Shared Economy

The big players in the shared-economy right now are Uber, Airbnb and Lyft, but the word encompasses so much more. From vacation rentals to shared office space — things are changing as the millennial generation pushes us towards a much more shared economy. But how does it affect real estate?

Companies like Airbnb and VRBO, while marketed towards the individual, are used by both personal travellers and corporations to book lodging. This distinction is the difference between a small payout and an enormous one. Marketing towards businesses allows for much higher rates and a much higher occupancy rate. The platforms truly speak to this fact; Booking Homes (part of the Booking Holdings Group) has over 5.6 million listings in 227 countries, with an average of 1.5 million room nights booked daily; Airbnb has over 5 million listings in 191 countries, with 400 million cumulative guest arrivals; HomeAway over 2 million listings in 190 countries; Agoda (also part of Booking Holdings) has over 1.1 million properties; and Tujia has over 1 million listings in 300 Chinese cities and global locations. The market is huge!

But sleeping arrangements aren't the only thing you can organize. More and more, business professionals are looking for desks in shared office spaces rather than renting whole offices. These shared office spaces come furnished and stocked with amenities, often even featuring office assistants and personal phone lines.

There's even peer-to-peer mortgage financing! With so many ways to enter into this burgeoning market, Genard Company is so excited to embark on this journey with you.