Short-term rental co-host for local owners

Property owners who rent out a condo, basement suite, cottage or second home on Airbnb or Vrbo but do not live nearby or have time to manage it.

A commission on each booking, often a percentage of nightly revenue, sometimes plus a fee for cleaning coordination or set-up. You pay cleaners from the cleaning fees collected.

• Quick, friendly communication
• Organizing schedules and tasks
• Pricing and listing basics
• Calm problem solving with guests

• Many municipalities and provinces require short-term rental registration or licences, and some limit rentals to principal residences, so check before you take on a property
• Strata or condo bylaws and lease terms may ban short-term rentals, so ask owners to confirm
• Commercial general liability insurance, and check what the owner's insurance covers for paid guests
• Collecting and remitting accommodation taxes and GST/HST may apply, check with the platform, province and Canada Revenue Agency
• Being on call for late-night guest problems, and slower winter demand in many areas

Estimates are typically around $500 to $3,000, depending on the software, insurance, cleaning supplies and linen you provide. Starting with a few properties and local cleaners helps keep costs toward the lower end.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $500 to $3,500, depending on how many properties you manage and your fee arrangement with owners. Winter demand is slower in many areas, so income can vary through the year.

Check whether your municipality or province requires short-term rental registration or licences, and whether rentals are limited to principal residences. Also check strata or condo bylaws, insurance, and accommodation taxes and GST/HST with the platform, province and CRA.