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 gone on to disrupt the travel industry! And on the way it has taken some affordable housing out of the marketplace.
Home-sharing, on the other hand, increases the supply of affordable housing! It helps people of modest income stay in the homes they love, while providing an affordable place to live for others who are also on a modest income. And they both gain camaraderie and security at the same time! It’s a win-win solution!
Home-sharing got a lot of attention at a recent international Housing Solution Summit attended by hundreds of government reps and housing agencies. As I said in my presentation on “Scaling Up Home-Sharing” at the Summit, there are five million spare bedrooms in my home province of Ontario. That’s equal to 24 years-worth of affordable housing construction! It’s great that the government wants to support it, but people need to want to do it! And why not?!
Home-sharing is a viable, affordable – and enjoyable! – way to live. In Ontario, there are already about 575,000 households that are home to two or more unrelated adults. On the other hand, there are almost 4 million people living alone. For some, that may be fine. But most of us benefit from having other people around us, especially when we are heading into life’s third stage, when the kids are grown, we may be widowed or divorced, and life has started to throw us curve-balls in the health department. Honestly, I’ve found that a household of three or four people is ideal – safety in numbers!
So tell me:
Are you sharing a home now?
Have you ever shared a home?
Have you ever thought about it?
Would you like to know how to make a success of it?
Please share your thoughts with me. I’d love to know how to make this lifestyle the most natural solution to the housing crisis.
Golden Girls Canada is owned and operated by Golden HomeSharing Connections
Home-mate matching database for older adults by accredited
seniors real estate specialist (SRES) Dorothy Mazeau.
Want to know more?
Email: hello@goldengirlscanada.ca
Invite Dorothy to speak at your next service club, church or social group meeting.
Her presentation *An Introduction to Home-Sharing * offers plenty of food for thought!