Nearly all (91%) vacation home buyers say they plan to rent their property within the next 12 months

According to the National Association of Realtors 2012 

Nearly all (91%) vacation home buyers say they plan to rent their property within the next 12 months to either long-term or short-term renters or a combination of the two. Of those buyers, 71 percent cited rental income potential as a factor in their purchase decision and nearly three-quarters (74.5%) of buyers believe they will make enough rental income to cover at least half of their mortgage. 

According to Sharples, HomeAway research conducted in Q4 of 2011 of 4,905 owners listing their vacation homes on HomeAway’s U.S. sites show that 70% generate enough rental income to cover half or more of their mortgage, and 51% cover at least three-fourths of their mortgage.

Of those buyers intending to rent their property, about 40 percent plan to make their vacation homes available for rent between one and eight weeks over the course of the next year; 32 percent plan to rent their properties between nine and 26 weeks per year; and 27 percent plan to rent their homes between 27 and 52 weeks per year.

Vacation home buyers are willing to rent their property to more than one type of guest. The majority (70 percent) of people who plan to rent their property to short-term renters say they’ll rent the home to vacationers, while 37 percent plan to rent to business travelers and 24 percent plan to rent to other tenants, such as college students or people relocating to the area

Information obtained from the National Association of Realtor’s (NAR) 2012 Investment and Vacation Home Buyers Survey®.