E the Landlord?
Today, someone stopped by and asked if I'd be interested in renting out my house. This is something I've been debating for a while, but being an absentee landlord to some random person makes me a bit squeamish. However, I know this person very well and she and her family are very nice, quiet devout Mormons. And despite my utter dislike of that particular religion, Mormons are generally very nice and trustworthy people (also a positive is if the renter couldn't make the rent, the church would kick in the money).My former employer has completely destroyed the notion of job security in this town and the Chinese are playing nasty in the trona markets so the housing market is beyond nothing here and I would like to get out. If I got someone to cover my mortgage, I'd be free to at least be elsewhere. But I don't think I could have my house on the market and rent at the same time. I really, really need to sell before said company screws over their remaining employees and everyone needs to flee. The reason this person is renting and not buying is due to a lack of confidence in this company.
There are obviously some other factors involved with renting but the key to the decision is my need to sell vs. my need to not be here. My mom's against the idea and my dad leans toward it albeit with reservations. I need to have a more in depth discussion with Renter E before I'd really need to make a decision, but I think I was happier with the notion that I wouldn't rent because some crazy person might destroy the house. With a real opportunity to rent to a responsible person, it's so much harder to say no.
posted by E @11:25 PM