This Retires Couples Make $75,000 A Year As Airbnb Superhosts

James and In Ja Yates have found a new calling in retirement—and travelers from around the globe are keeping them busy around the clock.

- Elizabeth O’Brien

MANY OLDER ADULTS are joining the sharing economy for extra income. But for James and In Ja Yates, sharing is more than just a gig—it’s their whole way of life.

The L.A. couple, ages 80 and 79, respectively, share two units of their sprawling, 100-year-old home on Airbnb. It’s a full-time effort: “We’re not retired yet,” James says jokingly. They earn $70,000 to $75,000 a year through Airbnb, about 10 times what the average senior host earns, according to the company.

The couple love welcoming visitors from around the world, and their guests love them back, giving them five-star reviews that have helped the two earn “Superhost” status on the platform. “They adopted our kids as their own,” wrote a recent guest. Another gushed, “This is by far the best Airbnb experience we’ve ever had.”

Their interest in people is genuine, the couple say. “If you don’t embody that hospitality within you, it’s not going to work,” James adds.

VALUE IS PARAMOUNT