Short-term rental
Co-host
Also written: cohost, co-hosting
What Co-host means
A co-host is a third-party individual or management entity hired by a property owner to handle day-to-day operations of a short-term rental. Tasks typically include managing guest communications, optimizing pricing, coordinating cleaning, handling maintenance, and maintaining listing performance on platforms like Airbnb.
Formula
Co-Host Commission = Gross Rental Revenue × Commission Percentage
How it is used
Property owners use co-hosts to turn real estate investments into passive income without selling or entering full-service property management contracts. Co-hosts typically operate on a commission model, earning between 10% and 25% of gross rental revenue. Operators evaluate co-hosts based on response times, review scores, and capability to drive higher RevPAR through dynamic pricing software. For revenue managers, working with a co-host requires setting strict floor rates and clear guidelines on promotional discounting to prevent yield erosion.
Worked example
An owner generates $8,000 in gross rental revenue in a month. If the co-hosting agreement specifies a 15% commission fee, the co-host earns $1,200 ($8,000 × 0.15). The remaining $6,800 goes to the owner, out of which cleaning fees and platform merchant fees are typically settled depending on the contract structure.
Common mistake
Failing to clearly define operational scope and financial liability in the co-hosting agreement can lead to disputes over damaged property, tax remittances, and uncollected cleaning fees.
Related terms
Co-host in our reporting
Recent stories where this term does real work.