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Some business-minded Auckland residents are planning to charge up to $2000 a night for visitors to stay in their homes during the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
Kingsland homeowners spoken to by the Herald yesterday said they would consider renting out their homes to overseas visitors, with many saying
they would charge upwards of $1000 a night.
Local resident and property investor Spider Curtis owns two homes in the area, and is looking at renting them both.
He would be charging anything from $1000 a night - a "fair whack," he said.
"If these guys are willing to pay this kind of money and we can benefit from it, we will take it."
His sons Joe, 9, and Ollie, 7, already capitalised on the family's proximity to the stadium, charging for carparks, selling sausages and busking for cash whenever events were held.
The two boys weren't the only ones with meat on the mind, with Reimers Avenue resident Alley Miller reckoning she could sell snags for $5 a pop - a bonus on top of renting her home.
"We were thinking of selling our house but now we might wait till after the world cup, so we can make a killing over that period. An avid rugby fan would pay $2000 a night," she said.
An ex-Wellingtonian, Mrs Miller had seen friends make money from renting out their homes to British and Irish Lions supporters during the Lions tour in 2005.
Over this period Wellington homeowners were asking up to $1500 a night for accommodation, listing their homes on a webpage linked to Positively Wellington Tourism's site.
Aucklanders have in the past taken advantage of their city's big events, with many residents living near the Viaduct harbour renting out their properties at twice or even three times the usual price during the 2000 and 2003 America's Cup challenges.
Boberg's First National principal real estate agent Wayne Boberg predicted the same thing would happen in the lead up to the Rugby World Cup.
"Short-term rental prices will go up, because there will be more demand than there is supply," he said.
However, Mr Boberg warned interest from international visitors might not be as intense as during the America's Cup, as the Rugby World Cup is a nationwide event.
Eden Park bed and breakfast host Tony McAnulty said friends of his in the area had already been showing interest in renting their houses or taking on extra guests over the six-week period.
Tariffs at his bed and breakfast would increase during the cup, but not to unrealistic levels, he said.
"You could really get carried away and charge top dollar, and probably get it," he said.
"But there is no point blowing your own campaign out of the water by charging ridiculously high prices."
Eden Park Neighbour's Association president Mark Donnelly said the six-week time frame would factor in people's decision to rent out or not.
"It is quite a big disruption for anyone to rent out," he said.
"I would think a lot of people would want to be in the area to enjoy the atmosphere of the World Cup themselves."
