441Go is Bermuda’s solution to the headaches locals face when looking for a place to stay while travelling.

Myra and Jerome Dill are behind the travel site. It pairs residents with homes owned by people who live in Bermuda and people who live elsewhere, but are Bermudian or have a strong Bermuda connection.

At the moment, choices are limited to Europe and North America, but the hope is to grow the list to include properties from all corners of the globe.

“We know that Bermudians love to travel. We also know that Bermudians have really taken to having their own Airbnbs and also staying in Airbnbs when they travel. But there is still a hesitancy, if you have an overseas property, to actually put it out there to people that you really don't know and are likely to never, ever meet,” Mrs Dill said.

“So the concept of the site is not an Airbnb. It's a classified advertising site. Think of us as a dating site for people that have properties overseas and people that want to travel — we're just hooking you up.”

The avid traveller came up with the idea after a conversation with an acquaintance in Bermuda, where they discovered they both owned ski properties near the Blue Mountains in Ontario, Canada.

A light bulb went off for Mrs Dill, who had previously been reluctant to rent to strangers. The idea also inspired a name: Bercationers.

“I realised that I wouldn't mind people staying there if they were from Bermuda,” she said. “There’s that six degrees of separation; you're going to know somebody that knows the person if they’re in Bermuda. So that was kind of the whole premise.”

Potential renters can sign up and browse homes for free. Owners can also join at no cost, but to list a property they must first be vetted to confirm a genuine connection to the island. Once approved, they can advertise their home, for $79 for two months or $399 for a year.

“And that’s it. We don't take anything else out of that. That’s just a processing fee for the advertising,” Mrs Dill said.

Homeowners can block dates on which their property isn’t available. With a single click, “Bercationers” can send a message expressing interest, including their preferred dates and contact e-mail.

The unique feature allows them to connect before the trip to discuss the property, its surroundings and any other important details. Aside from that it has the benefit of keeping money on the island that would otherwise go overseas, Mrs Dill said.

“It's a lot more intimate than just randomly booking a place. And once you get there, it also feels a lot more like home. If I go to another Bermudian’s home overseas, I always see something Bermudian, whether it’s Gosling's rum or whatever. So there’s that comfort level.”

As someone who is not a web designer or a social-media expert, she says the 441Go website was accomplished only with help.

“We’re still working on the ins and outs. So if there’s any bugs, if there’s anything that people don’t like about the website because it is brand new, feel free to send me an e-mail at info@441go.”

At the moment only about 20 properties are listed. Mrs Dill hopes to raise the number to 100 by the end of the month.

“It’s been on my mind for the past year, so I’ve been casually asking people if they have a property overseas and I am stunned by [how many there are] — and also timeshares. There’s a lot of people that have two or four-week timeshares that they can rent out to Bermudians.”

For those intimidated by technology, Mrs Dill will post their property for them — all they need to do is send photographs and a brief description.

“We want to make it as simple as possible,” she said.

Home exchange is also an option. For someone living here who has family members that want to visit, a property swap could be the perfect solution, she added.

The majority of the properties now listed are in North America, but Mrs Dill is adding new places every day.

“I am starting to get more places in the UK. I’ve got one in Germany, in Spain … those are starting to populate out. I’ve just had somebody that has a place in Japan that I’m vetting, in Kyoto. I’m going to be posting a property in Kenya … I’d love to have a lot of little dots on the map in the next month.”

Although she hasn’t personally inspected every property, many of the people who have listed with 441Go have offered their homes on Airbnb and VRBO.

“It’s pretty easy for us to go on there and check the property. Those ones that haven’t, they’ve got to send the photos through,” she said.

“There is a trust element to it. We ask questions about the property — when they were last there, what the security is like, the typical questions. But that side of it will not be 100 per cent vetted. There is a trust element to it just as with any online booking service.”

While customer reviews and a ratings system will be helpful, the entrepreneur is mindful that Bermuda is a small island, and privacy remains a top priority.

“Do I want 50,000 people knowing everything about my property? I don’t know. Those are all things that we will work out as we go through it.”

As she sees it, there is value to everyone in having the money stay on island.

“If you want to book my property, then you’re putting money into my Butterfield Bank or Clarien Bank account. The owner avoids having credit card transaction fees. They don't have to have an American or Canadian bank account or European bank account. It’s an easy transaction when it’s local-to-local. The fact the money actually stays in Bermuda makes me happy.”

The goal is not only to increase the number of properties available but also to expand into new categories — student rentals and home swaps for pet owners are just two ideas she and her husband are considering.

“From a personal point of view, for Jerome and I, it would be nice to explore different places in the world without having to gamble on whether it’s going to be to our standard or not. If I can meet you for a cup of coffee, and you just tell me what restaurants to eat at, where to go, what not to do, it makes the experience more local.”

• Visit441go.comor go to Instagram@441gotravel