2/2 House Hack - Furnished or Unfurnished?

[Jeffrey Anderson]

I'm going to rent out a room in my 2/2 in South Tampa/Fair Oaks, most likely the master with ensuite bath. I had focused on renting it LTR, unfurnished, but now wonder if I should furnish it for easy switch between LTR & MTR if need be? No STR option.

[Bonnie Low]

Are you renting out the entire property or just the one ensuite master room? You can do either with midterm rentals but, either way, it will need to be furnished. If you're planning on a rent-by-room strategy you should think about your guest avatar. Assuming you live in the house and occupy the other room, you're primarily going to get male renters. Not a lot of solo female travelers are going to want to rent a room in a shared home with a guy they don't know. You may get some, but it will be challenging. If you're thinking of renting the entire space out, a 2/2 can be a great strategy to target anyone traveling with a partner and/or digital nomads who often appreciate having a dedicated office space where they're staying. If digital nomads are your guest avatar, I'd considering furnishing one of the bedrooms with a dedicated workspace. Furnished Finder is a good resource to see what type of listings there are in your area, how they're furnished and what they're charging.