Is the gig economy sustaining this economic cycle?

[Angela Yan]

What I see that is different in this economic cycle compare to the last is that people are able to work despite not having an employer.  During 2009 when I bought my condo in SF, to supplement my vacation income, I signed up with a company called Air BnB to rent out my place when I was gone.  I locked all my things in one room and hosted many guests with this property giving me great incomes over the years.  

This time around many people are no longer applying for traditional jobs interviewing all over the place.  They are simply free lancers, driving for car shared companies, or becoming Task Rabbiters and Thumbtack professionals.  

I think as an investor it is important to accommodate these people in my income properties.  Currently I am doing a fix and flip in which i am setting up the Master bedroom being able to lock off  apart from the rest of the house in case my potential buyers need it to do his or her own Air BnB.  

Also I am seeing that there may be a lot of good tenants out there that doesn’t have W2s and it is important to see the whole picture as to how they get their income from their “gigs.”  

What do you think is still driving this economy and what are some investors doing to prepare for the next down turn?  I would love to hear your thoughts.