Why Now Is the Best Time to Start Managing Airbnbs

For anyone considering Airbnb co-hosting or short-term rental property management, the timing in 2026 has rarely looked this favorable. This blog video — based on a breakdown by BNB Mastery founder James Svetec — explains exactly why, and which specific markets are generating the most opportunity for new and experienced managers alike.

Watch the full video above or keep reading for the complete breakdown.

Why Now Is a Prime Time for Airbnb Management

Most people assume that a crowded or competitive market means the opportunity has passed. With Airbnb co-hosting, the opposite is often true. More hosts on the platform means more people who need professional help — and more properties to potentially manage.

Several forces are converging right now that make Airbnb property management particularly attractive. Domestic travel demand in key markets remains strong. New short-term rental investors are entering the market without operational experience. And Airbnb itself is actively recruiting new hosts onto the platform. Each of these factors increases the pool of property owners who need a qualified manager.

This blog video digs into each of those forces in detail, so you can assess whether your local market fits the profile — and what to do about it if it does.

The Best Markets to Target Right Now

Not every market is equal. James Svetec is clear about this in the video: the opportunity isn't universal, but there are specific pockets where conditions are exceptionally strong.

Cottage Country and Nature Destinations

Short-drive vacation destinations — think cottage areas, lake towns, and national park gateway communities — are performing well. These are spots that attract travelers who want to get away without flying. A property just two hours outside a major metro area sits in a sweet spot: close enough for a weekend trip, different enough to feel like a real escape.

James specifically references a property he purchased outside of Toronto in a well-known cottage destination. That area saw approximately 35% higher revenue compared to the prior year. That kind of lift creates real income for property managers operating on a percentage model.

For hosts and managers looking at data-driven ways to identify markets like this, finding the best Airbnb investing locations involves looking at short-drive proximity to major population centers, occupancy trends, and average nightly rates — all of which favor these domestic getaway markets.

Urban-Adjacent Markets With High Population Density

Large cities like Toronto, Chicago, or Atlanta have enormous built-in demand. When residents of those cities want a break, they drive somewhere nearby. If you can manage properties in those nearby destinations, you're tapping into a consistent flow of guests who are actively searching for exactly what those properties offer.

The key is identifying areas where supply hasn't yet caught up with demand. That gap is where managers earn the most — properties book quickly, rates stay high, and owners are motivated to work with someone who can keep things running smoothly.

New Investors Are Flooding the Market

One of the clearest signals that demand for property managers is rising: a significant wave of new real estate investors has entered the short-term rental space.

When interest rates were at historic lows, real estate became more accessible. More buyers entered the market, many of them purchasing vacation properties or STR-specific investments for the first time. These buyers are often motivated and well-funded — but they're not operators. They don't know how to optimize a listing, price dynamically, or handle guest communication at scale.

That's where co-hosts and managers come in.

New investors need professional help. They've bought properties, often in markets they don't live near, and they're looking for someone trustworthy to run the day-to-day. If you can position yourself as that person — with systems, data, and results to back it up — you're solving a real problem for a growing group of motivated clients.

This dynamic is covered in more depth in BNB Mastery's breakdown of Airbnb management vs. investing — a useful comparison for anyone deciding which path fits their situation.

For hosts looking to build a full co-hosting business around this growing client base, BNB Mastery's Co-Hosting Program provides a step-by-step framework for landing clients and scaling operations without owning a single property.

Airbnb's Own Marketing Push Is Working in Your Favor

Here's something most people overlook: Airbnb is actively spending money to recruit new hosts. The company runs consistent campaigns encouraging property owners to list their homes, spare rooms, and investment properties on the platform.

That marketing spend benefits managers directly. Every new host Airbnb recruits is a potential client. And many of those hosts — especially ones listing for the first time — are going to struggle. They'll underperform on pricing, write weak listings, miss operational details, and eventually look for help.

This is the co-hosting opportunity in its most direct form. Airbnb is doing the top-of-funnel work of convincing people to list. Your job is to be there when those hosts realize they need a professional.

Understanding how this plays out across different hosting models is worth studying. BNB Mastery's overview of Airbnb hosting vs. co-hosting vs. investing lays out the distinctions clearly — especially for anyone who's still deciding which role makes the most sense for them.

How Co-Hosts and Property Managers Actually Earn

The most common model in Airbnb co-hosting is the percentage-based management fee. A manager takes somewhere between 15% and 25% of gross revenue generated by each property they manage.

What makes this model compelling right now: when markets are strong and bookings are high, the manager earns more. There's no fixed ceiling. A single well-located property can generate $700 to $2,000 per month in management fees — and that number scales as you add more properties.

Run the math on five well-performing properties at 20% management fees, and you're looking at a meaningful full-time income without owning anything. No mortgage, no furnishing costs, no capital tied up in real estate.

Pro tip: The percentage model also aligns incentives between manager and owner. When you earn more by performing better, both parties benefit from the same outcome — maximum revenue.

For a concrete look at what this can look like with even a single property, the breakdown in earning $1,000 managing one Airbnb walks through the numbers in detail.

Joining a community of active co-hosts can also accelerate your growth significantly. The BNB Tribe community gives managers access to ongoing coaching, peer support, and strategies that are working right now in real markets — not just theory.

How to Get Started Managing Properties

The most common barrier people cite for not starting is not having a property to manage. But that's not actually a prerequisite. Co-hosting is specifically structured around finding and onboarding other people's properties.

The startup costs are minimal compared to almost any other real estate business model. No down payment. No renovation budget. No furnishing expenses. What you need is a process for finding motivated property owners, a pitch that demonstrates value, and systems to manage listings effectively once you bring them on.

1. Identify your target market. Focus on areas within a reasonable distance of major population centers where demand for short-term rentals is active.
2. Research the numbers. Use tools like AirDNA to understand occupancy rates and average revenue in your target area before approaching property owners.
3. Reach out to owners. New investors who've recently listed (or are struggling to perform) are your warmest leads. A data-backed pitch showing how you can increase their revenue is hard to ignore.
4. Set up systems. Pricing software, automated messaging, and a reliable cleaning network are the operational backbone of a scalable management business.
5. Onboard your first client and optimize. Real results with one property make every future pitch easier.

For anyone serious about building this into a full business, the best Airbnb business model breakdown explains why co-hosting compares so favorably to alternatives like arbitrage or direct ownership — particularly for people who are just getting started.

The Bottom Line on Airbnb Management in 2026

The conditions supporting Airbnb co-hosting are as strong as they've been in years. Strong domestic travel markets, a wave of new inexperienced investors, Airbnb's own marketing efforts bringing fresh hosts to the platform, and a percentage model that rewards good performance — all of it points in the same direction.

The opportunity isn't everywhere. Market selection matters. But in the right areas, a motivated co-host with solid systems can build a legitimate business managing other people's properties without spending a dollar on real estate.

This blog video makes the case for why now is the moment to act — and the argument holds up in 2026 just as clearly as when it was first made.