your cue that something needs to change—and a co-host might be the answer.

When Ratings Slip, Visibility Slips Too

If your rating dips to a consistent 4.7, that’s a signal something isn’t landing for guests. Airbnb will notice and push your listing lower in search results because poor guest experiences reflect poorly on the platform. Keeping ratings high matters for revenue and reach. At our Kentucky property we maintain a perfect five star rating, and my goal is to extend that same five star experience to the properties I support as a co-host.

Why Most Bad Reviews Happen

From what I see, poor reviews usually come from two fixable issues:

Guest communication.
Guests had questions and the host wasn’t available, or responses came too slowly. A co-host can own timely, helpful communication so guests feel supported before, during, and after their stay.

Cleanliness and turnover systems.
Short-term rental cleaning is not a long-term move-out clean. Turnovers include remaking beds, resetting spaces, and often stocking a welcome basket. When owners host from afar without clear checklists and workflows, details slip. A seasoned co-host brings short-term-rental-specific cleaning checklists, passes them to cleaners, and builds in verification that each step actually happens.

If communication and cleanliness are where you get “dinged,” a co-host can stabilize both quickly.

The Creaky Towel Rack Problem

You know the message that arrives at checkout: the towel rack in bathroom three is loose, a screw is sticking out. It seems minor, yet it impacts the stay and shows up in reviews when left unfixed. If those little maintenance notes annoy you or never get addressed, they accumulate into a larger narrative that hurts ratings and rank. A good co-host will track, schedule, and close the loop on small repairs before they stack up.

You’re Not Failing If You Need Help

Short-term rentals sit inside hospitality, which is people-focused and hands-on. That is the opposite of passive. You made a solid investment. Handing operations to a co-host means you care about the guest experience and the asset. Take action to strengthen that experience, and the results compound over time.

Questions To Ask Before You Hire a Co-Host

1) What’s included in the co-hosting package?
Clarify scope so you truly remove the time drain. Ask about:

• Guest communication
• Scheduling cleaners and contractors
• Restocking supplies
• Listing management and dynamic pricing
• Which pricing software they use, how they track market trends, seasonality, and events

If you only hire someone to answer messages, you still sit in the middle of cleaners, vendors, and pricing. Aim for a package that addresses your real bottlenecks.

2) How are payments handled?
Money flow varies by platform and by state.

• In many states, anyone holding funds on behalf of an owner needs a real estate license. Rules differ, so verify locally.
• Airbnb allows automatic split payouts. Example: an 80–20 split sends 80 percent to the owner and 20 percent to the co-host, deposited directly.
• VRBO does not support split payouts. Decide how the co-host will be paid for VRBO bookings, often via a monthly invoice.
• Document the compensation percentage and the exact services tied to that percentage.

3) Do they have experience with properties like yours?
Match on specifics: bed count, waterfront humidity and dehumidifiers, hot tub care, mountain or coastal environments, family-focused amenities. Their familiarity with your property type speeds problem solving.

4) Are they local or remote?
Remote co-hosting works well with the right team and systems. If proximity is a priority, set your radius expectations up front and confirm they can meet it.

Quick Signs It’s Time To Bring Someone On

• You dread opening the app when it dings.
• Reviews are slipping due to slow replies or cleanliness misses.
• Small fixes linger and multiply.
• The day-to-day feels like a time suck rather than an investment.

When you do hire, ask thorough questions so the fit serves you, your property, and your guests.

If any of this sounds familiar, schedule a free discovery call with me. I’ll help you manage daily operations so your passive investment feels passive again. Then I’ll take it a step further by branding your property, giving it a personality, and marketing it across social media and a direct booking site that is made…

Building a Brand and Experience That Lasts

Once I’ve stepped in to manage operations for a property, my work doesn’t stop there. Beyond guest communication, scheduling, and upkeep, I brand your short-term rental. I craft a full marketing identity that gives it personality and staying power.

That includes developing a custom direct booking site for your property and building email marketing campaigns that re-engage past guests. Once those guests have booked through Airbnb or VRBO, we nurture them into loyal, repeat customers who book directly next time—eliminating costly platform fees and keeping that revenue in your pocket.

If you’re ready to make your investment truly passive again, and to transform your short-term rental into a cohesive, guest-centered business, I’d love to talk.

You can schedule a free discovery call to ask questions, brainstorm, or simply chat through what it might look like to have support managing your property.