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West Texans Offer Up Home for $1,000 a Night During PBIOS
West Texans Offer Up Home for $1,000 a Night During PBIOS 9/11/12
CBS 7 Reporter
smurray@cbs7.com
September 11, 2012
Odessa, TX - The Permian Basin International Oil Show expects a record number of attendees this year.
The show is nearly 1 month away and with a hotel shortage in the Basin some people are still looking for a place to stay. Now West Texans are cashing in on the housing crisis and offering up their personal home during the show.
If you look on Craigslist.com under temporary housing you will find 14 posts just on the first page of people willing to rent out their home to a complete stranger during the oil show this year.
Lyndsei Garcia has a 4-bedroom house that's not for sale, not for rent, but it could be yours for up to 2 weeks during the Permian Basin International Oil Show.
"I've always been a big supporter of the oil show and I’m not going to be in town so this was just an opportunity to earn some extra cash and help somebody out in the area," Garcia says.
She has posted her home on web sites for the Oil Show, the Odessa Chamber of Commerce and Craigslist, where the going rate is $1,000 a day during the event.
"Given the housing shortage I guess I have to say I appreciate it,” says Oil Show Executive Director Tony Fry. “To rent a house is probably comparable to having to stay in a hotel room for 3, 4 days."
Fry says they are not endorsing any of the listings but they advise anyone offering their home to play it safe.
"The closets will be emptied, the dressers will be emptied and of course valuables, the jewelry and the guns and everything will be out of the house as well," Garcia explains.
In addition to removing your valuables, do research on the company or exhibitor who might move in. Also, get a contract in writing. Another tip, ask for a refundable deposit in advance.
"There's housing available if they look for it," Garcia says.
Garcia is prepared to do all of the above. Right now she's just waiting for the call, along with a list of others.
The Oil Show opens October 16th. The event is sold out to exhibitors and there is a waitlist of more than 450 others at this time.