Can You Airbnb Your House If You Have a Mortgage?

It depends on your mortgage, your loan program's occupancy terms, and your local zoning, city and association rules. Having a mortgage does not automatically stop you from renting out part or all of your home short term, but you need to check what your specific loan allows and what your city or county allows before you list it. This is general education, not legal advice. Check with your loan servicer and your local government before you list a property.

What your mortgage says

If you have a primary residence loan, like a conventional, FHA or VA loan, the loan generally requires you to continue occupying the home as your primary residence. Renting out a room or an accessory unit while you still live there is often fine. Renting the entire home short term while you are away for extended periods, or moving out and converting the home into a full time short term rental, can conflict with an owner occupancy loan. Read your loan documents or ask your servicer directly.

What your city and county say

Short term rentals are legal or not legal by address. Zoning, city ordinances, county rules and, if you are in an HOA or condo, association rules all factor in. Some cities cap the number of nights, require registration or licensing, or restrict short term rentals to certain zoning districts entirely. Check with your city and county before you make any plans, and read your HOA or condo documents if you have one.

If you are renting your primary home occasionally

Many clients rent a room, a basement unit or their whole home for a few weeks a year while traveling. That is different from operating a full time short term rental business, and different rules can apply depending on your city and your loan.

If you want to convert to a full time short term rental

If your plan is a full time short term rental and you are no longer occupying the property as your primary home, that is a different kind of loan than the one you likely have now. A DSCR loan can be a fit for a property used as a short term rental, qualified on the rental income rather than your personal income. See my Short Term Rental and Airbnb Loans page for how that works, including the Florida and Maine specific rules I track.

FAQ

Have a specific property or plan in mind? Call or text me at (207) 615-7770 or email Travis@travis.mortgage.