Best Way to Make Big Bucks on the Super Bowl
Business + Economy

Best Way to Make Big Bucks on the Super Bowl

REUTERS

New York and New Jersey homeowners are already cashing in on the 2014 Super Bowl, which will be held at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Feb. 2.

An increasing number of home and apartment owners are using websites such as HomeAway and Airbnb to offer their properties for rent to out-of-town fans coming to the big game.

"With an influx of fans coming to the area, many people feel opportunistically that they can make some money during the Super Bowl," said HomeAway CEO Brian Sharples.

HomeAway, a vacation rental marketplace, is seeing a 40 percent increase in the number of properties listed in the region. This number is expected to grow as football's biggest event approaches.

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"We typically see the demand for travelers doesn't really spike until we see what teams are in the Super Bowl," Sharples added.

Peter Tichey, a pharmacist in Ridgefield Park, N.J., owns a second home just minutes away from MetLife Stadium. Tichey said he is asking $1,000 a night for his four-bedroom home during Super Bowl week. That's $600 more than his usual per-night charges, even during the holiday season.

This is the first Super Bowl to be hosted by two states. It's also the first time in the region, and there's no certainty another will happen here again anytime soon. More than 400,000 visitors are expected.

"From a business perspective, it's an amazing opportunity," Sharples said. "You can charge a lot more money."

HomeAway's rental prices for the Super Bowl period are historically three to four times as high as those during nonevent periods, the service said.

"There's no question that people are taking advantage of the fact that people will pay more for the Super Bowl," said Sharples. "Hotel prices have really gone through the roof for that small window of time ... so you will see the same with home rentals."

In Clifton, N.J., just a few miles from the stadium, hotels including Howard Johnson and Holiday Inn are charging rates of $900-plus a night for Super Bowl weekend.

Such tabs make renting a house an appealing option for many—especially groups.

"A typical three- to four-bedroom home can usually accommodate up to six people. A home allows families and groups to be together in one place rather than going back to their hotel rooms at night," Sharples said.

This article originally appeared in CNBC.

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