The Basics

1. Check your homeowner's insurance policy. Most don't cover damages done by a renter, so you'll have to purchase an additional policy to cover not only your home and any contents you leave, but also liability issues in the event the renter is injured on the property.
2. Make sure your local zoning regulations and homeowners association permit residential property rental. If not, you may need to obtain a variance to rent your home.
3. Evaluate your furniture.  Consider purchasing inexpensive basic furnishings to use in place of irreplaceable family favorites.
4. Remove valuables from your home. As much as you would like to trust your renters, things can disappear while owners are far away. Take family collectibles, special toys, electronics, cameras, and silver out of the house. Simply putting it out of the way in the attic or a closet is not sufficient protection for your valuables.
5. Make sure appliances and mechanicals are in good working order. It's easier for you to make needed repairs or replace them before you go than to try and arrange it from another state, or worse yet, come home to find that the tenant has tried make repairs on their own!
6. Make an emergency contact list for the tenant, or use ours!
   
7. Have a cleaning service come in to thoroughly clean the house before the rental starts, then make it a contingency in the rental agreement that the tenants hire the same service to clean before they leave. This prevents disagreements when it come to security deposits.
8. Get a security deposit. Even for a short term rental, you need protection against tenant damages or rent defaults.
9. Run a background check on your renters and meet them in person, if possible, before the lease is signed. Basic background checks online cost anywhere from $7.95 to $150, but are well worth the money for the peace of mind they provide.
10. Make sure your pets have a place to go. Take them with you or board them while you are gone. Even if a neighbor offers to feed and water a pet, remember there will be strangers in your house and that could lead to bites and scratches.
11. If you'll be renting to people from another city or region, leave a local reference packet with names of area businesses, a map, local emergency information, and names of neighbors. Much of this information can be found on our site.
    
12. Keep all expense and income records for your Federal income taxes...the revenue you receive is taxable, but you can deduct the mortgage, property taxes and relevant expenses if you keep good records.