Coronavirus News: Start-up company is making splash renting out pools like never before

COVID-19 News and Information

ByKemberly Richardson WABC logo

Thursday, July 9, 2020

COVID News: Start-up is renting out pools like never before

A start-up company is taking advantage of the pandemic summer by selling pools in way you might not imagine.

VALLEY STREAM, Long Island (WABC) -- A start-up company is taking advantage of the pandemic summer by selling pools in way you might not imagine.

Brenda Jones couldn't be happier, lounging in a backyard pool in Valley Stream.

But technically, it's not her pool.

For Jones and her family, it's theirs for only three hours because they are renting it from a stranger.

"We come here and enjoy the time with the family, maybe grill or something, eat hot dishes, hamburgers, have a party, it's lit," Jones said.

It sounds crazy. In fact, even the founders of Swimply thought it was bananas, but they jumped in feet first and say it's paying off big time.

"All of a sudden we started seeing bookings go up, 10 to 20 a day, we said holy cow!" Swimply Co-Founder Asher Weinberger said.

Weinberg, who is a co-founder of the start up, says his pool is also listed on the site.

It's one of thousands in the U.S., Canada and Australia, where, if owners pass a 24-point health and safety inspection, and serious vetting, they can then rent out their pool for up to $200 an hour.

Listed on the site in our area is a pool in New Jersey, going for $60 an hour.

"There's a major shift taking place away from the public domain towards private domains and I think we're at the forefront of that," Weinberger said.

He says right now during the COVID-19 pandemic, business is booming as some hosts look to bring in extra cash.

There are waivers involved and partnerships with pool maintenance companies which check the water.

They've come a long way since launching the company last summer.

"We went on Google Earth, we looked for big blue spots from the sky and knocked on 80 doors and were like, 'hey can we put this pool up on this website we built,' they're like no," Weinberger said.

But now Weinberger says folks want more.

They are calling the next step, Joy Space. You'll be able to rent, by the hour, things like tennis and basketball courts ... even a docked boat.

"We're helping people get out of their houses, get R and R that they really need at an affordable price and that makes me feel really, really, good," Weinberger said.

WATCH EYEWITNESS TO A PANDEMIC (Episode 4)

It overwhelmed the health care industry, it put millions out of work, it drowned social services in an ocean of need and threatened the food supply Americans had long since taken for granted. At the apex of the crisis and for the weeks that followed, no part of life, or even what followed life, was spared.