Real estate site helps house-hunters Airbnb before they buy

Real estate website Realtor now links properties to nearby Airbnbs, so house-hunters can try out their new area before they buy.

Airbnb has so far primarily been used by holiday-makers seeking short term accommodation in a foreign city. However a new partnership between Airbnb and the National Association of Realtors will enable potential home-buyers to make use of the expansive network of residential properties too. Realtor’s ‘Airbnb before you buy’ scheme encourages customers to test out new neighborhoods they are interested in, by living like a local for a short stint, in one of hundreds of listed properties.

To take part in the scheme users simply search for properties on Realtor via their website or smartphone app. When they find one they are interested in, the site links them directly to nearby Airbnb rental properties. Realtor are running a sweepstakes to encourage house-hunters to participate, rewarding an Airbnb user with a USD 500 stay each week.

Are there other ways for realtors to use the sharing economy to their advantage?