Finder.com.au, one of Australia’s biggest comparison websites, profiled 2372 suburbs across Australia looking for the most profitable suburbs for renters to sublease a room using accommodation listing site Airbnb.

Mudgee was the fifth best suburb in the country, returning a 847 per cent profit margin, when it came to renting out a room. 

Trent Robinson from Peter Druitt and Co said a  lot of properties in Mudgee would lend themselves to this type of accommodation, and could help to grow the region’s capacity for tourism. 

“Every person who can find somewhere in town to stay means more money spent in town,” he said.

“If they go wine tasting they buy wine, honey tasting they buy honey, they’ll go into cafes, go into the supermarkets, it’s all putting money back into the economy.”

Mr Robinson said one of the biggest thing about Mudgee was understanding just how many properties in the region would be suited to Airbnb-style accommodation leasing. 

“What it shows is that tourist accommodation in Mudgee is so keenly sought. 

With accommodation at hotels in Mudgee often selling out during very busy weekend, like Easter and A Day on the Green weekends, leasing out a room to someone from out of time was a) and easy way to make a little extra money, and b) a great way to help add to the region’s economy. 

From a real estate agent’s point of view, Mr Robinson said sites like Airbnb are helping people realise the rental ability of their property.

“At the moment there are probably a lot of people who don’t realise the demand in Mudgee for long term rental properties or short term accommodation,” he said.

Mr Robinson said what people did be aware of was what renters and Airbnb-ers were looking for – which is a property different from their own home.

“It’s not really an indication of the Mudgee rental market because a three-bedroom South Mudgee home built in the 1980’s is probably not the market Airbnb is looking for,” he said. 

“It’s properties with a little bit of charm, a little bit of quirkiness, that will do really well.”

Michelle Hutchison, Money Expert at finder.com.au, said she was surprised to find how much money renters and homeowners could make by subleasing a room.

“There are around 2.5 million households who rent in Australia – and many more  homeowners - and many could be sitting on a gold mine without even realising it,” she said.

More than 50 Mudgee homeowners and renters have already taken advantage of the services provided by Airbnb, offering up their entire homes or just spare rooms to people around the world. 

If you’re renting a house in Mudgee, please refer back to the details of your rental agreement before trying to rent out a room. 

Airbnb is a trusted community marketplace for people to list, discover, and book unique accommodation around the world. 

Airbnb is the easiest way for people to turn their extra space into some extra money, and showcase it to an audience of millions.