I have three listings right now that have tenants in them. They did not start out as rental properties but the owners needed to move and selling a home takes time and in some cases costs a lot of money if more is owed on it than it can be sold for.
Finding renters can be a good thing when selling isn't and option and it is time to move on. There are some problems with it too. I have on occasion found tenants that cooperate when the owners want to sell but most will not cooperate to the point where the property is kept immaculately clean and ready to show. They usually are not motivated like the owners are and they have their own lives and schedules.
The sellers always tell me they have the very best tenants and that they will cooperate. That is seldom the case. They may cooperate but only to a point. They are paying rent and there really isn't anything in it for them, they are not stake holders and are not attached to the outcome. Some home owners will reward tenants by reducing rents or giving them a months rent free for the inconvenience and that can help some but I still have not encountered a tenant that cares as much about selling the property as most owners do.
The bottom line is that sellers may come out ahead by renting a home out to pay the mortgage but they need to accept the fact that it will take a little longer to sell the home because of the tenants and the home may not sell for as much as it would have if it were vacant or inhabited by someone who is willing to keep it extra clean for the buyers who will want to see it.
Sellers who have renters always tell me the same thing. They say these are wonderful tenants and there won't be any problems. I have done this many times and there are always problems. The worst was the tenant who would not let anyone see the place. The tenant who would not leave for the showings and who told buyers all sorts of things about the property and the neighbors was a problem too. She didn't want to leave and did everything she could to make it all less attractive. Then there was the really nice couple and the immaculate condo that tuned into a sea of empty fast food bags and cloths strewn all over a week after the place went on the market.
I get it. My home office usually looks like a bomb went off but if my home were for sale that would have to change and I would be highly motivated to keep it neat and clean because my efforts would result in a faster sale and probably for more money. I suspect that if I were renting the place I wouldn't feel the same way.
