People pooh-poohed the idea that Air BNBs would ever take off as a popular way for homeowners to earn some extra income or that people would really rather stay in an unknown person’s house rather than a hotel when they travel – and look what happened!  Air BNBs have...

Every time I speak with people about home-sharing, whether at a presentation, a workshop or just in conversation, I like to share the definition of a good home-mate crafted by Annamarie Pluhar, a fellow home-sharing advocate and author of the book Sharing Housing: A...

One of the issues that people have to think about as they age is: “What happens if I reach the point where I need help doing everyday things? Or if I have a fall and have to go to the hospital?  Will they let me come home again?” If you are living alone things like...

Five million spare bedrooms.  That’s how many spare rooms there are in Ontario alone, according to a report issued by the Canadian Centre for Economic Analysis in 2017. Are some of those spare bedrooms in your home? What are they being used for now? In many cases they...

You may wonder what surfing has to do with home-sharing.  I never connected the two myself until I received a phone call from a woman who was looking for a home-share for her parents, who are in their 80s.  Whenever I get a call from a family member on behalf of a...

A recent survey taken by the Angus Reid Institute reported that more than 50% of Canadians surveyed said that their mental health was worse now than before the COVID-19 pandemic.  On the other hand, 25% of those living with home-mates said that their relationship with...

Dorothy Mazeau, founder of Golden Girls Canada, shares this story:  "Shortly after meeting Annamarie Pluhar, a fellow home-sharing advocate in Vermont, I was tickled to find this blog post on her website.  As it happens, Norma was a dear friend of my mother, a...

Are you living alone in your family home, the home which you lovingly created with your spouse and where you raised your children?  Your home may be filled with happy memories – but are they enough to keep you happy? Perhaps your spouse has passed away, and your...

Are you feeling pressured to move from a home you love, a neighbourhood where everyone knows you, due to the fact that you are getting older and your family is worried about you?  Maybe you are on your own now and finding that you have more house than you need, and...