Hacker News Reader

Comment by sisyphusprotege | Hacker News Reader

That's the kind of pluck and industriousness that made this country great.

He's definitely killing it, that's for sure - owns none of them, simply partners with old, small apt complex owners that have extra units for rent. Spends all his time traveling the world while his "business partner" takes care of cleaning and maintenance.

If he owns nothing and provides so little value, I would bet its only a matter of time until he is cut out of the pie.

True - however, I think he specifically targets older, tech-illiterate owners of properties who wouldn't otherwise be on Airbnb, or less so. At least that's what I've gathered from my nosey observations.

Seems like he manages the whole reservation process and guest back and forth for a large number of properties. That's a large part of what established property managers do.

Why so? Do the owners provide any value?

Thank you, somebody who gets it. "But my neighbors are complaining!" has somehow trumped "It's my property." in the modern age.

If neighbors don't like what their neighborhood is becoming, they should move. Aside from homeowners group contracts, a person should be able to do as they wish with what they own.

I'd bet that's the feeling of a good majority of people on this site regarding computer equipment and personal electronics. Strange they don't feel the same for real estate.

> a person should be able to do as they wish with what they own.

Even if it affects others? I should be able to turn my apartment on the floor above yours into a nightclub, because it's my property?

If I choose to Jailbreak my iPhone so I can tweak it the way I see fit, that's a decision that affects no one else.

False equivalence.

Unlike with personal electronics, real estate typically does not exist in a bubble and affects lives of other people living nearby.

Both you and your neighbours would be affected by noise or lack of trash disposal.

If the people in the flat upstairs would flood their flat, the flats below would be flooded and damaged too.

If your neighbours don't like what their neighbourhood is becoming - they have the same right to decide what it should be as you do.

"Do as I wish" has limits in human communities.

So IMO what you are referring to is a difference between urban and suburban/rural. Where I live, properties are well separated, and multi-tenant apartments and condos already have rules for things like this. As I'm sure you are aware, in an apartment or condo situation, you do not really own anything outside the drywall. I am speaking primarily about where I have the most knowledge: single family homes.

Well, the original article was about urban environments - not single family homes.

I'm sure you'll feel the same when someone opens a meth lab next door.

I think you could step back from some of these hardline conceptions of property. If you'll study the economics of externalities, you might come to a different conclusion about the limits of what one can do with their land,

Reply on news.ycombinator.com