My summer rental experience has been profitable, but it really is a big PITA to have the place completely clean every week. With taxes, credit card fees, etc plus a maid and vacancies, I can’t imagine doing it year round when rates drop. I think my maid is hosing me a bit too but she knows I am charging a lot and can’t find someone else I trust on short notice. She’s probably getting $25-30 an hour v. the $18-20 she’s been getting for years to clean my house.

I will finish up the summer to help pay for all the renovations and furniture, but it probably isn’t worth the hassle to make an extra $2500 a month after expenses.

Part of the problem is that I feel that if you’re paying $250-$400 a night, you should be getting a really good experience so that means extra efforts to make the landscaping nice, the toaster and oven clean, stock the fridge with water, half n half, etc.

I also get strange questions by people who contact me on VRBO. Like: is it close to LegoLand? Google Maps has been around for 15 years now and you have the address online of the house!

Playing e-mail tag with four people for every one who actually books is also no fun.

I might do this again next summer if I rent to the PLNU students and they move out, but that will be the last time if it does happen.