Renting out rooms to meet mortgage payments is a common thing, especially in immigrant households. If you drive around in the evening and see cars parked everywhere, then you can assume that people are renting out rooms, even garages. That phenomenon is best illustrated in Clairemont and Mira Mesa.
The best neighborhoods are places where cars are parked inside.
I know an immigrant family (really nice people) who lives about 15 inside a 4 bedroom house. No wonder they can afford the mortgage and a Mercedes.
Young professional do it too in order to “invest” in the housing market. One of my friends bought a 2bd condo with I/O loan. He has a roomate that pays about $700/month. But he’ll be in trouble once his loan resets. But he can’t/won’t sell now because the market is down.
Selling is no simple task now; buyer don’t want to buy a messy occupied unit. You have to move out and incur more housing costs while your home sits on the market.
