is it best to rent our home or leave it vacant?

Answer 1

It's best to rent, if you can get good tennants.
Vacant buildings are not ensurable and always attract vandals

Answer 2

Depends on what you plan to do with it. If you plan to sell it fairly soon, a renter can do more damage than you can imagine.
If renting is to allow you to live someplace else for a longer period of time and then return, do that through an agent who will be there to collect the rent and watch over things. It is hard to be an absentee landlord. What if you are 1000 miles away and they call to say a pipe broke?

If you are just going south for the winter months, you may have a hard time finding a renter that meets your schedule requirements. then I suggest you let it stay empty but make sure it looks lived in - have a neighborhood kid mow the grass; put timers on lights; have someone come by occasionally to check if there are phone books and flyers lying about.

Answer 3

If you are not going to be in the same town as the house, rent it through an agent. This way you have an idea of whats going on and still draw rent payments without hassle. It does cost a little to do this but has many better advantages. One is knowing it is looked after. If you leave it empty, there can be many problems.

Answer 4

In general it is better to rent it, as leaving it vacant, for any appreciable amount of time,can lead to many problems, which you would not like to face.

Answer 5

Renters can damage your home leaving it vacant could invite vandalism. Try hiring a house sitter at least someone is at the house and maintaining the yard getting the mail etc. House sitters generally are easier on your home as they are hired to do a job not looking at you like you run their life like renters may.