M in Carolina
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,128 
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Post by M in Carolina on Apr 30, 2015 18:22:19 GMT
When dh and I had to move to Chicago and leave our home in Michigan empty, we wanted to rent it out. It was against our mortgage loan with our bank, and we would have had to get extra insurance through our homeowners. For liability reasons we couldn't even let a local seminary student stay there and just look out for the place in return for free rent--just pay the utilities. It was a shame because we could have used the money or would have liked to have helped seminary friends.
My parents have had a lot of rental properties, and I've seen what people can do to a house. Especially if they are evicted or foreclosed upon. Nasty "revenge" type stuff.
I would rent places on AirB&B and other sites, but I would never rent out my home. Dh and I have a lot of expensive electronic equipment--dh has a ton of computer stuff since he works from home, and we love watching movies and have set up home theatres in our living room and bedroom because it's cheaper than going to the movies.
I just don't want the liability or people going through my stuff.
My mom and friend rented a really nice place in Washington state two years ago, and all the homeowners stuff was there--master closets and everything, nothing locked. My mom and friend are trustworthy, but they still snooped.
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Post by stefdesign on Apr 30, 2015 18:56:00 GMT
We recently used AirBNB for an overnight getaway, and all of the places we looked at were just a single room, like a guest room or mother-in-law apartment. The place we eventually ended up in creeped me out a bit because we shared a single bathroom with the owners, who were there. My experience has been that people rent out an extra room or suite to make some extra money. I think whole house rentals should be a different system, like Vacation Exchange. Seems like such a huge risk to leave your home and entrust complete strangers.
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Post by melanell on Apr 30, 2015 20:05:26 GMT
I feel justified being paranoid over my home. I don't even like to have a housekeeper there alone. :/ I don't like having strangers over when I'm home! I groan anytime a repair or delivery person has to be here. I can't imagine myself ever participating in something that would leave strangers in my home alone. It's just not for me. Chalk it up as a personal quirk. |
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Post by dillydally on Apr 30, 2015 20:15:31 GMT
Wow, this makes me so completely angry. While I am generally not a fan of internet shaming, in this case I could get on board!
That's me too. I'm just very private and would feel completely uncomfortable letting people I didn't know use our house while we were gone.
Now, I have used VRBO and would consider AirBNB, but only if the renters were gone; not to rent a room in their house while they were there.
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Post by misadventurous on Apr 30, 2015 20:26:40 GMT
I cannot imagine renting out my home, but we do have a small beach house that we rent to people. Some people take better care than others. While this is certainly a scary potential outcome, How many Airbnb rentals have gone off without a hitch. Is this a one in a thousand occurrence? one in a million? Their website says they have served over 25 MILLION guests since their inception in 2008. I'm guessing the chance of something this drastic happening is way closer to 1/1m than 1/1k. And seriously, if you feel your home is your 'sanctuary', then why on earth would you choose to be an Airbnb host? Obviously there is some level of risk involved. I think, though, that many of the listed properties are not the owners' primary residence. The places we have stayed at were clearly only being used for rentals and in both cases the owners had multiple properties they were listing. |
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Post by scrappysurfer on Apr 30, 2015 20:27:29 GMT
Just no. I would never rent my home while I was still living in it.
I've had things stolen from me from house guests and it is so violating. To trust someone with your possessions, that we knew, who turned around and stole from us, was one of the worst betrayals ever. I would never allow a stranger that opportunity.
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Post by crazy4scraps on Apr 30, 2015 21:51:59 GMT
Nope, I wouldn't do it. Not for a million dollars and not in a million years. I love my house and I'm kind of attached to my stuff!
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Post by winogirl on Apr 30, 2015 22:11:41 GMT
That's horrible!
i hope the perpetrator is found and charged.
There is no way in hell I would ever let strangers in my home, here or not. I only let service people in because I have to.
i would not even consider owning rental property after watching Pacific Heights.
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Post by leannec on Apr 30, 2015 22:25:28 GMT
This happened in my city and was all over the news in the past couple of days ... One of the most gross things they reported was that the owners found chicken bones in the wife's boots  Who does that  I know that if a party bus showed up at my house with a bunch of rowdy people my neighbours would be on the phone to the police and to me ... and I would be back at home ASAP! |
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FurryP
Drama Llama
To pea or not to pea...
Posts: 6,963
Site Supporter
Jun 26, 2014 19:58:26 GMT
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Post by FurryP on May 1, 2015 0:00:39 GMT
What I don't get is why they didn't get back to their house PDQ after their neighbors started contacting them. So the complaints from neighbors and calls to the cops started on Saturday, but they didn't show up at their home until Monday and it doesn't sound like they themselves contacted the police? My sympathy is limited. I realize, you are going by the written report, but in the extended talk with the homeowners video, they stated that they rented on Saturday evening, but they did not get texts until 2 days later when the neighbors were concerned about them because they police were out so many times, and that was not like them. Guess the neighbors did not know they had rented out? The wife was on the phone with a neighbor when the neighbor told her about the fight going on in front of the house, and doing a play by play of what she could see at that moment. The wife called the police to meet them at the house. They really do not seem like irresponsible people unworthy of sympathy. At least I did not think so. ETA: I believe the owners, not the reporters. |
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Grom Pea
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,944
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Post by Grom Pea on May 1, 2015 1:29:45 GMT
My cousin and his girlfriend do a vacation rental in their duplex and had a tenant who rented for a summer and apparently never cleaned anything, we're taking moldy pots of food, gallons of milk that turned to cheese, garbage everywhere. It terrifies me as we're renting my condo until the market catches up to what I've paid. So far I've been lucky but we have other friends and fait who do rentals and have had problems too. I'd never be a landlord by choice! I would consider vrbo, but that's not generally someone's personal home, it's a full time rental. Personally I've had my in-laws break my dishwasher while they stayed in my house when I was not here so I can't even imagine what strangers would do! I feel violated by reading the description, poor people!
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Post by JBeans on May 1, 2015 3:48:59 GMT
Wouldn't participate in Airbnb either. Like others, my home is my castle. Nope. Just nope.
I've read several articles and learned a fair amount. Cops are calling it a "drug fuelled orgy". And the couple said they will likely rent their house out thru airbnb again.
Lend my house out to my family and good friends. Yes. Renting it out to strangers? Hell no.
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Southern Side eyed Pea 
Who does that 
