January 20, 2009 is the big money day for the Metro Washington DC area because of the demand for hotel rooms for the inauguration. I heard it on WTOP Radio today. This is amazing to me, I understand but it still amazes me.
First of all every hotel room within about a hundred mile radius is booked solid for the historic inauguration and so they should be. The city is expecting 5 million people to be in the city for the inauguration. 5 MILLION people in DC. That is going to be a traffic nightmare. The Metro, our subway system, is going to start running trains at 4:00 that morning to start moving people through the city.
People have rented camping spaces all over the local area. Can you imagine DC in January and camping? I swear I am such a sissy.
Today, on WTOP radio, people were talking about renting out their basements, extra bedrooms, dividing up their houses to have make shift rooms for people to rent because they cannot find any where else to stay. Cheap, they are not. A woman in Chantilly Virginia said she was going to rent her extra bedrooms out for $300 a night and a gentleman on the radio said he would rent his rooms on Capital Hill out for $750 a night. His fee included breakfast and a tour of the city though. I thought that sounded like a bargain for sure though, do you know how much a cab is in the city? Not really, they are not so bad.
How do you screen these folks? What a strange thing to have strangers running through your home? Maybe if December is slow I might be singing a different tune? ;0)
Supply and demand? I guess some folks could make enough to pay off the holiday bills? For me, I will be happy to watch everything right smack on the big TV in our family room where I wont have to fight the traffic, and be toasty and warm while doing it. Maybe it will be the biggest real estate day of the year???
They should make their money now while they can.
If you can make it now I say go for it, BUT the thoughts of bringing a stranger into my home........I don't know if it's something I would feel comfortable doing. (Maybe a basement with a door that locked from my side would be OK.)
We thought about renting out our home during the Super Bowl here but we couldn't get beyond strangers in our house and not knowing them...
I wouldn't rent my house to strangers. It isn't worth it
Wow, that is really interesting. It would be exciting to be there, but waaaaay too crowded for me. Plus I hate waiting,
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I got an email today wanting me to rent my investment property out during the inaugeration. I just rented it so it's not available.
It sounds absolutely insane. I think I'll visit DC in the summer. :)
Audrey, I too am going to take in the festivities from the comfort of my own home.
Audrey, It is going to be an amazing day, that's for sure! Some people can stand the cold...I'm not one of them :) But on a much smaller scale it reminds me of The Macy's Thanksgiving day parade where people are outside for HOURS and hours or even the US Open...where people are renting out any part of their homes or yards---and they're making some serious money :)
Audrey: I heard this story when I was driving yesterday. I can't imagine renting a room in my home to complete strangers! I'll be staying home, or at least staying local, on the 20th. I usually drive my Mom into FAirfax for an eye doctor's appointment the 3rd Tuesday of every month, but not the 20th. I'm not fighting event traffic.
I hope this isn't another example of the news hyping a story for rating purposes. Renting a room for a day or so could bring a little extra income but there are risks of having someone unknown to you staying in your home. Think about a realtor meeting someone you don't know at a vacant house for sale based only on a phone call. There are also people and ticket brokers selling tickets to the inauguration events that haven't been issued yet and are free. Be careful.
HI AUDREY!
WOW! I tried to get a room, but to no avail. Can you put my husband, 2 boys & me up :o)? Kidding...I don't know if I'd rent the rooms in my house out. That'd be kinda strange!
I'll be watching it on the tube also!
I hope the Baltimore area gets their fair share of the action too. I have quite a few clients that are BWI cabbies. It's been a lean year.
Audrey - Traffic was a *&$@ in DC when I lived there in the 70's. It hasn't changed one little bit in the decades since. I can not imagine adding 5MM people to the mix. Forget it... I have no problem camping in January (MH has radiant heat) but I wouldn't think of going north of Fredericksburg during the inauguration.
Now how is that guy going to give a tour of the city with 5 MILLION PEOPLE in his way? People will say anything to get someone to pay. If I were you, I would go shopping for two weeks worth of groceries the week before and STAY AT HOME!
This event will be one of the highest attended events ever short term rentals will likely never see this much activity or demand again.
It is a great idea. There are people that need a room and others that have them. It could be like a B&B just for this event.
Hi All, You are so funny. I agree, the guy with the tour is not going to be able to move on the streets of DC during the festivites. If you know DC and all the round a bouts, OMG, 5MM people, it is going to be a disaster. I am staying home!!
That is too much of a crowd for me, but all very interesting! Brrrr.......
I hope we find ways to make money after January 20, 2009. I think sales are going to pick up with all this money in the system now.
Richard
Audrey a lot of people are putting up ads on Craigslist renting their homes out. But you have to be careful because you never know what the people who you are renting your house too might be doing. But I hope after January 20,2009 the real estate market in Washington DC will pick up again especially in areas such as Deanwood,Congress Heights and Anacostia. Great post Audrey.