You can now rent your pool to the masses — or get all the benefits with none of the maintenance by using a stranger’s pool when the mood strikes, thanks to an app called Swimply. Like Airbnb, the platform allows you to search for property, arrange a rental time, and pay a fee set by the owner. Unlike Airbnb, you are paying for pool access only.
There are currently two Moore County pools on Swimply: one in Aberdeen (above) that’s been listed for more than a year and another in Vass.
“People find it odd,” says Chad, who listed his Aberdeen saltwater pool to bring in a little extra income after seeing Swimply featured in a magazine. “When I tell people about it, I literally have to pull up the app and show them it’s real.”
Swimply has connected Chad with about 10 renters, who also have access to the grill on his deck. The platform does not require hosts to provide a bathroom, but does allow longer rental periods for those who do. So, Chad installed a backyard porta-potty.
“I don’t do anything different, just make sure the pool is running when they come,” he says. Renters are given directions on how to enter his backyard, and Chad sits back and collects nearly all of the $35/hour he charges through the app.
And yes, while Swimply provides its own form of insurance and Chad upped his own policy, there are some risks you just have to take. “I have a good filtration system,” he laughs.
Want more? Waste an evening diving into pools across the country on Swimply.
