If you own a second home and want to share it when you're not using it, hiring a property management company might seem like the natural next step. These companies promise hands-off hosting, handling everything from bookings and guest communication to cleaning and maintenance.
But depending on your needs, full-service property management can be expensive both financially and in terms of control. For many second homeowners, the trade-offs just aren’t worth it.
Enter Twimo: a platform that helps you share, swap, and manage your vacation home on your own terms, without the high fees, rigid systems, or feeling like you’ve given your home away to someone else. You can set & hit a financial target in less rented nights (and less wear and tear) versus any other “do-it-for-me” method.
In this article, we’ll break down how Twimo compares to traditional property managers and why it may be the smarter choice for homeowners who want simplicity, control, and flexibility.
1. Keep Control Over Your Calendar and Guests
Traditional property managers typically handle bookings across public platforms like Airbnb or Vrbo. In doing so, they often fill your calendar based on what performs best—not necessarily what works best for you.
This can mean:
- Bookings made without your direct approval
- Guests you’ve never met or vetted
- Limited visibility into who’s staying and when
- Difficulty blocking off time for personal or family use
With Twimo, you stay in full control:
- Approve every guest request directly
- Send private booking links to friends, family, or trusted guests
- Block off time whenever you want—no restrictions or approvals needed
Your second home should work around your life, not the other way around.
2. Say Goodbye to Commission Fees
Most traditional property managers charge a commission based on your home’s rental income. That often ranges from 20% to 40% of every booking. Some companies also add service or maintenance markups, cutting deeper into your earnings.
With Twimo:
- You pay no commissions
- You keep 100% of what you charge guests
- You can process payments directly through Venmo or Stripe—no platform middlemen
Whether you’re charging a friend for a weekend stay or setting a rental rate for a trusted guest, you get to keep what’s yours.
Private sharing with Twimo means more transparency and more money in your pocket.
3. No Long-Term Contracts or Fine Print
Traditional property management companies often require:
- Long-term service contracts
- Minimum rental availability per year
- Exclusivity clauses (meaning you can’t use another platform)
While that might be fine for full-time rental investors, it doesn’t suit the average second homeowner, especially if your home is meant for part-time personal use and occasional sharing.
Twimo has no contracts, commitments, or minimum usage.
You can:
- Share as much or as little as you want
- Pause or update your calendar anytime
- Use the platform only when it fits your plans
Twimo gives you flexibility. You’re never locked into a model that doesn’t work for you.
4. Keep the Guest Experience Personal
Let’s be honest: when guests book a home through a management company, they’re not interacting with the owner. They’re dealing with a third-party rep who may have dozens or hundreds of homes to manage.
The result? A generic experience.
With Twimo, you stay connected to the people staying in your home—even if you’re not on-site:
- You can share personalized instructions, notes, or recommendations
- Communicate directly, if needed
- Add that “local touch” that guests remember
This is especially valuable when sharing your home with friends, family, or coworkers who appreciate a personal experience, not a corporate one.
Your home isn’t a hotel. With Twimo, it doesn’t feel like one.
5. Use Your Home for More Than Just Rentals
Traditional property management models are built for short-term rental income. If you want to occasionally donate your home for a charitable cause, swap it with another family, or offer it as a gift to a loved one, those options usually fall outside the system.
Twimo was built to support all the ways second homeowners use their properties, including:
- Private sharing with invited guests
- Home swapping with other Twimo users (no points or platform restrictions)
- Gifted stays for friends, family, or nonprofits
- Personal use, with clear scheduling to avoid double-bookings
It’s not just about making money. It’s about using your home intentionally and meaningfully.
6. A Better Option for Homeowners Who Don't Want to Be Landlords
At the end of the day, most second homeowners aren’t trying to run a hospitality business. You didn’t buy your vacation home to deal with listings, guest issues, performance targets, and turnover stress.
Twimo offers a low-effort, high-control alternative:
- No public listings (unless you want them)
- No guest reviews to manage
- No marketing dashboards or revenue reports to worry about
Just a straightforward platform that helps you share your home with people you trust easily and securely.
Sharing should feel rewarding, not like a second job.
Final Thoughts: More Autonomy, Less Hassle
If you’ve been considering hiring a traditional property manager to handle your second home, it’s worth asking:
- Do I want to give up control over my calendar and guests?
- Am I okay with paying up to 40% in commissions?
- Do I need a rental agent —or just better tools?
Twimo offers a different path—one designed for people who want to share their home without giving it up.
You stay in charge. You decide who stays, when they stay, and how your home is used. And you get a suite of tools to make that easy, without handing off guest decisions to a third-party company.
Want to Manage Your Vacation Home on Your Own Terms?
Join other second homeowners choosing Twimo for simple, personal, and flexible property sharing.
