Songkrai, hit the nail on the head. We rented our house out for three years during Summers and school vacation weeks. You'll hear horror stories and you'll hear stories of the perfect renters. However after three years we had it. Sure we used every single dollar to pay down the mortgage. We got $1000.00 per week so you can see we paid down about 10 years worth rather quickly.
Then I moved into the house and spent $60,000 fixing it. we had people who ripped cabinet doors off, a basement door got kicked in so they could access the washer and dryer. (We normally added $30.00 for the week to use them)
We had linens stolen, pillows, towels, Pots and pans, stolen, beds pee'd on, etc.
I would certainly NEVER build a house specifically knowing I would need to rent it out. Unless of course you rent only to older couples. I'd say 50 and older. People who would respect your home.
One other story for you. We rented to a Russian family of 4. (Our place sleeps 10. BTW...We provide linens. Something almost no one does for renters. This is one reason we were able to rent our place almost every week in the Summer when other places went empty. We kept a $300.00 security deposit as well. Also used Cyber rental dot com.
Anyway...
I got a call from the neighbor (good to have your neighbors phone number too.) telling us there were 7 cars and at least 20 people staying in our house. Beer cans, trash, fireworks, everywhere, cars parked on my lawn, a boat parked in my back yard on the septic field.....
I had to call the police to get them out. Gave them back their rent but kept their security deposit. So just be really careful and think about building with the express intent of renting out a new home. You might be better off buying and older place and trying out the rental thing.
Renters S%^K!
Oh and if you do rent, be careful with things that you can be liable for. No canoes, boats scooters etc. No fireplace. Do not provide wood for a fire either. Make sure you have insurance for renting out your house and make sure your renters have home insurance that covers them for renting another property. If a renter hurts themselves on your property you want to make certain you are covered. Even then you might be scr%^ed.
Make sure you tell them no candles too. If you have a septic field, put up a sign stating so and not to put anything down the toilet except humane waste. Seriously we found some amazing things in our tank at pump out time. Something you will need to do more often than for a normal home.
Just keep stuff like that in your head. How can I get the shaft? How will someone hurt themselves? What will they steal? (Don't provide good pots and pans, or utensils, furniture, TV etc.. Buy the cheap stuff. Because it is going to get ruined.
Have you figured out what I think of renting now.....
Good luck....