Are you a seasoned Airbnb host with some time on your hands? If so, Airbnb’s new Co-Hosting Network could be the perfect opportunity for you to expand your role in the short-term rental industry. Part of the highly anticipated Airbnb 2024 Winter Release, this new feature allows experienced hosts to offer their services to other property owners in their area, helping them manage their listings while earning extra income.
Here’s everything you need to know about becoming a co-host on Airbnb, including requirements, tasks, and financial arrangements.
What is Airbnb’s Co-Hosting Network?
Airbnb’s Co-Hosting Network aims to connect time-strapped property owners with experienced hosts who can assist with managing their rentals. Only top-quality hosts can join the network, with 73% of co-hosts being Superhosts and 84% managing Guest Favourite properties. This selective approach ensures property owners have access to skilled co-hosts who maintain high standards.
Launching the feature with more than 10,000 co-hosts across 10 countries, Airbnb uses an advanced algorithm to recommend co-hosts based on more than 80 factors like location, hosting experience, and property type.
What to expect as a co-host
As a co-host, you can assist with various tasks, such as:
Listing creation and professional photography
Setting pricing and managing availability
Guest messaging and reservation management
Onsite guest support and property maintenance
Interior design and styling
Helping with hosting permits and local regulations
This flexibility allows property owners to hire co-hosts for specific tasks or for comprehensive listing management, providing tailored support as needed.
How to qualify as a co-host
Airbnb has set clear criteria for joining the Co-Hosting Network to ensure only experienced and reliable individuals are selected. Potential co-hosts must:
Have an active listing on Airbnb, either as a host or co-host, with access to calendar and messaging tools
Have hosted or co-hosted 10+ stays or a minimum of 100 nights within the past year
Maintain an average guest rating of at least 4.8 stars over the last 12 months
Keep a cancellation rate below 3%, excluding extenuating circumstances
Have a verified profile with up-to-date information and comply with local hosting regulations
Financial arrangements for hosts and co-hosts
Typically, co-hosts charge 17% to 20% of the host’s payout for their services. Additionally, specific tasks like listing setup and photography may incur extra fees. Airbnb will facilitate payments directly within the app, making it easy for hosts and co-hosts to manage transactions. Importantly, Airbnb does not charge extra fees for matching hosts and co-hosts, keeping the process straightforward and cost-effective.
Expanding opportunities in 2024 and beyond
Currently, the Co-Hosting Network is available in 10 countries: the UK, US, Canada, Australia, Mexico, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Brazil. However, Airbnb plans to expand this service to more regions in 2025, providing even more opportunities for hosts to grow their roles and income.
Professional property management companies are locked out
Airbnb’s Co-Hosting Network is only open to individuals – however that person could work for a property management company.
Jay Carney, Airbnb’s Global Head of Policy and Communications, said: “The goal here is to have these incredibly high standards and large property management companies don’t often clear that bar. Individual hosts within [the management companies] might, but the goal here is to deliver for existing hosts or new hosts this quality partnership with a co-host.”
For context, according to AirDNA, the average rating for large property management companies on Airbnb is 4.62 – which is below the threshold for the co-host marketplace. In terms of the numbers, as of August 2024, there were more than 1.7 million short-term rental listings on Airbnb and Vrbo in the US, and about 20% of these listings – just over 330,000 – are managed by property managers. That leaves potentially hundreds of thousands – just in the US – of properties whose hosts may want some support, but may not see the need – or want to pay the fees – to hire a full-service professional property management company.
Would you like to be a co-host on Airbnb? Let us know in the comments!
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