Solar eclipse: Homeowners rent land to eclipse travelers as hotels sell out

Solar eclipse: Homeowners rent out land

With just hours from the total solar eclipse, some central Texas residents are renting out their land to eclipse viewers who can't find a place to stay.

LIBERTY HILL, Texas - For an event as rare as a total solar eclipse, Courtney Warlick and her family thought they'd make the most of it using their backyard.

"Some people also messaged me laughing about it like 'oh you're trying to have people come out for the eclipse' and I guess they don't realize the experience that's coming," said Warlick.

For the price of $75 a day, or $150 to stay overnight, Warlick is offering her rural Liberty Hill backyard to eclipse watchers.

"There's going to be thousands of people," said Warlick. "Not really much shade, probably. Loudness and so I thought it'd be cool to have a place like this where you can have a more private, secluded area."

So far, the idea is gaining traction.

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Corey Duncan drove from downtown Austin to experience the eclipse in a more quiet setting.

"It's beautiful," said Duncan. "It's awesome. I think that it's really cool that they're doing this. You got a lot of access to the river, and you can walk up and down it and see your own version of it without it being crowded."

The Warlicks said they’ve had interest from Colorado, San Marcos, and Los Angeles too.

They aren't the only ones.

Countless others, all across the path of totality, are putting up land for rent on Facebook marketplace.

Most spots are priced at between $100 to $300.

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So, whether you're watching the eclipse in your backyard or someone else's, astronomers say everyone should plan to get outside, rain or shine.

"It still will be a very exciting event," siad Steven Finkelstein, an astronomy professor at UT Austin. "Not as exciting as if you could see the sun and see the corona. It's still, I think, pretty unforgettable, even if we do have some clouds."

Even if the eclipse gets covered, there’s at least something to look forward to.

"It's cool because you get to meet new people," said Travis Duncan, Warlick’s son.

If you have any interest in Warlick’s property, she asks you to contact her at 512-909-1967.