San Antonio home sellers turn into "accidental landlords"

By the numbers: Nationally, 2.3% of rental listings on Zillow in October were previously for sale, according to the real estate site. That's the highest level since late 2022, when mortgage rates topped 7%.

• San Antonio has the fourth highest share of accidental landlords in the country, with 3.9%, per Zillow.

How it works: These homes were listed for sale on Zillow for at least two weeks, then delisted and relisted as rentals within three months of being off the market.

Zoom in: Accidental landlords are most common in softer markets with more price cuts, Zillow found.

• Texas and Florida had 7 of the 10 metros with the highest shares of accidental landlords, while Denver led at 4.9%.
• Shares were lowest in the Northeast and Midwest markets.

Zoom out: Charging rent may help homeowners cover their mortgage payments, especially those with low rates.

• But being a landlord isn't easy — and costs can pile up, from repairs to property management fees.

Between the lines: Accidental landlords also add homes to the rental pool, which can ease rent prices.

What we're watching: Whether sellers who pulled listings last year have better luck as they try again. Redfin reports that many have relisted.