Should I Sell My House or Keep It as a Rental in Pennsylvania? How Shaina McAndrews Helps You See the Real Trade‑Offs
Selling vs. Renting: Two Very Different Paths
Turning your current home into a rental can sound appealing—especially if you have a low interest rate and like the idea of monthly income—but it comes with management, maintenance, risk, and a long‑term commitment. Selling gives you liquidity and simplicity, but it ends the potential for future rental income and future appreciation from that specific property.
There is no one “right” answer. The smart choice depends on your financial goals, the property’s condition, rental demand in your area, and how involved you actually want to be as an owner and landlord.
When Keeping the Home as a Rental Can Make Sense
Keeping your house as a rental might be worth considering if:
The home would generate positive cash flow after mortgage, taxes, insurance, maintenance, and vacancy reserves.
You are comfortable being a landlord—or willing to hire a property manager.
You have a long‑term wealth‑building goal and can leave equity tied up in the property.
Rental demand is strong in your neighborhood and property type.
In the Greater Philadelphia area, demand for rentals—especially well‑located single‑family homes and larger units—is still solid, with suburban occupancy rates often in the mid‑90 percent range. For some owners, keeping a property as a rental can be a useful piece of a long‑term financial plan.
But you also need to factor in:
Ongoing maintenance (often budgeted at roughly 1 percent of property value per year, plus big items like roofs and HVAC over time).
Time spent handling tenant issues, turnovers, and emergencies.
Legal responsibilities around leases, deposits, and landlord‑tenant laws.
If you are already stretched for time or do not want to be “on call” for property issues, that risk and stress may outweigh the benefits.
When Selling Your House May Be the Better Move
Selling instead of renting can be the smarter choice when:
You want or need the equity for your next purchase, retirement, or other financial goals.
The property would only produce marginal or negative cash flow as a rental.
The home needs significant work to be rental‑ready, and you are not eager to invest more into it.
You prefer simplicity—no tenants, no midnight calls, no ongoing landlord responsibilities.
In many cases, homeowners discover that once they factor in realistic maintenance, vacancy, and management costs, the “profit” from renting is much smaller than expected, making a clean sale and redeploying the equity more appealing.
How Shaina McAndrews Helps You Compare Real‑World Scenarios
This decision is too important to make based on gut feelings alone. Shaina’s role is to turn a vague “sell vs. rent” question into a clear, side‑by‑side comparison using real numbers and local data.
With Shaina, you walk through:
What your home is likely worth if you sell in today’s Montgomery County / Greater Philadelphia market.
What it could realistically rent for based on comparable rentals and current demand.
True monthly cash flow after mortgage, taxes, insurance, maintenance, and vacancy.
How each option lines up with your broader financial goals and stress tolerance.
She also helps you talk through practical questions like:
Do you actually want to be a landlord for the next 5–10 years.
Would keeping this property as a rental prevent you from doing something else important with the equity.
How would selling or renting affect your next home purchase or retirement timeline.
Instead of guessing, you see likely outcomes of each path and can choose with your eyes open.
Your Next Step: Talk Before You Decide
If you are stuck between selling your house or keeping it as a rental, you do not need to figure it out alone—or hope you made the right call years from now. A focused strategy conversation with Shaina can give you clarity on what makes the most sense for you in this market and at this stage of your life.
You will walk away knowing:
What selling now would likely put in your pocket after costs
What keeping the home as a rental would likely mean for your monthly cash flow and time
Which path better supports your goals and comfort level
Schedule your confidential seller and strategy consultation with Shaina McAndrews.
