Best of times, worst of times in rental market
For real estate agents, rental income is rising. For investors, losses on rentals are common.
Sabrina Westenbarger isn’t frustrated by the housing slump. Last year, as the New Tampa real estate agent sensed that home buyers were disappearing, she branched into managing rental properties. Demand surged enough to bring her college-aged daughters aboard.
“Every day, ” says daughter Christina DuBose, “we have more people calling.”
Nearby, real estate investor Rob Duncan sensed the same trend. In January, Duncan launched Rent New Tampa Inc., a Web-intensive service that rents and manages houses and townhouses in the area.