PGA Tour golfer Stuart Appleby plays around 25 to 28 events a
year and stays at numerous hotels. But about five times a season,
he rents a private home. His wife and manager select where they all
will stay by looking at photos online. "We returned to one home at
the Masters for 10 years in a row," he said in an email.
The Applebys have four children, so the number of bedrooms and
bathrooms and how close the home is to the golf course are all
important details. "We like it to be within 10 minutes of the
course," he wrote.
Hunter Haas, also a PGA Tour golfer, is on the road
approximately 30 weeks a year. He usually stays in private rental
homes or with friends for about six or eight weeks while on the
road.
Haas' wife goes online and chooses the homes they will rent.
"She's the picky one," he said in an email.
"At the U.S. Open, I stayed with friends of the family, and I
enjoyed it," he wrote. "I asked a couple of (other) players about
their hotel, and they hated the $50 parking fee in downtown San
Francisco."
The hassles of staying in hotels, going out to restaurants for
dinner and dealing with traffic make staying in a private home an
alluring option for golfers who often start their workday at 6 a.m.
on tournament weeks. For the homeowner, the upsides are attractive
and the downsides are limited.
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Renting out your home for a short period of time can be
profitable, says Bill Morse, an enrolled agent and CEO of
Accounting & Tax Services of Delray Beach in Delray Beach,
Fla.
"The income is not taxable if the home is rented for fewer than
15 days during the year," Morse says.
How to rent your home during a golf tournament
Frank Sausedo, general manager of Suncastle Properties in Ponte
Vedra Beach, Fla., helps homeowners rent their homes to golfers
during The Players Championship, which is played at the TPC at
Sawgrass.
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He says during tournaments, homes typically rent for around
$1,000 per bedroom per week, with another $1,000 added for a
pool.
Sausedo says homeowners rarely have problems. "The golfers
aren't here to party. They're playing for millions of dollars."
Sausedo rents homes that range from two-bedroom condominiums to
seven-bedroom mansions. "Some golfers travel with family, their
manager and a private chef. Others may just want to feel a little
more like they're at home rather than being cramped into a hotel
room," Sausedo says.
Ponte Vedra Beach residents Lupe and Dennis Morken have rented
their five-bedroom, five-and-one-half-bath, 4,200-square-foot home
in Sawgrass Country Club to pro golfers for eight years.
They usually go on vacation when their home is rented. "We've
never had an issue, and the $5,000 rent we receive is a huge
incentive," Dennis says.
Jim Dauwalter is the representative chairman of the championship
committee for Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minn. He says
during the 2009 PGA Golf Championship, an accommodations committee
made up of club members selected the homes to show to the
golfers.
"About two-thirds of the homes rented out did not belong to club
members," Dauwalter says. Rather, the majority of golfers rented
homes from members of the surrounding community, he says.
Golfers playing in the Masters Golf Tournament in Augusta, Ga.,
who want to rent a private home can visit the
Masters Housing Bureau
website. The Masters Housing Bureau is a joint venture between the
Augusta Metro Chamber of Commerce and the Augusta National Golf
Club to help homeowners rent their homes to professional
golfers.
Christina Jones, communications director for the chamber,
declined an interview.
"
We have a contract with each homeowner and with the Augusta
National that prevents them from discussing any details regarding
renters, especially when the renters are high-profile individuals,"
she said in an email.
8 tips when renting your home
If you're thinking of
renting out your home
to a golfer, here are eight tips to consider:
-
Plan ahead.
Dauwalter says to call the golf club sponsoring the tournament at
least five months in advance and ask how to proceed, as the
rental protocol varies with each tournament and each golf
club.
-
Take photos.
Golfers want to see images of your home's exterior and of all of
the main living areas and bedrooms. Photos will be posted on a
website. Each tournament is unique in the sense that the website
may be a Realtor's, a public website (as the Masters does) or on
a private website managed by the golf club.
-
Calculate extra costs
. Fees and commissions for renting your home can vary from $0 to
over $1,000. Most Realtors who assist with a rental will charge a
commission. Websites that host photos of your home typically have
fees that range from $25 to $50. However, if a golf club hosts
your pictures on their private website, it may be free. Be sure
to ask the individual or group advertising your home if there are
any fees.
-
Clean thoroughly.
Since the golfers are renting your home for top dollar, Sausedo
recommends that a professional cleaning service clean your home
just before they arrive. He even recommends painting or other
cosmetic touches if need be. All appliances, TVs and home
entertainment systems must be in excellent working order.
-
Use a lease.
Sausedo says homeowners should require golfers to sign a lease.
State-specific leases can be bought at Office Depot or similar
stores. Simply fill in the dates and other information, such as
the weekly rent, to complete it. If you have additional
questions, contact a real estate agent or attorney, says
Sausedo.
-
Consider your location.
Your home should be within two miles of the golf course, unless
you have a private helicopter pad in your backyard (some golfers
own helicopters).
-
Make sure you're insured.
"Your homeowners policy should be good enough and will cover the
basics -- fire, water damage and stolen goods," says Steve Taub,
an Allstate Exclusive Agent in Media, Pa. But since homeowners
insurance policies vary from state to state, "it is best to check
with your local insurance professional before renting your home
because your policy may have exclusions," says Mark Rindom, an
insurance agent for Wiglesworth-Rindom Insurance in Delray Beach,
Fla. "It could also be a good idea to raise your liability
coverage for the rental period," says Taub. Or, if you're really
concerned, he suggests adding an additional policy -- known as an
umbrella -- that will cover you and your home "above and beyond
your existing homeowners policy."
-
Depersonalize the house.
Before the renters arrive, empty your closets and remove all
personal items from around the home. Remove the soap and shampoo
from your bathrooms and provide clean linens and towels for the
golfers.