Hourly Home Rentals: A Production Game-Changer for Property Owners Profiting Thousands
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From Renting Out Her Home to Earning Six Figures
Becks Harvey, a 46-year-old British expat living in Brooklyn, New York, never dreamed she’d be earning six figures a year by renting out her home for photoshoots. Nor did she imagine she’d host numerous celebrities — among them, Amanda Seyfried, Jennifer Coolidge and CJ Wallace, son of The Notorious B.I.G.
Renting Out Properties for Production
But like hundreds of other homeowners across the country, Harvey and her husband rent out their properties for production.
For five years, they have been renting out the building they own, a former auto shop remodeled into three separate apartments (one of which they live in). In that time, they’ve hosted dozens of photo and video shoots for advertisements, documentaries and magazine covers. The majority of their bookings come from Peerspace, an online platform where people can find properties to rent for various purposes; Splacer, a similar marketplace; or a handful of traditional agencies that work directly with clients.
How to Rent Out Your Home for Production
Listing a space on Peerspace or Splacer is free and can be done in under an hour. To begin, hosts create a profile for their home, including details about size, amenities and parking. Hosts set their own hourly rates, which are viewable on their profile. Similar to Airbnb, those looking to book a spot can filter by price, location, capacity and other factors.
Tips, Tricks and Celeb Sightings
It’s important for residents to understand the risks involved. Sarah Dupuis, a real estate agent in Seattle who rents out three houses, including the one she lives in with her husband and three children, says she’s learned lessons the hard way after nearly 10 years in the business. During one booking, the client took out all the kitchen appliances, leaving visible dents in the floors.
A Life of Hosting
Having another property to escape to when renters are present helps. Dupuis rents out her primary residence roughly six times per year, requiring her family of five to rearrange furniture, lock up their valuables and shuffle their lives around. They usually go to one of their other houses during shoots, but if they have to stay home, they retreat to the basement.
Perks of Hosting
Hammond says she feels hosting has been a fulfilling creative outlet. Her homes have been used for everything from commercials to maternity photoshoots, all of which she diligently tracks on social media.
There are the celebrity sightings, too. Harvey gets a kick out of knowing stars are enjoying her homes, though she’s often too shy to approach them.
