Kunezizathu eziningi ezenza abantu baqale ukubungaza ku-Airbnb—kusuka ekukhokheleni izindleko kuye ekuhlanganeni nabantu abasha. Kodwa kunenani elikhulayo lababungazi asebezihlahlele indlela yokuba babe abanikazi bamakhaya ngokwabelana ngendawo yabo. U-Tim, ongumenzi wamafilimu ozimele wase-Seattle, waguqula ikamelo elakhelwe ngaphansi laba indlu ye-Airbnb yase-Seattle ethandwayo. Ngaphambi kokuthi u-Tim afake indawo yakhe ku-Airbnb, wayebhekene nobunzima bokwenza imali edolobheni elimba eqolo. “Njengomuntu embonini yezobuciko, imali yami engiyitholayo ingahluka kakhulu unyaka nonyaka, kusho u-Tim, ngakho-ke “mina nentombi yami sizama ukuphila impilo elula kakhulu.” U-Tim wanquma ukuthi ukutshala imali ekhaya kuzomsiza abe nephokethe elisimeme ngokuqhubekela phambili. Kodwa lapho eqala ukusesha ikhaya, masinyane wabhekana neqiniso elibuhlungu: izindlu eziningi zazingaphezulu kwesigaba sakhe semali, noma zazidinga izinkulungwane zama-dollar ukuze zilungiswe. Akazange ayibone indlela eya phambili.

Ngemva kosesho olunzulu, ekugcineni u-Tim wazitholela ikhaya elalinalokho kanye ayekufuna. Yini eyenza ikhaya lika-Tim libe elikahle? Ikamelo elakhelwe ngaphansi elingaqediwe ayelicabangele ukulishintsha libe indlu ye-Airbnb. “Abanye babangani bethu basebenzisa i-Airbnb, futhi besifuna ukukwazi ukuhlanganyela indawo ekhaya lethu elisha ukusiza ukunakekela izindleko ezithile,” kusho u-Tim. “Ngakho-ke lapho ngibona leli kamelo elakhelwe ngaphansi, ngazi ukuthi lizoba iphrojekthi enhle kakhulu yokuliguqula libe indlu ye-Airbnb.” Ngokuqeda amaphrojekthi ambalwa we-DIY, waguqula ikamelo elakhelwe ngaphansi laba enye yezindlu ze-Airbnb ezidume kakhulu emphakathini wakhe. Njengomnikazi wekhaya omusha, u-Tim uyachaza, “Indlu yami ye-Airbnb iphosa esivivaneni ngengxenye eyodwa kwezintathu esikweletini sami sendlu,” eqhubeka ethi, “Besizophuthelwa ubunikazi bendlu ukube bekungeyona i-Airbnb.”