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[kaien4]

Hey everyone, I’m two months in to hosting and learning the ropes. Recently I had a few people in my area DM me saying they’re “cohosts” and that they can help me manage my listing, get more bookings, etc. One of them was super chill, but the other started asking a lot of personal questions about my property right away such as pricing, and schedule.
I have no idea if this is just normal networking in the hosting world or if I should be cautious. I’ve read mixed things about cohosts — some say they’re lifesavers, others say you have to be really careful.
How do you tell if a cohost is legit? Is this just how it works, or is it a red flag when someone is super pushy right away?
Would love to hear your experiences — especially any horror stories or success stories so I can get a realistic picture.

[pwd8941]

Well, if you are seriously considering working with one, I hope you asked each of them to send you a direct link to *all* of the places they co-host and how long they have been in your area. If they can’t even answer these basic questions, I would cease all communication with them.

This will allow you to look at their locations and details, the reviews that they got, and how busy they seem to be. Would they also be co-hosting properties that would be competing with yours?

[sbjnyc]

If you are a newer host and not running into problems run your own property for at least half a year. It’s only after you start that you’ll understand if these services would be useful to you or not. I would always advise looking for services you need yourself rather than taking basically cold calls. I’ve always believed if they are cold calling or mailing rather than relying on advertising and word of mouth then that shows the signs of a red flag.

[bigfriendlyman]

Each person's situation is different. I agree it doesn't take that much time when you know what you are doing but there are folks who don't want to learn or don't want to deal with the customer service side. A good co host will make you more then a disengaged host.

It is a little like having someone manage your retirement account and outsourcing it to an expert.

[alwaysbmine]

Did they specify if they are local? Some co-hosts are "virtual" and sometimes not even in the same country. If you were to even consider a co-host, at the minimum they would need to have boots on the ground in your area and willing to help respond personally to issues.

[indie120]

Get Cleaners, a maintenance person, hire a remote experienced VA to manage communication on your PMS. And see how that goes for you before giving away all your profits.