You’ve heard of renting your home on websites and apps, but what about your private pool? We’re breaking down this potential new selling point when you’re showing homes AND what clients may want to consider from a legal standpoint.

Extra Cash for Your Clients

New websites and apps like Swimply are emerging to give pool owners the chance to score some extra cash by lending their outdoor oasis to someone else for a few hours. Some existing home rental apps are also adding this on as a service in addition to what they already provide. Users will create an account, go through the steps to provide extensive detail about their space and rules, and once it’s approved, they can start listing their pool. When you are showing your clients a potential home that has a pool, or helping to sell a home with a pool, this new opportunity could be something you may want to mention. Some websites even offer the ability to just rent the backyard–no pool needed!

Before You Jump Into the Deep End

Of course, pools can carry some liability and you may want to take that into account when discussing this with your clients. “Before suggesting that clients use their property in any particular way, agents should always let clients know that they need to check local ordinances to make sure the practice is allowed, the owner’s insurance to see what coverage they have (or don’t), and consider potential liability when others are using their property,” says Virginia REALTORS^® General Counsel Laura M. Murray. “Homeowner’s insurance policies may not cover the owner if they are engaged in renting out their pool for money as this may be seen as a commercial enterprise.”

As you work with homes that have special amenities this summer, keep this idea in your back pocket as a selling point for your clients.