Wish you could be an Airbnb host but don't have a place to rent out? Be a co-host — here's how the side hustle works.

• Cohosting on Airbnb can be a lucrative side gig, and for some, it's a full-time job.
• Airbnb cohosts help hosts manage their rentals, from communicating with guests to cleaning. 
• If you're interested in becoming a cohost, join an Airbnb Facebook group.

Sean Parker and his wife love being Airbnb hosts. They started in Ontario, Canada, in 2020 by listing two different properties.

"We both enjoyed meeting new people and just hearing their stories," he said.

They liked their responsibilities on the vacation rental platform so much, that in 2022, the couple began cohosting in addition to hosting.

Unlike a host, who typically owns the Airbnb listing, an Airbnb cohost is someone who is hired to help the owner manage the listing, from scheduling bookings to communicating with guests, according to the platform's website. Most cohosts are already Airbnb hosts, like Parker, or they are a trusted colleague of an existing host.

The gig can be low-lift, flexible, and quite lucrative, depending on the services a cohost offers and how many rentals they take on. Parker estimates that they generate more revenue from cohosting than hosting properties.

Here's how it all works, and why people like Parker are getting in on the side hustle.

What is an Airbnb cohost, and what do they do?

Before you check into an Airbnb, it's possible that the person you're messaging with isn't the host or owner, but what is known on the platform as a cohost.

According to Airbnb's website, cohosts are either existing or previous Airbnb hosts or trusted caretakers who assist listing owners in taking care of any aspect of the property, from cleaning to guest interactions.

The arrangement between hosts and cohosts can work in a few different ways.

For example, part-time cohost Seth Sutherland previously told Business Insider that he works remotely as a cohost from Reykjavík, Iceland, managing multiple properties for one host.

In this role, Sutherland handles all communication, from guests to cleaners, he said. But in his case, the hosts or other hired help take care of in-person duties.

Parker, meanwhile, said he and his wife manage 51 listings and handle all communications with guests, cleaners, and subcontractors who maintain the property. The couple rarely has in-person duties, but when there's an emergency, they are the point of contact.

"We've had everything from septic system backups and flooded entire floors to roof leaks and gas leaks," he said. "It can be a very negative job. So you should have the ability to handle situations like that."

Billy Morse is also an Airbnb host and cohost. He lives in Davidson, North Carolina, and cohosts three properties in North Carolina and Georgia. He told BI that he hires and manages a team of assistants who communicate with guests and cleaners.

Unlike Parker and Sutherland, Morse said his tasks are strictly limited to communicating with hosts and his assistants.

Cohosting can be a lucrative side gig

Like most cohosts, before Morse started working as one, he was an Airbnb host for two-and-a-half years in Georgia and North Carolina. He started cohosting as well about six months ago, and since adding the side gig, told BI that he pockets $2,500 a month alone from cohosting three properties. He added that he only spends about two hours each month on his cohosting duties.

Sutherland and his wife also used to be hosts in Florida, but they sold their property because they were only profiting $100 a month.

"It was going to turn into a liability if we kept it, so we decided to cut our losses and move on," he previously told BI.

Then the couple began cohosting and is now making $1,500 each month for roughly 12 hours of work. And their earnings from cohosting vary based on the services the host needs.

For example, when they take on all management duties for a listing, Sutherland said the couple charges a market rate of 20 percent. But if the host has fewer needs, they'll charge as little as 7.5 percent.

"Our goal is to make this our full-time job so we can travel and have the freedom to try the digital-nomad lifestyle for a while," Sutherland said.

Meanwhile, Parker said the gig was lucrative enough to quit his day job by April 2023. He and his wife now cohost 51 rentals on Airbnb and other platforms like Expedia. They charge 10% of the nightly rate, earning up to $500 per month per listing.

How to become a cohost

To become an Airbnb cohost, you need an Airbnb account, and must be an existing or previous host, or an existing host has to invite you to their listing to become a cohost on the platform, according to the company's website.

Before cohosting on Airbnb, Sutherland said he educated himself on hospitality and rental property management.

He said found great resources on YouTube and recommended cohost Sean Rakidzich's channel.

"His videos are straight to the point and packed with valuable information," Sutherland previously told BI.

Meanwhile, Morse recommended meeting up with other successful cohosts locally.

"Get coffee with them or do something to help them out," he said. "Maybe you can work alongside them on a property.

Once you've learned the ropes, Parker said Facebook is a great way to connect with hosts because there are plenty of Airbnb host groups split up by area. So you should be able to find one with local contacts.

But like his education advice, Morse prefers making in-person connections.

"Start with your inner circle, network, and talk to as many people as possible" to find potential clients, he added. "I want to encourage anybody who's out there thinking about cohosting to make that jump."