Location for Rent

Updated on February 18, 2010.

In this tight economy more homeowners are trying to get their homes in the movies — or in commercials, or on TV. Production companies will pay several thousand dollars a day to use houses for location shoots.

Jennie and Ken Bulow made nearly $10,000 last year renting their home out for commercials. SoCal Connected's Val Zavala visited them on the day a Dairy Queen commercial was shooting inside their living room.

But before the dollars signs start floating in front of your eyes, consider this. Production is down and location supply is up. David Hatfield owns CAST Locations, a company that represents more than 1000 potential location homes . He's been flooded recently by homeowners hoping to have him represent their home. His clients run the gamut from mansions, to modest bungalows, from quirky bungalows, to standard American homes.

And what's it like if you're lucky enough to have a director choose your home? Be ready for the "circus" to move in, as David Hatfield puts it. But for most homeowners a few thousand dollars of extra income is worth the inconvenience.