Kindergarten teacher Grace Palumbo is using dating apps to find a boyfriend who owns a beach house, as she cannot afford one herself. She searches for signs of summer homes in the background or hometowns of potential partners, and believes in putting her desires into the universe. Palumbo has not yet found anyone with a Hamptons house, but has found people with homes in other parts of Long Island. With Memorial Day marking the unofficial start of summer, there is a scramble for those who have the privilege of being in proximity to people with properties to score invitations to summer homes.
As seen on a recent article on Indian Express, the scramble for summer house invitations has begun. With Memorial Day marking the unofficial start of summer, those who have the privilege of being in proximity to people with summer homes are on the hunt for invitations. Why pay for an expensive hotel or rental property when you can score an invite from a friend or significant other?
For Grace Palumbo, a kindergarten teacher in Denver, her goal is to get access to a beach house. “A Hamptons house is one of the things I am manifesting, but I’m not picky,” Palumbo, 26, said. “It can be Cape Cod, Long Beach Island, Jersey Shore.” She actively searches for signs of summer homes when scrolling through dating apps like Hinge. “Like, if they have a beach in the background or their hometown is the Hamptons or Long Island, that is something I take note of,” she said. “I also half-jokingly ask them where they are summering.”
While Palumbo is making progress, finding people with houses in other parts of Long Island, others are scrambling to find an invitation. Ella Kahan, who works in social media for Saks Fifth Avenue, posted a TikTok video at the beginning of May reminding people to start being nice to their friends with Hampton houses. Kahan, who grew up in Manhattan and has often had access to Hampton houses, sees friends hustle for invites this time of year. “It’s a scramble to find one,” she said. “Everyone wants to be by a pool.”
The scramble for summer house invitations is not a new phenomenon. However, with the pandemic still ongoing, more people are looking for ways to get out of their homes and enjoy a change of scenery. Summer houses provide a way to do so without breaking the bank. While some may view it as a way to mooch off friends or significant others, others see it as a way to strengthen relationships and create memories.
As Palumbo put it, “As a kindergarten teacher, I am not in a position where I can afford a beach house, so finding friends or boyfriends with those kinds of perks always makes it more fun.” However, she added that having a summer house is not the sole qualification for a boyfriend candidate; she must actually like the guy.
In the end, the scramble for summer house invitations comes down to who you know and how well you can network. Whether it’s through dating apps, social media, or good old-fashioned friendships, people will continue to search for ways to score an invitation to a summer house. As Kahan said, “It’s all about who you know.”
