12 ways to make your house a cash cow |
|
|
|
In addition to gently used clothing and household items, consider selling homemade jams, jellies, cakes
and breads, but only where local and state food kitchen laws allow it. Also, be aware of local zoning and homeowner
association restrictions pertaining to yard and garage sales.
No product? No problem. Rent out your attractive front yard to yardless folks or apartment dwellers looking
to clean out their storage unit. Craigslist.org is a great place to
advertise your own sale, or to farm out your yard to someone else who wants to sell.
Fire up a bakery or production kitchen
Do you have an unused mother-in-law apartment or an industrial-size kitchen that sits vacant all day? Rent it out as a food
production facility.
“Food-oriented businesses tend to be very successful.”
Custom cookies and cupcakes, delivered gourmet meals
and birthday-party catering are popular services that don't require
a storefront but may need additional ovens and kitchen space.
"Food-oriented businesses tend to be very successful," Jones says.
Make room for renters
Renting that spare bedroom or mother-in-law apartment to a college student or quiet single can be a great way to turn empty
space into cash, as long as local ordinances permit it.
For homeowners with the skills, taking in elderly roomers on a room-and-board basis can generate even more income.
"For someone who is a retired nurse or who has experience in geriatric care, this could be a good option,"
Brabec says. "You don't want just anybody taking care of your mother, but this could work for a nutritionist or somebody
with experience in the field."
Create a home studio
DeWitt Young was helping a friend move when he dropped a TV down a flight of stairs.
Inside the smashed set, Young found his calling: making tiny "capacitor people" figurines, charms and jewelry
from the brightly colored motherboard bits of discarded electronics that would otherwise wind up in landfills.
Today, Young sells his artwork in galleries as well as online through his Web site,
Obviousfront.com, and the arts and
crafts portal Etsy.com.
What is the best part of a home studio?
"Being able to multitask," Young says. "I can build, take a quick laundry break, pack up an order, then go
pick the kids up from school."
The downside of a home studio is that it takes time to amass a following.
"The market is very competitive," he says. "Internet customers will know if you're overpriced, but it's
important not to underprice your product; it looks sad and you won't make any money."
Not the artistic type? Rent out your available space to art students, photographers, crafters, scrapbook
enthusiasts, musicians or other creative sorts who don't have sufficient room to express themselves in their dorm or apartment.
Throw party sales
Some homes are just natural gathering places. Turn yours into a selling place by hosting a party sale.
|
