When doing it all yourself stops working
There's usually a moment. Maybe it's the third late-night message in a week, or a vacation where you spent half the time answering guests from your phone.
You know you need help. The question is how much.
That's really what the co-host vs. manager choice comes down to. Both can work well. They just solve different problems. For the bigger picture, see our guide to Airbnb property management in the Treasure Valley.
What an Airbnb co-host does
Airbnb lets a host add co-hosts to a listing and choose what each one can access. A co-host might be a friend, a family member, a local freelancer or a small business.
What they handle depends entirely on what you agree to. Common setups include:
- Answering guest messages and handling check-in questions
- Coordinating cleaners between stays
- Being the local person who can stop by when something goes wrong
- Restocking supplies
You usually keep control of the big decisions: pricing, house rules, which repairs get done and who does them.
The upside is flexibility. You hand off the parts you don't want and keep the rest. The downside is that you're still running the business, and the quality depends a lot on one person.
What a full-service manager does
A full-service short-term rental manager takes over the whole operation. That typically includes:
- Setting up and running the listing on Airbnb, VRBO or both, with calendars synced
- Pricing that changes with weekends, seasons and local events
- All guest communication, before, during and after stays
- Scheduling and checking every turnover
- Repairs and maintenance
- Owner reporting
Your role shifts to owner. You approve bigger spending, block dates you want for yourself and look at the reports.
The upside is that it actually comes off your plate. The tradeoff is that you give up some day-to-day control, and full service usually costs more than partial help.
How each is usually paid
Pay structures vary a lot, so take this as a general picture, not a quote.
Co-hosts are often paid a share of booking revenue, a flat fee per stay, or an hourly rate. Some charge separately for cleanings or visits.
Full-service managers commonly charge a percentage of booking revenue. Cleaning, supplies, linens and repairs may be included or billed on top, depending on the company.
The headline number doesn't tell you much by itself. A lower percentage with lots of add-ons can cost more than a higher one that includes everything. Ask every option for a written list of what's included and what isn't. Our guide on fees to look for in a property management contract has a good checklist.
Questions that help you choose
Work through these and the answer usually becomes obvious.
How much do you want to stay involved?
If you like pricing your own calendar and talking to guests, but hate scrubbing bathrooms, a co-host covering cleanings might be perfect. If you want it gone from your week, look at full service.
Where do you live?
If you live in Eagle and the rental is in Boise, you can probably handle a lot yourself. If you've moved out of state, you need someone local who can show up, and probably more than a part-time helper.
Who fixes things?
This is the one people forget. When the AC dies with guests arriving that afternoon, who handles it? A co-host might call you, and then you're calling around for a repair person. A manager with in-house maintenance can just go fix it.
What happens when your helper is unavailable?
One person gets sick, goes on vacation or moves on. A company has backup. That matters more than it seems when bookings are back to back.
How many properties do you have?
One small guest suite can run fine with a co-host. Two or three homes start to look like a business that needs a team.
A middle path
Some owners start with a co-host and move to full service as bookings grow or life gets busier. Others go the other direction once they learn the ropes.
Either way, keep the agreement in writing, make sure you can leave without a long lock-in period, and keep access to your own listing and guest history.
Where Badger fits
We're a full-service manager. We handle guests, turnovers, pricing, listings and calendars, and repairs are done by our own team. Our owner, Cory Hinderager, is a licensed contractor and HVAC tech, so most fixes don't wait on an outside vendor and don't carry a vendor markup.
We're family-owned and based in Nampa, with no long-term contracts and no hidden fees. Pricing depends on your property and what you want handled, so reach out and we'll walk through it. You can see the full service on our Airbnb management page.
Still deciding whether your place should be short-term at all? Read Airbnb or long-term rental: which makes more sense.
