Renting out bedrooms in your house & Florida homestead exemption

[Alberto C.]

Dear all,

Planning to buy house in Gainesville, Florida.  I am not an American citizen but I am applying for the green card, which I should get in one year or little more. Homestead exemption can only be given to green card holders or citizens. Therefore for the first and maybe second year I will not have it. From the third one I will claim it. However, i am planning to buy a 3-4 bedroom house, live in the master room and rent out the other 2-3 rooms. That would be my primary residence. I will also go back to my home country for 2-3 month max in the period May-August, cause Florida is too hot for me. I think going on vacation to Italy is fine for keeping Homestead(right?), but I am mainly concerned about permanently renting out 2-3 rooms in my house. Could I lose my Homestead exemption?

Thanks

Alberto