Why Share with Strangers

Today’s news story is about the Calgary couple, Mark & Star King, whose house was vandalized for $50,000 again involving an Airbnb guest.  A question being asked in social media is why would they rent to complete strangers?  As a fan of Airbnb,  I think it’s because those who participate in the sharing economy believe in a world where people are inherently good. We want to think that those who are in the collaborative consumption economy (more on that term in a future post) do it because we see the value in sharing what we have.  I would rather rent my vacation home than have it used only a few times a year by me.  It’s bad for the house and bad for my pocketbook.  Yes, there is an economic incentive for me and I don’t deny this is an important part of the decision.  I earn money on the assets I don’t use daily and others get to save from borrowing my assets.  Vijilent is vigilantly (pun intended) working on our solution to have a way to learn more about the individual sharing someone's property.  The Calgary situation was extreme and rare. Most transactions are great experiences for everyone. However, do use Vijilent’s V-score to be informed on who you are sharing your life with.