I am sure in your lease somewhere it says that the security deposit cannot be used for the last months rent or something to that effect.

Currently, I have a full time job in the fenestration business, and I was legitimately curious if the whole concept of "indoor/outdoor living" had a major effect on home values. 

Have the potential roommate fill out an application, screen them as per your normal process and if they check out do an addendum that adds them to the rental and removes the GF. 

Please remove.

How does spending time & money removing an income stream from my life only to replace it with another one that may or may not be worse increase my bottom line?

@Theodor Morgan, buying a multi-family is a very common (and effective) strategy that many new homeowners/investors have employed.Run the property through the BP Calculators to find out how good a deal it is.

One Duplex has both sides rented with about $120k in equity from mostly appreciationWe are house hacking the other duplexed financed with FHA loan (deadbeat tenants removed from side B and rehab under way).

I've helped lots of budding investors leverage new technology to more effectively self manage their units!

We cleaned out front landscaping bed, removed a fence by front sidewalk, added additional signage to increase visibility.

Effective and proactive tax planning does and can bring US and Canadian tax treatment into parity.