When Sam first opened his doors to a couple from the UK, he a little hesitant. It was his first experience hosting Airbnb guests in his Melbourne home and he wasn’t sure what to expect.

“The couple were travelling around Australia and stayed in our house. They became great friends with our family. We’d eat and cook together, it was fun and exciting.”

“It was a memorable experience,” he remembers.

The concept of the sharing economy, where access to goods and services are shared amongst peers, was new to Sam, but he recognised its appeal almost instantly.

“The sharing economy connects people on a personal level. It’s about building trust and meeting people. Unlike a hotel room, you make a connection with guests and get to see the unique style of a space,” Sam shared.

Today, Sam runs a family business built on the success of the sharing economy in Melbourne. Uber Clean House, an eco-friendly cleaning service that caters to hosts, has witnessed a growing popularity in Airbnb services.

“We get a lot of people using Airbnb for the first time and we realised hosts need support. Typically hosts have full time jobs and live a busy lifestyle so cleaning and washing can get time consuming. Hosts love the convenience knowing everything is ready for their guests,” said Sam.

Uber House Clean manages homes for hosts after a guest has left or while they travel overseas, providing a seamless hosting experience all year round. The staff at Sam’s cleaning business are passionate about the idea of shared accommodation and most are also hosts on the popular platform.

Sam listed his local business on Oneflare, where he was able to connect with more hosts in the area. One of his first customers contacted his business through Oneflare and initially requested a one off clean.

“After reading our website and seeing our Airbnb services, the customer did some research, became interested in the concept and a few weeks later, started hosting and we’re now managing their property. “

In Melbourne, hosts renting out a spare space are securing up to $15,000 in extra income, with most hosts saying some of the cash is invested back into their tenants as housing and living costs.  

“People were sceptical of Airbnb at the start but it’s here to stay. Airbnb has been gaining a lot of momentum in the last year and there is a growing number of first time guests and hosts so we’re always excited to introduce people to this rewarding experience. Visitors are wanting to stay closer to their families rather than in tourist destinations so local suburbs have evolved more and there is a greater sense of community,” Sam shared.