5 months out, people list homes for thousands for Super Bowl rentals

ATLANTA — Believe it or not, the Super Bowl in Atlanta is just five months away.

Super Bowl 53 is scheduled for Feb. 3 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Channel 2's Justin Wilfon spoke to homeowners looking to cash in by renting their homes and he's learned the out-of-town fans are ready to pay big money to be a part of the action.

Wilfon looked at the popular vacation home rental app, Airbnb, and saw prices that are through the roof.

Carlton Walker told Wilfon his home is only a few minutes from the stadium and he’s already working hard to rent it out for the big week.

“It’s listed and ready to go," he said.

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He posted a listing on Airbnb, asking $1,200 per night for his three bedroom home.

"It’s nestled in the historic west end community. Very nice home," he said.

Wilfon also found other listings for two- and three-bedroom homes in the $1,000 a night range, many of them near Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

A spokesperson for Airbnb told Wilfon at last year’s Super Bowl, residents of Minnesota made $3.7 million renting their homes on the website.

“(It's) also a great opportunity to showcase our neighborhood in the historic west end," Walker said.

Airbnb said the Super Bowl often leads to people renting out their home for the first time.

Tracy Galasso told Wilfon she regularly uses Airbnb and has advice for those renting out their homes for the first time.

“If you have anything that is super crazy valuable, just lock it in your closet. Make smart choices,” she said.

Airbnb says it protects its hosts.

Wilfon checked out their insurance policy, which comes at no extra charge, and found that it covers listings for up to $1 million worth of damage.

“You can file a claim for that damage and they do pay out," Galasso said.

She said it’s insurance she’s never needed to use and she doesn’t expect that to change with the Super Bowl.

“I would say the people who can afford to pay that much are quiet respectable people," Galasso said.

She also said those using the service should list exactly how many miles they are from the stadium, not how many minutes.

Cox Media Group