23 April, 2018

The art of staying in Devonport

Rising house prices and rents have led to Aucklanders living in garages because they can’t afford homes. In a economic twist, some asset-rich but cash-poor Devonport residents rent out rooms in their houses, so they can afford to stay in the suburb. One of these, Monica Sorrenson, has moved into her garage when Airbnb demand is high. Rob Drent reports. 

Monica Sorrenson considers herself lucky.

She lives 100 metres from the Waitemata Harbour in a quiet cul-de-sac. She doesn’t own a car, but is only a short bike ride or walk to the Devonport shops and ferry.

A couple of years ago, she never imagined she would be living in her garage over summer to help make ends meet.

She bought her Duders Ave home in 2011, “before the real craziness” around property prices began. She moved in full-time in 2014. 

With a lack of steady work, the former English-as-a-second-language teacher was faced with the problem of how to make ends meet. 

She was asset-rich and cash-poor, like many Devonport homeowners. Some said she should scale down: sell up and move out of the suburb.

But Sorrenson decided to give Airbnb and Booking.com a go, renting out a room to get some extra income.

It’s a trend that appears to be sweeping Devonport. Apart from the Esplanade Hotel and a few upmarket bed and breakfasts, accomodation options are limited.

In the last couple of years, the online-booking site listings for the suburb have mushroomed. More than 200 Devonport homes are listed on Airbnb and Booking.com. Offerings range from quite luxurious, high-spec sleepouts or granny flats to simple rooms within a house. 

Last October, Sorrenson, who had herself stayed as a guest at Australian Airbnbs, started renting out one room in her home, with an option of another for spillover guests. 

However, the demand was such that she quickly had both rooms rented out over summer and she was camping out in the garage.

“The guests have a shared bathroom and toilet… in summer, I was having a shower down at the beach.”

In February and March, Sorrenson had  “one day off each month” without guests at her home. On 15 nights, both rooms were booked. 

Reservations are down over the next few months, but she has forward bookings stretching out to February 2019.

Overall its been a highly positive experience for Sorrenson, who has liked meeting the guests. It helps that she’s a traveller herself. She has visited dozens of countries, and lived in China for four years, travelling to 20 cities there. Sorrenson also speaks French, and a little Chinese, Arabic and Russian.

She also enjoys the challenges around marketing her home. She’s called it Art BnB, – a play on the Airbnb name and a nod to the colourful travel photographs and art that adorns her walls. 

The timings of the guests arrivals (generally late afternoon) and departures (early morning), leaves her free to pursue other interests. She’s currently writing a novel centring on an understanding of Islam. “I’ve lived in seven countries where Islam is the main religion.”

There have been costs involved in letting out her rooms: linen and towels, and increased water bills. She also had to shell out for a new bed. But most of the additional equipment she needed she has purchased from the Hospice Shop in Takapuna or the Anglican Op Shop in Devonport.

Financially, the jury is still out on the returns. Sorrenson is giving it two years to see if it is viable as a ‘break-even’ source of income that allows her to stay in Devonport.

“I’ve talked to B&B operators and they’ve said to me that the income wasn’t enough to be the single source of  money.”

“You never know, I may be better off on the unemployment benefit.” 

 

This article first appeared on page 32 of the Devonport Flagstaff April 20, 2018 edition.