Profiting from an empty nest with Airbnb
Clare Ross has found her own personal cure for empty nest syndrome.
When her children moved out of home, leaving her all alone in her four-bedroom house in Clontarf, this 63-year-old decided to take in paying guests.
She’s now one of an increasing number of people who are redefining retirement by making money through the online Airbnb rental service.
“When I found myself alone after my children had grown, I decided to do something about it,” says Clare.
“I used to take in foreign students from language schools and from Trinity College but last year, I signed up with Airbnb. I love how it allows me to meet new people while earning some extra money.”
Clare was sceptical about Airbnb when she first heard about it. “A German student told me I should try it,” she says.
“But when I looked it up, I didn’t like the idea of it at all. I was put off at the thought of posting photos of my home online.”
However, a meeting at Airbnb’s Dublin headquarters reassured her. “I met other hosts there and they told me about their good experiences,” she says. “I met the staff too and they all seemed nice and supportive so I decided to try it.”
In March 2015, she started advertising three of her bedrooms on the site and has since had more than 100 people staying in her home.
She’s not alone. There are currently 7,200 Airbnb hosts in Ireland and 14% are retired older people.
Clare can see why older people are drawn to Airbnb. Many struggle to make ends meet on small pensions and the opportunity to make money from the empty bedrooms in their homes is too good to resist.
“With my children gone and three empty bedrooms, it made sense to me,” she says.
However, she can also see why people might worry about opening their homes to strangers and is quick to reassure them.
“The first person to book with me was coming over from the UK for St Patrick’s Day,” she says.
“He messaged me a few days beforehand to say that he’d probably be tipsy when he arrived. I was anxious about this as I didn’t want a drunk person in my house. So, I contacted Airbnb and they found alternative accommodation for him elsewhere.”
She was reassured by this level of customer service and in the end; she discovered that she needn’t have worried about her would-be guest.
“I read the review written by the host he stayed with instead of me and they said he was the perfect guest,” she says.
“But I was impressed by Airbnb. They put my mind at ease.”
Since then, Clare has had overwhelmingly positive experiences with her guests. In fact, she finds that being a host has only added to her enjoyment of life.
“I love meeting people, listening to their stories and chatting to them over meals,” she says.
“It’s also a way for me to keep up to date with what’s happening in the world, particularly in the world of young people”
She appreciates the extra money her guests bring too. In her younger days, Clare worked in the Bank of Ireland Trustee Department.
She returned to education when her children were grown, studying for a degree in horticulture and business before working for a time in the charity sector.
She now has a small pension, which she supplements with her income from Airbnb.
“I wouldn’t be able to maintain my home on my pension alone so this helps pay the bills,” she says.
It even earns her a little extra which she spends on holidays for herself. She visited Croatia in April and stayed in an Airbnb apartment while she was there.
Having that local connection made travelling easier. “I was able to message the woman who owns the apartment before I left with any questions I had,” she says.
“She also met me off the bus from the airport. This made a big difference to me as I was travelling alone. I didn’t have to worry or feel anxious.”
The experience of opening her home to paying guests has added a whole new dimension to this chapter of Clare’s life.
“I could be sitting at home alone but instead, I’m meeting new people and making money while I do it,” she says. “I’d recommend it to everyone.”
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