When Tosha Nelson wanted to upgrade to a bigger home in the greater Tampa, FL, area, she was drawn to the idea of keeping her first purchase, a 1,440-square-foot home, as a short-term rental.
Not because of the promises of big cash, but because she couldn’t bear the thought of long-term renters potentially ripping out all the plants she had lovingly cultivated.
Nelson had owned the three-bedroom, two-bathroom home in the city of Largo, 24 miles west of Tampa, for almost 20 years, originally buying it for $164,000…