We rent houses, cars and now swimming pools. A service available in the Indianapolis area allows you to rent your pool like Airbnb.
INDIANAPOLIS — We rent houses, cars and now swimming pools.
It is a service available in the Indianapolis area that operates like Airbnb.
Who are the hosts?
William Smith and his wife, Greta, enjoy being outdoors. William is a retired chef and Greta is a teacher.
“We both love water, we love sunshine,” William said.
That’s why they bought a house in Old Noblesville with a pool.
“We have grandkids now, and it’s just a fantastic place to get neighbors, friends together,” William said.
But the Smiths can’t be in the pool 24/7, so they decided to rent it out on Swimplya site that allows people to rent pools by the hour.
“He exceeded my expectations,” William said.
How it works?
People rent pools for a variety of reasons.
William said tenants used the space for family time, parties and private swimming lessons for a child with special needs.
When the guests arrive, he walks them to the pool, shows them the ropes, and heads inside.
“Close the blinds. I have a nice spot upstairs where there are no windows facing the pool, and then I’ll let them know to contact me through Swimply,” William said.
Toilets are considered an extra amenity, however, Swimply said most owners offer them.
How much does it cost?
Pool owners decide how much they want to charge per hour.
The Smiths charge $50 an hour on weekends and $40 an hour on weekdays. In less than two months, they made over $3,000.
“Not bad, you know, for a retired man,” laughed William.
Swimply makes its money through fees. Renters pay a 10% fee on top of the pool price and hosts pay over 15% of what they charge.
Sonny Mayugba, vice president of growth at Swimply, said hosts are covered by Swimply’s $1 million liability and $10,000 property damage insurance policy.
“These hosts in July, some take home $22,000 in their pocket in a month – $18,000, $15,000,” Mayugba said.
But for William, who describes himself as a people person, money has become secondary.
Through the app, he was able to connect with members of his community.
“The most rewarding part is seeing kids smiling, and you hear them laughing and stuff. So that’s been a really good positive for me, mentally.”
Bathingwhich is different from Swimply, is another pool sharing app available.
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