Home Hosting - helping the community

Published on 05 December 2024

Parkes from above and Spicer Oval

Did you know you can be part of the Elvis Festival, earn some summer cents, and not even leave home?

With Ray White Home Hosting, your spare room, caravan, or whole house can be matched with Elvis Festival visitors for the duration of their stay, and you can earn money while giving back to the community.

How it works for hosts

As a host, you can rent your spare room for $72 per single bed. You can charge $144 per night if you have a double bed. All you need to do is provide a bed and the possibility of a continental breakfast. 

If you have a caravan or camper sitting idle in the driveway or backyard, you can earn up to $697.50 for five nights. All you have to do is ensure there is a connection to water, power, and bathroom access.

You fill in a form stating what you offer, and Ray White will match you with one of the 60 people on the accommodation waitlist.

Now, all you have to do is email Elvis.parkes@raywhite.com and state if you have a house or caravan available.

How it works for guests

Email Elvis.parkes@raywhite.com and say you'd like accommodation. You will receive a form to complete that outlines your requested stay date, how many people, etc. You then send that form back to be matched with a listed accommodation.

On confirmation of a placement, you will receive details of your host stay and four pages of guest information.

Homeowners are required to provide you with a clean, liveable space. Newly listed properties are inspected for appropriateness; however, it's important to remember that these spaces are people's homes.

If you share a space with the homeowner, they may or may not be hosts with the most; every host is different. Gail Robertson from Ray White Parkes shared what to expect from a host who is in residence: "Some hosts will be happy to provide canapes before you leave for the evening gigs; some may be quiet and leave to get on with your week. Every host is different. It's important to be open about your needs while respecting theirs."

 

More about Home Hosting

Ray White Parkes has managed the Home Hosting program for over 10 years. A small fee per person per night is added as a booking fee. This fee pays for the extensive work of collating, matching, and managing the Home Host program. The program helps hundreds of visitors who might be unable to attend the Elvis Festival; this welcomes everyone.

Gail says, "My reward for running Home Hosting every year is being able to help so many different people come to the Festival, where we know they'll have fun and get involved. It is wonderful meeting all the Elvis visitors. They are so special: happy, easy, and keen to get involved.

I've been hosting the Kiwi Elvis Tribute Artists for many years, and it's wonderful to provide them with a haven in their rare down moments."

To get involved with Home Hosting in 2025 and beyond, contact Elvis.parkes@raywhite.com. You never know—you might just be the house that has everything for someone.