Where should I list my apartment for a week's sublet
July 23, 2013 8:22 PM Subscribe
We won't be using our apartment for a few weeks and it would be great to earn a few bucks on it, but this is a 'nice if it happens' thing so I am looking for the single listing site which jointly maximizes ease of use and likelihood of rental. I would say no Craigslist as I would like some sort of middleman and perhaps rudimentary authentication.
I have never used these services from either side, so feel free to mention any protips.
If it matters, this is in New York City. Comparable apartments are asking $400+ / night (no idea if they are getting it, obviously).
if it's a 'nice if it happens', maybe you should put a little more thought into if it's really a money-making venture or not. even with verification of AirB&B you still run the risk of them trashing the place or stealing something. Would your renter's insurance cover something like that under this situation?
if you're going to be gone that long, turning off the AC, un-pluging appliances, etc. might be the better option.
posted by cupcake1337 at 8:38 PM on July 23, 2013 [2 favorites]
if you're going to be gone that long, turning off the AC, un-pluging appliances, etc. might be the better option.
posted by cupcake1337 at 8:38 PM on July 23, 2013 [2 favorites]
I'd start with friends and see if they have any family that needs a place while visiting. Of course, you probably wouldn't want to charge them market rate so maybe that doesn't work.
I was away from my house for 3 months this last winter and looked for people who needed some kind of sublet situation. Almost lined up the family of an acquaintance who was planning a five week stay after their daughter had twins. They were going to pay about $1100.
When that fell through, I looked at Airbnb but got hung up on the fact that we'd need to move stuff out and likely off premises. Like, there can't be full dressers and closets -- they need places to put their things. And then I'd need to get a cleaner who would come in weekly if not twice weekly to care for it. And on and on and on.
Renting to total strangers comes with its own expectations. Not to mention all the correspondence that goes into lining up people. You might decrease that by mandating a week's minimum but if they cancel on you, you've done all that prep work for nothing.
To make a short story long, we didn't end up renting our house out but did have a friend look in on it every couple of days.
posted by amanda at 9:06 PM on July 23, 2013
I was away from my house for 3 months this last winter and looked for people who needed some kind of sublet situation. Almost lined up the family of an acquaintance who was planning a five week stay after their daughter had twins. They were going to pay about $1100.
When that fell through, I looked at Airbnb but got hung up on the fact that we'd need to move stuff out and likely off premises. Like, there can't be full dressers and closets -- they need places to put their things. And then I'd need to get a cleaner who would come in weekly if not twice weekly to care for it. And on and on and on.
Renting to total strangers comes with its own expectations. Not to mention all the correspondence that goes into lining up people. You might decrease that by mandating a week's minimum but if they cancel on you, you've done all that prep work for nothing.
To make a short story long, we didn't end up renting our house out but did have a friend look in on it every couple of days.
posted by amanda at 9:06 PM on July 23, 2013
Do you own or rent? If you rent, this may be illegal.
posted by amaire at 10:05 PM on July 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by amaire at 10:05 PM on July 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
Even if you own you could be looking at legal problems.
posted by InkaLomax at 4:15 AM on July 24, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by InkaLomax at 4:15 AM on July 24, 2013 [2 favorites]
Definitly try to find a friend or friend of a friend. We house sat for an acquaintance a few years ago. I sent him an email asking about NYC neighborhoods and it just so happened that his trip to Europe coincided with our trip to NYC! (if anyone asked, I was a cousin staying to watch the cat.)
So put up a Facebook note and encourage your friend's to share it.
posted by vespabelle at 7:48 AM on July 24, 2013
So put up a Facebook note and encourage your friend's to share it.
posted by vespabelle at 7:48 AM on July 24, 2013
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Potomac Avenue at 8:26 PM on July 23, 2013 [5 favorites]