When co-owning a vacation home, the most important things to agree on upfront are ownership structure, how scheduling works, how expenses are split, maintenance responsibilities, house rules, and where all property information lives. Most co-ownership friction is not caused by bad relationships. It is caused by assumptions that were never made explicit. This checklist makes them explicit.
The best time to have the hard conversations about your shared vacation home is before anything goes wrong.
Not after someone double-books a holiday weekend. Not after a repair bill turns into a three-week text thread. Before. When everyone is excited and still in a generous, collaborative mood.
1. Ownership and legal structure
How is ownership divided? Do you have a co-ownership agreement in writing? Who is the primary point of contact for insurance, taxes, and HOA?
2. Scheduling system
How will you book time at the vacation home? Where does the calendar live? What happens if two families want the same weekend?
3. Expense split and budget
How will ongoing costs be divided? Where is the shared expense record kept? How often will you settle up?
4. Maintenance responsibilities
Who schedules routine maintenance? How are repair decisions made? Is there a preferred vendor list?
5. House rules
Checkout expectations. Pet policy. Guest limits. Airbnb or VRBO: yes or no? Quiet hours. Equipment rules. Put these in writing.
6. Communication norms
Where do logistics live? How are major decisions made? What is the process for raising a concern?
7. The house manual
Wifi password. Alarm code. Appliance notes. Trash schedule. Utility shutoffs. Vendor contacts. Emergency numbers. Every vacation home should have one. If you're not sure where to start, this guide on managing a shared lake house covers exactly what goes in it.
A note on second home owners
You don't have to be a formal co-owner for this checklist to apply. Scheduling, house rules, and the house manual are relevant for any shared-use property.
How Dwelly keeps all of this organized
Dwelly is a vacation home management app built for exactly this. The shared calendar, expense tracker, house manual, and group updates all live in one place.
It's $9/month for one property or $19/month for up to three. There's a 14-day free trial at dwellyco.com.