The sharing economy has succeeded because the real economy has been struggling

Re:The sharing economy has succeeded because the real econom... by randomflavor on Saturday April 26, 2014 @10:46PM (#7653697)

this sounds utopian. but if you didn't need the money would you go thru the hassle of sharing your car or house? the only reason people do it is to recover money because they didn't make enough to cover their lifestyle. others make it a business, renting multiple apartments in walkups and sell on airbnb creating private mini hotels. i do not know one person that has a savings and or a decent salary that would let a stranger into their home, or drive a stranger to a destination because they just love to share what they have and participate. they do it because they are fucked or close to it.

the concept of the timeshare vacation rental is closer to reality of what you speak about. shared leases, mortgages, etc etc.

a startup that divides the credit potential of multiple people into a mortgage would be a real sharing, and be able to purchase into it for a time period.

i know i need to raise a family and need a 3 bedroom house for X time. Can I effectively purchase someones mortgage for 18 years at a premium on the base apr?

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Re:The sharing economy has succeeded because the real econom... by TheSpiceIsLife on Sunday April 27, 2014 @06:58AM (#7654646)

I'll provide a counter example: We are a Couchsurfing host because we have resources beyond out needs. Our house has four bedrooms, occupied by four rent paying tenants. We have couches and a single bed available in Northern Tasmania, if you're ever in the area look us up (email in profile). I have a well paid full time job, cash investments, as well as investments in precious metals and shares. I even pick up hitchhikers. If you're in to rock climbing, bicycle polo, music, camping, food (I'm a certified nutritionist), and building things (I'm a structural steel engineer and fabricator), we might even get along.

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Re:The sharing economy has succeeded because the real econom... by coldtea on Sunday April 27, 2014 @10:06AM (#7655097)

Couchsurfing is about projecting an "open" lifestyle, travelling etc. And it's done either by young people (to meet and "know better" other people) or by stable/upper middle class people.

Sharing in the sense of TFA, for money, is not the same.

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Re:The sharing economy has succeeded because the real econom... by rezistik on Saturday April 26, 2014 @11:56PM (#7653892)

I think he means more like Zipcar than some other sharing thing. Where you share from a corporation, it feels like sharing and is considered sharing but it's actually renting.

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