How to Make Money From Your Second Home Without Lifting a Finger

Thanks to the hypersonic growth of Airbnb and the sharing economy, having a spare room can be more profitable than having a roommate. Multiply that spare room into a spare villa or a second home in Paris and you’re sitting on a genuine gold mine.

There’s just one problem. Renting your home through Airbnb requires a certain amount of on-the-ground presence: someone to exchange keys or to call in a housekeeper after guest stays. You’re still on the hook for plumbing repairs, digging out the driveway, or responding to inquiries via e-mail. In some locales, taxes must be collected as well—if it's even legal to do short-term rentals.