Renting your home info
 

We are not snowbirds but like to go back to Denver for a few months per year. My husband is worried about renting our home here. Can anyone speak to if they have had problems with adult renters? We also have a pool . I’m curious what a 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom home with golf cart and pool would typically rent for. Thanks in advance.

There are other threads on this topic. Do a search. The goft cart will be a potential liability, as well as the pool. You may need to pay sales taxes to Florida. Renters can bring a dog if they claim that it is a service animal. They may also bring children to use the pool. Do you have a landlord policy? Some things to consider. Unless you need the money, it may not be a good idea.

If you don't have someone local managing your property on your behalf (like - an actual property management company, not just some guy who lives down the street), you could run into all kinds of problems, and you won't even know you have them until it's too late and the damage is done.

You'll have to pay for a property manager but you can just incorporate that into the rental fee. They can vet the potential tenants, do credit checks if you want (costs extra AFAIK), handle deposits and tourism taxes (short-term rentals get taxed, and you have to make sure the county/state gets its money). This also ensures that potential tenants know that -you- are a reliable landlord. Anyone who would let me spend a month in their personal home while they're not there, who doesn't make sure I'm not going to gut the place before I skip out of town, is not someone whose house I'd want to live in.

and don't forget squatters ....like bed bugs , very hard to get rid of.

and your personal stuff would need locked up somewhere unless your letting them wear your cabana wear and get beer stains on them while dancing at the square, etc. It sounds from your post your more interested in having someone at the house than making money? If so, there are many posts on long term house vacancy (shutting off the water, pool maintenance, etc.)

This is one place you might list your home and you might be able to see what others charge
VH4R Home Rentals in The Villages Florida The Villages Rentals
I would vote with your husban and not rent.
You will need to have the property inspected when each tenant leaves and also have the place cleaned.
If you had a neighbor that would help then I could see renting.

Ditto.

Plus.................do you want strangers doing strange things in your bed??

Depends, what sort of things

Nope nope nope.
 

We thought the same, Until we tried it. Never again, we found most of the people that would rent for a few months will not clean or take care of even the simplest things like dishes or vacuuming .
And forget about taking care of the house or the golf cart or the pool. You will be amazed at how someone can trash a home in that short of time. we found that short term renters only want to party have no responsibilities pay the money and then walk away. never again. And we rented to a retired priest. we thought you can’t get much safer than that boy were we wrong,
if you do not need the money and you value your home, don’t do it

What extra insurance will you have to pay when renting your home? How much liability with pool and golf cart.
I would never do it and we were snowbirds for 2 years.

Another option for you is to Self Manage your home and save yourself up to 20% in property management fees.
High season is easy to rent and that is where you can save big bucks on commissions fees that you would be paying to a property manager. Put that money back into your pocket! :$:

You can hire a homewatch company to oversee your home. They do everything except vet your tenants, the leases, and collect payments. Take a look at Homewatch by Mike and Molly http://mikeandmollyhomeservices.com/ Using a homewatch service is your boots on the ground if you live afar. They are there if anything goes wrong.

Then advertise your home yourself on a site like Rent From A Villager www.rentfromavillager.com It is easier than you think.

Do your research and good luck! :thumbup:

If one leaves for months one is what T V calls a snowbird.

My brother uses a management company to rent his home. No str as they beat the heck out of a home over time or possibly all at one time. The management company takes a % each month but handle EVERYTHING right down to "problems" ie: non-payers, toilet running, everything. My brother says "Guido" (ya know from the movies) will take care of "it". No worries for my brother on finding and managing all details.

With a pool and golf cart there is extra liability on one's part. Those items could really hurt an owner. My brother has neither. Rents his home up by SL for $5k a month. % started at 10 last I knew of. Could be 15 to 20 in this great economy.

Which months would you be renting? This is a huge factor on the hassle/dollars tradeoff analysis.

That's funny lol and your not kidding...

A friend had bed bugs get into their house... cost $$$$ THOUSANDS to get rid of those little visitors!!! Terrible and gross as all get out.

What months you are gone will determine how much you can rent it for. High season you can get what ever you want but the summer months you will get much less. I rented mine when I first bought it because I was away in NH taking care of my mom. Most of the people were very nice and if you make them pay a good security deposit I found they will make sure they leave your house as they found it to ensure they will get their deposit back. I do not have a pool and I refused to let them use my golf cart because of the liability. They can easily rent one. For two months in my opinion it’s not worth the hassle. There are lots of people who can watch your home while you are gone for a fee.