Deciding whether to sell your home used to be a fairly easy decision. Do you want to move to another house? Yes? OK, then go ahead and list your home on the market!

These days, you have to consider a lot more than just your desire to get a bigger place or relocate to a new town. You must consider, first, whether anyone will actually want to buy your home. Then you have to determine whether its current market value is high enough to allow you to move, or if it will make you feel comfortable with what you’ll net from the sale.

If you decide your home’s current value is too low to make it worth your while to sell, the good news is that you have another option. The rental market has really started heating up, and you may find that renting your home is a good interim option—you can move now, but sell later, when property values come up.

A new report from the real estate website Trulia.com shows some interesting trends that might help make the decision easier. Since the Great Recession first began showing signs of property value damage in 2006, the number of U.S. households that rent instead of own increased 5 percent to 41.1 percent. Meanwhile, 5% fewer people own their own homes today compared with 10 years ago.

This data also shows a turn toward renting among a variety of age and income groups, making your home an attractive rental prospect to a wide range of possible renters. Actually, the shift from homeownership to renting is strongest among the highest earners surveyed.

If you’re considering renting your home, our Lexington and Columbia, S.C., Property Management Agency can help with all the logistics, from getting it rented to collecting rent. Contact us to learn more, and we’ll be happy to help you decide if renting your home is right for you.