I Rented a Pickleball Court to Strangers and Made $1,600

This “as told” essay is based on a conversation with Michael Thompson, a retired San Diego teacher who built a pickleball court and listed it on Swimply, an app that lets homeowners rent out its pool, courts, and other amenities by the hour. The essay has been edited for length and clarity.

My wife and I live in San Diego. We’ve lived in the same house for 12 years. In 2022, we started building a pickleball court because of a combination of factors.

First of all, we were both retiring. I was a special education teacher and school administrator for 32 years. The way my retirement was set up was that I got this particular lump sum the year I retired. I thought that was a dream project for the money.

After the COVID-19 lockdown, my wife and I also knew we didn’t want to go to the gym anymore. We started playing pickleball, and I’m a senior fitness enthusiast. So we decided that would be our new activity. We wanted something we could do every day, but it can be very difficult to set aside time on the court.

It was also an environmental decision. In San Diego, we have droughts and we knew we couldn’t water the whole lawn and maintain the small gardens. So we thought we’d save on water bills and build a nice tennis court.

And finally, I knew we could generate a little passive income for ourselves, even though the court was expensive to build—about $75,000.

I made sure my neighbors were okay with it and didn’t expect anyone to use my bathroom.

Thompson says pickleball equipment rentals can be seasonal, with demand peaking around the holidays when families want to bond.

Courtesy of Michael Thompson

We completed construction of the court in 2023 and welcomed the first group in June.

I don’t remember how I first heard about Swimply, whether it was through an email or an ad. But I knew we wanted to rent a court somehow, so I decided to give the app a try.

We connected with all of our neighbors beforehand because this sport is known for being pretty loud. We only really have two neighbors near us, and we have a canyon on the other side of our house.

The house and canyon absorb most of the noise, so we’ve never had any complaints. I also don’t rent the court before 10am and have a hard end at 7pm. I have to respect the neighbors, otherwise it won’t work.

The first group we had was cool. Apparently one of the guys was on Bachelor in Paradise, but I don’t follow that show. They came and made a TikTok video because they thought the court was really cool; it was really colorful and eye-catching.

When the group arrived I wasn’t sure what to expect. I met them at the gate and spent some time chatting, talking about the pitch and the surface. I stayed a few minutes to make sure they didn’t need anything, but I firmly believe it was their time. So I just went inside and went about my day.

One of the problems is using the toilet because people spend an hour or two there.

The first time I was surprised because I didn’t expect people to have to use the bathroom during the game. But it’s not a big deal. We just opened our house to guests.

I love listening to people having fun in my backyard

At Thompson, play ends at 7pm to avoid disturbing the neighbours.

Courtesy of Michael Thompson

They pay me almost $50 an hour to rent the court. I’ve rented it out 32 times in the last year, making $1,600.

One of the unexpected joys of renting out my tennis court is that when I’m home and I hear people hitting the ball, they’re having fun, and that’s somehow satisfying.

It’s turned out better than I could have hoped. We have neighborhood games that we play here; it builds a micro-community.

I’ve noticed that rentals are somewhat seasonal. We have a lot of activity during the holidays, from October to Christmas. Families get together and look for something to do. Pickleball is great for families; anyone can play.

Someone even proposed to his fiancée at our court.

Another unexpected surprise I had when renting a court was the opportunity to witness a proposal. Some guy tried to rent a court in Coronado, which is a bit more romantic, but they were all booked.

I was in the plan. He sent me a message, “Hey, I want to propose to my girlfriend. I think your tennis courts are really cool.” We stayed in close contact that day because it was raining and we weren’t sure if he was going to make it. We were both the weather forecasters for that day. At one point, he said, “Well, there’s a 50 percent chance of rain.” And I kept telling him, “Just come, don’t worry. It’ll all work out.”

He put a small wedding ring in the ball and hit it towards her. It somehow stayed in the ball and she opened it while he dropped to one knee. Finally he threw a bottle of champagne on the court and hid it.

Now I also started practicing pickleball

Thompson built his court with a lump sum he received upon retirement.

Courtesy of Michael Thompson

My court also provided me with other opportunities for personal development.

Since I started renting the court, I thought it could be a small business for me. I got certified as a pickleball teacher and started giving lessons on the court. If I hadn’t rented it, I wouldn’t have thought of it.

I focus on teaching seniors 50+. I have been a teacher my whole life and this filled the gap in my retirement. Now I can continue doing what I love.