The vacation rental platform is looking for ready-made property ideas – the weirder the better.
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Jhere is missile silo and bunker in Roswell, New Mexico, which you can rent, the covered wagon in Tennessee for a retro form of glamping, the yellow submarine in New Zealand for Beatles fans, and the UFO house in the UK for exceptional bedding. Together they are just a few of the many wacky and unique rentals listed in the recent OH MY GOD! category on Airbnb.
Among 56 new vacation rental categories (a program launched last month that includes other groups like A-frames, Tiny Homes and Castles), the OMG! according to Airbnb, accommodations are among the most sought after by users. It is often difficult to find an available night. However, thanks to a new contest, there will soon be more of these fun and funky vacation rentals to shop around.
Airbnb announced Wednesday that the company is creating an “OMG! Fund” to fund some of the “craziest and most unique real estate ideas” presented to them.
“The OMG! Fund seeks ideas from existing and aspiring designers, architects, DIYers and makers around the world,” the brand said in a press release, adding that the “fund is shaped in part by the growing trend of flexible living that has emerged in the past two years.As part of this shift, Airbnb guests crave more unexpected spaces that become destinations themselves.
Most hosts develop properties for the sole purpose of renting them out on Airbnb, the company says. According to the press release, the typical host in the United States made over $13,800 in revenue in 2021.
The $10 million fund will provide 100 people with $100,000 to create an offbeat Airbnb listing. Interested persons can apply for financial support via airbnb.com/omgfund, where they will be asked to explain their idea, what makes it unique and what inspired it. Nominations are accepted until July 22, 2022, and finalists will be announced in the fall.
Applicants do not need to be in possession of an existing home or space, but are solely responsible for acquiring the property, as well as designers, architects, contractors, permits and materials. Winners receive the prize in three parts, earning one-third of the funds each time they reach one of the design milestones set out in the official contest rules.
According to Airbnb, the ideas will be judged by a panel of experts for their originality, feasibility, the experience the space will provide to guests and their sustainability. The winners will be determined by a panel, including the Airbnb superhost and the designer of some OMG! houses (like the potato hotel, Crystal Peak Lookout, Big Island Treehouseand the next shipwreck house) Christie Wolfe; founder of Koichi Takada Architects Koichi Takada; exaggerated style icon Iris Apfel; and Bruce Vaughn, vice president of experiential creative product at Airbnb.
>> Next: Frank Lloyd Wright Homes, Farm Stays, Glamping Sites – Airbnb’s new search categories feature these exciting listings
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