How to earn $5k in your backyard doing nothing

Your backyard could earn you a $5,000 passive income in a single season and you barely have to lift a finger.

The number of Aussies capitalising on the sharing economy to make extra cash is set to triple over summer with pool, tennis court, spa and backyard rentals.

The number of Aussies earning thousands sharing their pool is set to triple in a single season, with the sharing economy taking over the backyard too from tennis courts, spas and backyard cricket.

In a move that’s taken the Airbnb concept out of the house and into the backyard, just about everything fun that families have created outside their homes is now being put up for rent by the hour via sharing platforms like Swimply – with some making as much as $5,000 in one season.

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The entire backyard is now available for rent – including gazebos, barbecues, outdoor entertainment space, tennis courts, spas and lawns.

Swimply is seeing a wave of Aussies signing up as hosts with summer expected to see numbers triple. Picture: Swimply

Swimply Australia general manager Eva Ross said they started renting pools out by the hour, but as more people look to make extra money from their homes, more parts of the backyard were opening up for rental from tennis courts to pickleball areas, outdoor kitchens, spas and even private lawns to play cricket on.

“Swimply is sort of like an Airbnb for private pools, but we’ve now extended into tennis courts, pickleball and it’s growing further as time goes on which is great. We’ve learned so much from the sharing economy from Airbnb and ride sharing.”

An Adelaide pool on Swimply. Australia is said to be just scratching the surface of the backyard sharing economy.

Hourly prices for pool (blue) and tennis court (green) rentals across Melbourne suburbs. Picture: Swimply

Ms Ross said globally around 40,000 pools and courts were now on Swimply, though the idea was only just beginning to take off in Australia.

“I was just looking at some of our hosts data and people earning $5,000 a month through summer which is great. I know there’s a host in the US who has quarter of a million dollars US every summer and continues to add features to the pool – toys, barbecues and those sorts of things to enhance the afternoon for the folks that are using it. So I think we’ll see that sort of growth in Australia as we grow as well.”

The barrier to entry was “a bit lower” with the backyard than letting someone into your home, she said.

“It’s less confronting to let someone into your court or pool than into your home, but Airbnb and the sharing economy has changed that too. Technology means you can do ID verification, and there’s the opportunity to message back and forth between host and guest and set expectations. I think we’ve had 99 per cent five star reviews, which really is down to that sort of communication.”

Fiona Kibet was among the first Victorians using Swimply when it first became available in Australia. Picture: Tony Gough

Currently hourly rental prices across Sydney. Picture: Swimply

Ms Ross said it was a gamechanger for people who could not go to a public pool for a multitude of reasons too.

“A private pool often means that somebody who may have body issues or a disability or religious reasons why they’re unable to go to the beach or a public pool suddenly has access to this private space. It’s just quite incredible and different to what was available prior to Simply so that’s very inspiring to me.”

The idea has also struck a chord with people who want private swimming or tennis lessons, families hosting birthday parties and even neighbours just wanting to cool off on a sizzling day.

“It’s free to list so if you’ve got a pool or a tennis court and the like, you have to go to swimply.au, create a listing and add any available amenities, like are you able to use the bathroom, is there a barbecue at that pool, floaties and so on,” Ms Ross said.

Not everyone can afford to own a backyard tennis court in Melbourne, but you can rent one in well-heeled Hawthorne by the hour via the sharing economy.

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“You can also put in a minimum number of hours and also set your own rules around drinking, smoking or pets.”

Ms Ross said “the booking process is fairly easy too”.

“There are two types of ways – instant booking which gets confirmation right away, or a manual acceptance where the host would accept if they are available and happy to host at that time.”

Anyone booking via Swimply does have to sign an agreement indemnifying the host should they injure themselves, though the firm does also have a $2m protection guarantee “in the rare event of a guest injury or property damage”. Hosts are also eligible for up to $10,000 if a pool or property is damaged during a reservation.

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Originally published as How to earn $5k in your backyard doing nothing