The Benefits and Challenges of Partnering with Another Short-Term Rental Host

One of the best parts of hosting is the creativity it allows—and listener Jan from Tucson brought us a fresh idea. After meeting a fellow host on her street, Jan started to imagine what would happen if they joined forces. Her home has a hot tub, her neighbor’s has a pool and putting green. What if guests could book both for the ultimate stay?

It’s a great example of looking at your market differently. Rather than seeing each other as competition, these two hosts saw potential for collaboration. By combining properties, they could attract larger groups, expand amenities, and market themselves as a destination rather than just individual listings.

But as we discussed in this episode, partnerships require more than just creative thinking. There are some important steps to consider before launching a joint listing:

• Liability and insurance: If a guest gets hurt at your neighbor’s pool while booking through you, what happens? Clear contracts and insurance coverage are essential.
• Revenue sharing: How will you split income fairly if both properties are involved? You may need to open a joint account or invoice one another.
• Calendar coordination: Both homes need to be available at the same time to make the combined listing work, which can complicate individual bookings.
• Consistency in guest experience: Your listing standards should match. Guests expect the same level of quality across both properties.

That doesn’t mean collaboration isn’t possible. In fact, there are creative ways to work together without fully merging listings. You might cross-market to each other’s email lists, create joint advertising around local events or weddings, or simply refer overflow guests when one home is booked.

At the end of the day, partnerships between hosts can open new opportunities, but they work best when built on trust, communication, and aligned goals. Jan’s idea is a reminder that in this industry, community can be more powerful than competition.

Resources

• Jan’s Website — Madrona Stays – Beautiful properties in Tucson and the Pacific Northwest.
• Thanks for Visiting Bootcamp — Learn how to up-level your STR listings with actionable strategies and a supportive host community. Join here
• Parent-Child Listing Resources — Watch our YouTube videos explaining how to structure joint or linked listings. Watch here

Have More Questions? We’d love to hear from you! Submit your hosting questions to the Hosting Hotline and tune in to the podcast for answers. Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram for more tips: @thanksforvisiting_.

Download a transcript of this episode.

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