Home sharing is growing trend among baby boomers

Dear Savvy Senior: I saw a news segment on television a few months ago about home sharing programs for seniors. I would like to learn more. I’m 68, divorced and am interested in renting out a room in my house to help make ends meet. What can you tell me? — Interested Boomer

Dear Boomer: Because of inflation and rising housing costs, a growing number of baby boomers are opting to rent out a spare room in their house as a way to generate some extra income and, for some, increase companionship. To find a good fit, older homeowners often turn to home sharing programs that will match an empty-nester with someone needing affordable housing.

But be aware that home sharing isn’t for everyone. You need to carefully consider the pros and cons of renting out a spare room in your house. Make a list of what you want and don’t want in a housemate and renter.

To help you figure all this out, a good resource is SharingHousing.com, a website dedicated to understanding the home sharing concept. It offers various articles, online lessons and resource books that can help you determine whether this is a good option for you and, if so, how to find and choose a good housemate.

Home sharing tools

If you decide to proceed in finding a renter, a good first step is to seek out a home sharing program in your area.

These programs, usually nonprofits, screen both homeowners and renters. They check references, handle background checks and consider lifestyle criteria when making matches. They can also help you with the leasing agreement that the renter would sign that covers detailed issues such as smoking, pets, chores, overnight guests, use of common rooms, quiet hours, etc.

Most home sharing programs are free or request a small donation. Others, however, might charge the homeowner and potential renter a fee.

In Hawaii, check out Homesharing Hawai‘i, a project of the nonprofit Hawai‘i Intergenerational Network, at homesharinghawaii.org.

You can also search for housemates through an online home sharing service like Silvernest.com.

If you don’t have luck with these sites, put a call in to your Area Aging Agency (call 800-677-1116 for contact information), which may be able to offer assistance or refer you to local agencies or other nonprofit organizations that offer shared-housing help.

You can also check with local senior or community centers, or the local church you attend to see whether you can post an ad on their bulletin board or in their newsletter. Or you can advertise in your local newspaper or online at sites like CraigsList.org or RoomMates.com.

If you find someone on your own whom you’re interested in renting to, ask the prospective renter to fill out a rental application (see RentalLeaseAgreement.org to download and print one for free) and run a tenant screening and background check, and then call their references.

Tenant screening/background checks can be done at sites like E-renter.com or MySmartMove.com.

Jim Miller is a contributor to NBC-TV’s “Today” program and author of “The Savvy Senior.” Send your questions to Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070; or visit savvysenior.org.