OK – so my “castle” is more like an apartment. Actually the apartment is more like a studio!. But no matter… (that’s for another post..)

Its been a year now since I have been renting out my apartment, whilst I Couch-surfed at a friends place (he has 3 couches!). So far so good, a 5 star Airbnb rating with 15 references to my profile and of course the money comes in handy (School Fees, saving for flights etc). My place is out with Airbnb about 50% of the time at the moment.

Now I come to a cross-roads! So – do I stick with the Airbnb strategy whilst I am away travelling, or put my place out with as a short-term rental?

My thinking:

On short-term rental – I place my apartment in the hands of a local agency. I have to pay for my own insurance, but I do get a bond. The tenants will be working in Melbourne – so will occupy the apartment full-time and cook most meals at home. 100% rental occupancy gives me $350

On Airbnb – I leave my place with one of the largest “hotel chains” in the world.  I get public references that builds collateral for my apartment. Airbnb has some $Ms of insurance.  The travelers will be just passing thru Melbourne, so will want to go out all the time to experience the local cuisine. 50% rental occupancy gives me $350.  Bonus – My daughters can stay there when the apartment is not with Airbnb – and they get to clean it!

So I reckon I stick with the “Sharing Economy” approach – Airbnb!

  • How are you preparing for your Digital Nomad lifestyle?
  • Are you going to Airbnb or rent out your home?
  • Have you been thru this process before? What did you do?
  • Are you thinking about a Digital Nomad lifestyle as a form of Retirement?

 

About 2 years ago when I was between contracts…! a girlfriend invited me to join her on a House Sitting engagement she had landed in NSW using HelpX.net Thus started my immersion in the Digital Nomad lifestyle, this lasted for 4 months as we traveled up and down the east coast of Australia. Our expenses were limited to petrol money, home cooked food and beer money spent down at the local.

Since then, I have joined TrustedHouseSitters.com and started to build my profile with a few local House Sits in Melbourne, and another one starting next week. I find these assignments are a wonderful home-away-from-home break, allowing me to care for treasured pets (which I don’t have myself!), access a home WiFi (which I only have on my phone usually) and cook on a BBQ (which I don’t have as I live in an apartment!).

This is all by way of mental, emotional and physical preparation for my up-coming 3-4 month trip to Nicaragua, where I hope to offer and extend my House Sitting experience.

Is anyone in Nicaragua at the moment?

Anyone House Sit there yet – especially in Granada?

Anyone had any bad experiences with House Sitting?

For the last few years I have been preparing for retirement and easing myself into becoming a Digital Nomad. One of the things that I am slowly adopting is “Minimalism”.

I guess the Universe started the ball rolling once I had to downsize into my apartment following the separation from my partner – most of my stuff was left at my partners!

Then I went on a “Digital Nomad Trial” when I went “WOOFing” with a friend up to Cape Tribulation and back – another opportunity to downsize, as we essentially lived in out of her car for 6 months!

Then I thought it would be a good idea to pay for the children’s school fees and put my apartment on Airbnb – again having to cleanse my apartment each time before my guests arrived.

Now I both look for stuff to offload to op-shops and break out in hives every-time I pass a Shopping Centre! By April, when I plan to head off to Central America for my mini retirement, I reckon my psyche will be ready for that carry-on day pack!

Are we seeing the start of a grass-roots movement where both the young and more interestingly in the old reject the old “Industrial Age” (stuff) and embrace the new “Information Age” (minimalism)?

 

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