What’s the Difference Between a Property Manager and a Co-Host?

Owning a vacation rental in a sought-after destination like Lake Tahoe is an exciting investment. But once you take the leap, an important question arises: how will you manage your property? More specifically, who will take care of your investment?

Many homeowners choose to manage their properties themselves, while others hand over full control to a property management company. However, this traditional approach can sometimes come at the cost of control and transparency. 

That’s where co-hosting comes in—a flexible alternative that gives you expert support while keeping you in the driver's seat.

How Does Traditional Property Management Work?

A property management company typically takes over all aspects of your rental, including listing creation, guest communication, pricing strategies, and maintenance coordination. 

While this hands-off approach may sound appealing, it often means that homeowners have limited access to their accounts, minimal insight into daily operations, and little say in how their property is marketed or managed. 

Some companies even own the listing itself, meaning all reviews and superhost status belong to them, not the homeowner.

How Does Co-Hosting Work?

Co-hosting, on the other hand, is a collaborative approach that allows homeowners to stay involved while still benefiting from professional expertise. 

With Airbnb’s co-hosting feature, for example, you decide how much access your co-host has to your account and what responsibilities they handle. A co-host can assist with guest communication, reservations, cleaning and turnover coordination, pricing updates, and listing optimization. 

Unlike traditional property management, you remain in control while still getting the support you need to run a successful rental.

Key Differences Between Property Management & Co-Hosting

Listing Ownership 

• Property management: Many companies create and own your listing, and require you to create a new one if you ever part ways.

• Co-hosting: You retain full ownership of your listing, Superhost status, and guest reviews.

Reporting & Insights

• Property management: Homeowners often have limited access to earnings and performance data.

• Co-hosting: You have full access to Airbnb’s reporting tools to track earnings, occupancy rates, and future bookings.

Payment Management 

• Property management: Airbnb pays the management company since they own the listing, and the company then distributes revenue to you.

• Co-hosting: Airbnb pays you directly after checkout, and you decide whether to handle payments or have your co-host manage cleaning fees and expenses.

Guest Engagement 

• Property management: All guest communication is handled for you.

• Co-hosting: You decide your level of involvement—whether you prefer to interact with guests or have your co-host take over.

Transparency

• Property management: You may not have visibility into guest interactions, booking details, or updates with your property.

• Co-hosting: You have direct access to messages, reservations, reviews, and everything that happens with your rental property.

Is Co-Hosting Right for You?

If you want the expertise of a seasoned vacation rental professional without giving up control of your property, co-hosting is the perfect solution. 

At Tahoe Cohost Collective, we work with you to create customized management plans that align with your goals and provide the support you need to maximize bookings and revenue.

Curious to see if co-hosting is the right fit for your vacation rental? Contact us today to learn more about how we can help streamline your rental business while keeping you in control.