Co-hosting on Airbnb is hard work. With the right mindset, however, it can be incredibly rewarding as well. You’d be making an income from a rental business without owning a property of your own – it’s a great way to gather experience in this industry.
Now, becoming a co-hosting superstar on Airbnb can be quite difficult. You’ll be tasked with many different responsibilities, so you have to make sure you go into it prepared.
In this short guide, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about becoming a good co-host in 2023, so let’s get started with it!
1. Find a good host
Just like you can be a „bad“ Airbnb co-host, some hosts might not be very easy to work with. Make sure that the person who’s hiring you is reliable and trustworthy – no matter if they’re your friend, family member, or someone you found online.
Since you’ll be sharing hosting responsibilities with them, you need to be able to depend on them to do their part of the job (and vice-versa). Otherwise, your guests will probably walk away disappointed, which could be blamed on you in certain scenarios. You don’t need that kind of stress in your life: choose your host as carefully as you can.
Keep in mind that just because the host is privately a great person, it doesn’t mean they’re the same when it comes to their business. As we’ve said before, some people are simply unreliable and irresponsible. The best way to check their „trustworthiness“ is to read the reviews left by their guests. If they know how to run their business properly, they should also be well-reviewed online.
If you don’t know anyone looking for a co-host, you can always find a willing host online.
2. Make sure your responsibilities are clearly defined
The relationship between Airbnb hosts and co-hosts should be clearly defined at the beginning. You need to know your responsibilities right off the bat – there should be no room for misunderstandings. Like every other business partnership, communication is key! If they’re unable to provide you with an exact list of your responsibilities as a co-host, they’re probably not worth your time.
To be a good co-host, you have to understand your responsibilities to the last detail. If there’s anything you’re confused about, make sure to talk to the host. Don’t be afraid to come off as „annoying“ – asking questions is a part of every job. As we’ve already established before, there’s nothing more essential than proper communication when you’re co-running a business with someone.
So, again, make sure your daily responsibilities are as clear as possible. Write them down in a list if it makes things easier for you – just make sure everyone knows who does what from the very beginning.
You can read more about co-hosting responsibilities and what they entail from professional property managers online if you’re interested.
3. The guests’ satisfaction should be your primary concern
When you’re working in the hospitality industry, the main rule you should follow is that the customer comes first. If your guests feel at home at the rentals you’re managing, everything else will fall into place.
The primary goal of renting a property on Airbnb is to make money – and that mostly depends on how well you do your job. Getting bad reviews can lead to disastrous consequences in this line of work, so you should always make sure to keep your guests happy. It should be the highest priority for every Airbnb co-host.
Now, of course, everyone deals with difficult customers from time to time – you can’t appease everyone. However, as long as you try your best to keep your guests comfortable, you’ll be a successful co-host in no time whatsoever.
4. Draw up an agreement
Even though Airbnb requires co-hosts and hosts to sign their Terms of Policy, most of them prefer to craft their own agreements on the side. It’s the way you can protect yourself and ensure you’re paid the amount originally agreed upon between you and the host.
Besides the amount you’ll be paid (which is in most cases a percentage of the rental income), the way the payments will be processed is also covered in the agreement. Now, all of this depends on you and the host – you can negotiate the rules as much as you need to. Still, the agreement should be drafted by a lawyer to ensure its legitimacy.
5. Be organized and timely
Proper planning and organization are crucial to becoming a good co-host. As we’ve mentioned before, managing a rental business is not easy. You’ll have to deal with the guests, cleaners, bookings, and so much more on a daily basis! If you’re not a very organized person, all of this could prove to be quite overwhelming for you. It’s why you need to practice your organizational skills as much as possible.
In this line of work, everything should be done in a timely manner. Your guests are probably there to relax and vacation, so you don’t want to keep them waiting. Make sure you’re there to answer their questions and requests at all times.
6. Don’t take more work than you can handle
As tempting as it may be, you shouldn’t co-host on too many different properties (with different hosts).
At least not until you’ve gathered some experience.
Novice co-hosts should take it slow – it’s a challenging role as it is, and you don’t want to overwhelm yourself with too many responsibilities.
So, overall, make sure you never promise what you cannot deliver. Your hosts are paying you to do this job, so if you don’t have the time to do it properly, it’s probably not for you.
The Bottom Line
Co-hosting on Airbnb is a challenging job. To become good at it, you’ll need to remain organized, keep your guests happy, and communicate well with your host.
Once you’re able to achieve these things, your new job will become much easier to handle and you’ll be able to make a consistent income out of it.