Image via CrunchBase

One of the largest vacation rental portals around, HomeAway, increased their focus on social-aided vacationing with a purchase of Portland-born Second Porch.

Second Porch, started in 2009, uses your social graph to help you find and rent vacation properties from owners, while also giving owners piece of mind in knowing (at least in a “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon” sense) to whom they are renting their properties.

I had a chance to work with Second Porch (briefly) as they were getting their social presence and tool figured out and can say it’s a great product when you have a social graph large enough to take advantage of. However, since many users are simply using it as a second HomeAway, many listings are open to the general public.

Check it out and head to TechCrunch for more info.

Related articles

• HomeAway Planning $300 Million IPO (businessinsider.com)
• Portland-based Second Porch sold to HomeAway (oregonlive.com)
• HomeAway Broadens Presence In Australia With Acquisition Of Vacation Rental Site RealHolidays (techcrunch.com)