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So, a friend of mine is attempting to rent out her four-bedroom home for the inauguration week. After doing some early reporting on this craigslist phenomenon, I’ve decided to follow her story. Easy cash, or enormous hassle?
She and her three roommates are not informing their landlord of the plan, so I’m going to keep my posts short on some details. The home is a classic, let’s call it “central northwest” (U Street/Shaw/Columbia Heights/Adams Morgan/Logan Circle) townhouse. It’s clean. It has four bedrooms, one-and-a-half- bathrooms, wireless internet and Comcast cable, three televisions. It’s blocks away from a Metro station, a supermarket, restaurants, liquor stores, etc.
The group is flexible. The rental is for any six nights during the week of Jan. 20, the advertisement states. Linens, towels, dishes will be provided. The roommates have also offered to serve as concierges of sorts: they’ll help make restaurant reservations and sightseeing recommendations beforehand. They plan to come in and clean while the group is there.
What’s their listing price? you ask.
$11,000.
They figure that the house could fit 12 people in it. They’re planning on spending some money just readying the place (new sheets, cleaning costs, possibly some “bells and whistles,” like wine and food in the house for arriving guests.)
They posted the advertisement on Craigslist on Monday evening. I’ll keep you updated about whether they get any offers, need to lower their price…or just give up.