Roomarama

VS

I have had much fun with AirBnb.  I love sporadically renting out my room on a nightly basis.  We meet people from all over the world of all types and ages. AirBnb runs a stellar business.  When you list your room they send a photographer to take quality pictures.  Much better than I ever could.  I my case they sent a female who was courteous and her fabulous pictures showed our interior and exterior living spaces off.

Recently on an e-mail from Smarter Living Travel I noticed there was a new competitor to AirBnb.  Roomarama.  Sounded great and not as many properties here in Newport Beach.  After my experience with AirBnb I was up for this one.

These people are not in the same ballgame with AirBnb.  They don't send photographers and refuse to list my site unless I have pictures from all over my house.  I don't have lots of pictures, I don't have the time to try and take them and I don't have the camera to bring life to my living quarters.

Most distressing of all however was the fact that I had to send my ID and some type of bill via the internet to them to 'verify' who I am.  ID theft is a terrible thing.  I shred everything with my name and address on it and then some!  I cringe at the thought of scanning my id and sending it on the internet.  Nope - not happening!!

I sent some e-mails (along with a link to this blog) to Roomarama suggesting that they could verify through my AirBnb listing, Facebook, e-mail and even my website.  I also suggested they hire professional photographers if they are going to try and compete with AirBnb.

Maybe that is why there are so few local listings for Roomarama.

GARAGE SALE

Love it or hate it - what it your take?

Having been in the newspaper business all my life I know the haters are the ones squeak the most because I am a squeaker! So I need some feedback from the rest of the 99 percent.

Call The City - Call the Newport Beach Police Department. Tell them there is a person named Matt Dingwall who would love to shut our Garage Sale down because of a few whiners. Or make us pay exorbitant fees - bring in Bathrooms - Policemen. We have bathrooms. Other neighborhood garage sales do not.

And when you get right down to it what we do is totally legal. They determined that last time we went to bat on this issue. They just don't like that we are on the OC Marathon Weekend. Excuse me - this was my weekend way before the Marathon came along. And the Marathon doesn't care one whit about Balboa Island. Your takes are lower because we have businesses on Balboa Island. Garage Sale Day is also a huge day for Business Tax Revenue. in Fact it is Starbucks biggest day. The only people who have a truly legitimate issue are the hair dressers. If I were a hair dresser I would either close down for the day or hire a driver to bring my clients from off the Island to my salon - how cool would that be!! They might even pick up new clients who would want a new experience!

So if you want to see another Garage Sale - contact your City Council Person Ed Selich - Contact Matt Dingwall at the Recreation Department (are Garage Sales Recreation?)

I will need volunteers next year to help with the traffic issue - much as we love them, we don't need to be paying policemen to direct traffic - we solved the problem with volunteers for the Parade. Maybe we can make this a walking event! We can do better!!