Renting out permanent residence.....

[OceanPrincess]

My ILs live in a sea side town and there are HEAPs of locals who do that. When you crunch the numbers, it works in your favour.

Some of them even rent a cabin in the caravan park for six weeks over summer and then rent their house out and still come out in front!!

[wysiwyg]

I think is a brilliant idea (in the UK we stayed at places more than once where families had moved out for the summer etc - sometimes to a caravan in the garden (when we stayed on a farm)). I really like the idea - I hate it when you go to holiday places out of season and see all these beautiful houses sitting empty - so think is great when people either live there and move out to allow holiday makers in, or just rent out their own holiday homes when they are not there.

[LuluHB]

I think financially it sounds like a great idea. From an emotional point of view though I couldn't do it. All the little things around the house that are valuable to me - emotionally, not financially - that I would have to pack away. We've got hundreds of books that have been lovingly cared for that I would hate for someone renting my house to read and dog ear (sounds pretty minor but its one of my pet hates). Would they care for my crockery or break something that would mean I no longer had a full set? Would they care for the furniture? Would they respect my no shoes and no food in the lounge rule? You can only pack up so much before it becomes a major pain in the whatsit.

I look at those exchange holiday ideas where you swap homes with someone in another country and I just can't do it. Someone sleeping in my bed, in my daughters' beds, just doesn't sit well with me.