Should Sellers Rent Their Homes Until the Market Picks Up?

As Days on Market for selling a home increases, should a seller consider the option of renting out the home and wait to try to sell it later?

There are Pros and Cons:
First the Pros For Renting:
1.  Cash Flow - rent can provide assistance in paying the monthly mortgage - at least in part if not in full.
2.  A home does not deteriorate as "quickly" when occupied as sitting empty, particularly over a long period of time of several months.
3.  Vacant homes, even in "good" areas can be targets for vandals.
4.  There are tax write-offs for rentals(discuss with your CPA) including repairs which may be necessary to a property while occupied by a tenant and
     when the tenant moves out.
5.  In some cases, a rented property may be a selling incentive to an investor buyer.

Cons:
1.  Having tenants may make a property difficult to sell - hard to show?
2.  Insurance coverage whether vacant or rented may be an issue (possibly more expense).  Definitely check with your insurance company.
3.  If you want short-term tenants, they may be hard to find.
4.  Always a concern is potential damage to the property from tenants and need to fix up when tenants are gone.

To summarize:  Can you or do you want to wait on selling?  What is your financial position and cash flow?  Renting is preferable to losing a house.
Are you capable of becoming a "landlord" or do you need to hire a professional?

If you would like to discuss this further, let me know.