CHARLOTTE, N.C.-For Dustin Read, the upcoming Democratic
National Convention in Charlotte seemed like a surefire way to
make extra money.  An estimated 35,000 people - from delegates
and journalists to scores of protesters and police - will be
flocking to North Carolina'slargest city to attend the three-day
convention in early September. Hefigures some of those visitors
might want a bigger place to stay than acramped hotel room with
no backyard.   "Thereare a lot of people coming to Charlotte and
this was a good way to makemoney. Why not?" said Read, the
director of real estate at theUniversity of North Carolina
Charlotte's Belk College of Business. "Alot of people felt the
same way....But the closer you get to theconvention, the more
you see people looking for last-minute bargains."  It'sa similar
situation in Tampa, host city for the Republican
NationalConvention: homeowners looking to make a quick buck all
with the addedbenefit of giving them a chance to get out while
their hometown isoverrun by convention