Airbnb in prime locations

[Ribbles]

I’ve rented houses a few times from VRBO, it always went well. My sister has a big ol’ Victorian in Spokane with a separate apartment, I think it used to be a servant’s quarters. She AirBnB’s it along with her Idaho vacation rental and loves it – as a landlord she’s had a far better experience with AirBnB than with VRBO. It helps that she’s retired and has the time to turn them over.

Wifey and I have a Lennar “next gen” home in Temecula, and after the in-laws move on and kids are away at college, we’ll probably AirBnB the casita at least a few weekends a month. I can’t imagine not doing it. Easy money.

What the HOA doesn’t know won’t hurt them. So far they haven’t been especially nosy or evil.

[Anonymous]

I’ve heard that HOAs will check online short-term rental sites for addresses in their neighborhood, but I don’t know how diligent most are about actually doing the enforcement.

I also wonder if they would actually charge a penalty or just send the usual nasty letter if they saw an ad.

[Ribbles]

I wonder that myself. We started our pool build before submitting the plan (just lazy I guess), and the place was a wreck for months before someone noticed. They sent us a warning, no fine. We submitted the plan and it was approved in a week. I had been worried they would hold a grudge or something.

[FlyerInHi]

There is a service that tracks short term rentals.
http://www.subletalert.com/

It depends on HOA and locality. But usually there are two sets of rules that limit your property rights
1) local laws
2) HOA cc&rs.

Read the docs if you want to comply.

Usually you’re not allowed to rent less than 30 days (some HOAs require 180 days). And you’re not allowed to rent partial unit. So no roommates allowed either. However, people could get together and co-sign leases.

hOAs are required to uniformly apply the rules and not target certain individuals and overlook others. So if an HOA tolerates roommates, then you could rent out a room on Airbnb, just the same. Airbnb is just a platform for rentals. Whether you do it on Airbnb, Craigslist, or over word of mouth, it’s all the same in the eyes of the rules/law.

Local governments don’t have resources and usually do nothing until neighbors complain. Or they may have a skeleton staff, or sometimes they pay overtime for enforcement.

Some HOAs are more activist than others. A lot times, the management companies scare the board into taking action. Lots of issues, potential child molestors, etc….

[spdrun]

An HOA can tolerate monthly roommates, not daily. If you can find someone willing to stay in an AirBNB or VRBO for at least a month, you’re good…

[FlyerInHi]

[quote=spdrun]An HOA can tolerate monthly roommates, not daily. If you can find someone willing to stay in an AirBNB or VRBO for at least a month, you’re good…[/quote]

1 month yes. But no roommate renting just 1 bedroom in a larger unit because there is usually prohibition on renting out part of a whole house/condo. Even local laws usually don’t allow such arrangements, unless you’re in a rural area without local ordinances.

HOA also usually require that owners submit leases and a list of tenants to the HOA.

You know, for safety reasons… to avoid child molestors, criminals, etc… one of my HOAs actually requires a copy of background check, or notarized certification that background check was conducted. It was adopted by resolution of the board. But I think that’s “illegal” because changes to rules must be approved by a certain majority of owners (like age restrictions, no pet rules, etc….)

Of course people flout the rules all the time.

[spdrun]

Advertise it as sharing a 2-bedroom condo and write a lease saying such for the HOA’s benefit if needed. Make the room assignment a separate agreement not shown to the HOA.

BTW – what if you get a background check and rent to an ex-con anyway? Say you believe that criminals deserve a second chance.

[FlyerInHi]

[quote=spdrun]
Advertise it as sharing a 2-bedroom condo and write a lease saying such for the HOA’s benefit if needed. Make the room assignment a separate agreement not shown to the HOA.
[/quote]

Yeah. Maybe a little had for owners who live on site and cycle through roommates.

[quote=spdrun]
BTW – what if you get a background check and rent to an ex-con anyway? Say you believe that criminals deserve a second chance.[/quote]

Yes you can rent to an ex criminal if you wish. The HOA has no veto over which tenant you select.

I could be an ass and say the background check rule is unenforceable. But I want good relations with the busybodies, haha

[Author]

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