To AirbNb or not to AirbNb?

[Ada Tor]

I have a house in a nice neighborhood in Tempe, AZ. Decent location. The house has been renovated with wood floors, and I bought really nice furniture from Pottery Barn and such. A Baby Grand piano in the living room. 

I'm considering making it a STR when I'm gone on work trips which is about half the month. I'd probably lock up my master bedroom and bathroom, and make the rest of the house available for rent. Which would be 2 bedrooms (+ a sleeper sofa in the living room) and one bathroom.

I talked to the HOA manager, and while they do allow STRs at a 25$ fee for each reservation, she cautioned me against it. She said we had one AirbNb in our neighborhood where a tenant committed suicide (!). Several where tenants were stealing from landlords or causing damage. It sounded very discouraging.

I'm interested to hear what the pros on BP have to say about it. Yay or nay?

[Paul Sandhu]

@Ada Tor The worst thing that could happen is that you have a bunch of musicians in there that tear things up.  I have an ongoing joke with my wife...whenever we are leaving a hotel room to check out I say "Wait, wait. I forgot something!"  Then I tell her I have to go back in the room and throw the tv out the window.  Keith Moon used to do this, he  was the drummer for The Who.