One man's pool is another man's vacation with Swimply
Finding ways to cool off and make some extra cash this summer has gotten easier with a new platform — Swimply.
Have an outdoor space you'd like to utilize more? Want to take a dip, but there's not a pool in sight? Maybe you're looking to pocket some more spending money for that upcoming vacation.
This site has been making a splash across South Jersey, with tons of listings available at any swimmer's disposal.
So, what is Swimply?
To put it plainly, Swimply is like an Airbnb for pools. Users can list their private pools and properties for hourly rentals.
The company was founded in 2019 by Bunim Laskin and Asher Weinberger after the pair met at an entrepreneurship event and discussed their pool-related woes. They found a common interest between those who want to rent their neighbors' staycation spots and those who want to rake in extra cash by utilizing their pool areas.
Sharon Hardy and her husband, Walt Nadolny, began listing their Cherry Hill space last summer.
"We started getting listings right away," Hardy said. She estimated that it only took her and Nadolny about an hour to set up their profile and upload their listing preferences and pool photos.
Hardy said that she and her husband spoke to neighbors about the platform, and they are selective in their bookings to make sure pool sessions don't get too out of hand or disrupt the surrounding homes.
"They haven't had any problem with it," she said of her neighbors. "We are really catering to diverse clientele, to moms and kids ... friend groups and family groups, but we're trying to keep it under 12 [people], because we are a residential neighborhood. It's quiet here."
The service isn't only for swimming, though. Users can list and search for yard spaces as well as pickleball, tennis and basketball courts, though these options are less common in South Jersey.
Where to swim in South Jersey
Prices in the area range around $25-$100 per hour, with options to tack on different amenities like firepits, hot tubs, grills and speakers.
Hardy said that over 13 listings last summer, she made around $1,600 just from renting out her pool.
Guests looking to swim can easily see images of the space, message hosts with inquiries and view amenities all from Swimply's online or in-app platform. And just as swimmers can rate pools, owners can rate their guests.
Whether that be at Hardy's "relaxing haven" listing or one of the many other pools in the area, there seems to be a space meant for everyone.
This article originally appeared on Cherry Hill Courier-Post: What is Swimply? Learn how to rent a pool for short-term use
