1st snowbird winter in AZ--Renting home furnished

I'd think real long and hard before you rent your house to someone you don't know especially if you are not in the area to watch over it.

I'm an ex-landlord and I have seen the horrific damage that even the best dressed, wealthy renters can do to a home they are renting. :(

Thanks everyone for your input! Really appreciate it!

I have done this and plan to again. Of course you will store whatever is precious to you.

As for what to keep in the house, different tenants want different things. Just ask them. And tell prospects, when you show the house, that what you leave is negotiable. Some people want sheets, towels, cookware, artwork, etc. Some have their own and want space for them.

I would never rent our private Home but I do rent out my Park Models in AZ. I only rent for the Snowbird Season { 6 months} to Seniors , no smoking and no animals. I leave nic naks, pictures etc out or on walls. I have been a Landlord for 15 yrs with very few problems to speak of

We rent out the house next door and I don't think I would rent our house out unless we knew the people very well. We have had good and not so good tenants. Our daughter started renting it a few years ago so she watches this place when we are away

Wow, if it were the home in AZ you were renting that would be one thing. Since it is your primary home I would think anything you want to stay private should be locked down, either at the home or in storage. I wouldn't do it with the primary home but would with a winter home...

Lizzie, that is exactly what I am finding about prioritizing all of our stuff. Ever bag or box removed makes me feel freer and ready for our adventure. The kids are delighted because it will be less stuff to sort for them when we pass on. If we love this new RV life we may completely downsize and sell the house. If we don't we come home, unpack and have less stuff! Do you leave pictures on the wall? This is an academic town and our applicants our professionals with the university. NOT students.

We rent our NC home on a seasonal basis when we are not using it. Our nearest neighbor manages it for us. It is completely furnished and in four years we have not had any problems: We have a downstairs shop, a bathroom closet, and a garage cabinet that locks. We went through the house and removed everything that we felt we would really regret losing/breaking, etc, and locked it up in these places. We also purchased a fireproof file cabinet for the shop to store private papers. (Think about what you would grab if your house was on fire.)Getting the house ready to rent was one of the best experiences of our lives. It helped us to prioritize, downsize, and move toward living simpler. lizzie

I would not rent my home. To each his/her own.

I'd advise to remove anything you can't afford or don't want to lose.