Considering remote co-hosting

[Cheryl741]

I have been an Airbnb host for almost nine years now and currently specialize in longer term rentals, which leaves me with a little more time on my hands. I am considering helping other folks via remote co-hosting. How useful is a remote co-host for you other hosts? For me personally, I would need my co-host to be local so they could oversee quality assurance, cleaning, supplies and materials, etc., but I have heard other folks use remote co-hosts, so I want to learn more about it. Let me know your experiences. Thanks!

[Kate867]

@Cheryl741  I am a remote host with just one listing.  We live some 400 miles from our cottage so although we do not have a co-host we do have a very good friend and neighbour who keeps a close eye on things.  We did offer to make her a co-host and pay her but she declined.. so we just ‘spoil’ her several times a year instead.  We also have both a good cleaner and a  gardener who attend as required and the names and numbers of both a reliable plumber and electrician who will prioritise urgent work for us if and when required.

As the Host, I deal with all the usual stuff that can be managed remotely such as bookings, availability, coordinating cleaner, gardener etc and dealing with issues.  Most times there is not too much involved, other times you may have a demanding guest who expects us to be an ‘off site’ concierge and I need to be ready to respond to any request for information and this can be quite time consuming.  Personally though, it would not be worth the cost to me of passing this part of the work onto somebody else.

[Cheryl741]

Yep, you need that trusted person on the ground, not some remote person. Thanks.

[Helen3]

I think the majority of hosts needing co-host support need someone who lives close to the property who can be on hand to manage cleaning staff, tradespeople and problem guests . @Cheryl741 

however you might be able to offer an online service to help set up listings

why not do some market research to see what other remote co-hosts offer and their pricing 

[Anonymous]

@Cheryl741   I don't see how any host could benefit from employing a remote co-host who can't physically attend to the property and who hasn't even been there.

But I've seen a handful of hosts doing a side hustle in consultancy - helping new hosts navigate regulations and taxes, optimize pricing, source supplies, design their rental homes, etc. A few lead remote workshops and give "webinars." I used the word "hustle" there because they spend a lot of time trying to drum up demand but don't seem to be actually getting paid.

[Cheryl741]

That makes sense from what I've seen. Remote property management seems like some kind of an oxymoron.

[Helen3]

There are definitely people who do it but normally they advertise on cheap freelance sites like Fiverr.

I'm a co-host and wouldn't consider remote hosting (but maybe it will work for you) as I feel I can only offer a good service when I know an area and can easily get to a listing to manage things on the ground.  @Cheryl741