Image - David Jones - Press Association Images
Many homeowners will be feeling a little more hopeful following the release of the latest house price figures from the Halifax.
Research by the lender showed that UK house prices rose by another 1.2% in October, the fourth monthly increase in a row.
This is good news for would-be sellers desperate to shift their properties. However, there are also plenty of ways you can make money from your home without selling it.
The idea of renting out bits of your property - with you still in it - has really taken off.
Here's how your home can help pay its way.
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Make the most of that spare room
According to a survey by Halifax Home Insurance, the number of home owners taking in a lodger has risen by a quarter since 2006.
It's certainly a handy way to help pay the mortgage; and under the government's Rent a Room scheme, the first £4,250 you receive in rent is completely tax-free.
Classified ads website Gumtree and specialist rental website EasyRoommate both allow you to advertise your spare room for free.
If you don't want a lodger under your feet at the weekends, have a look at MondayToFriday, a site which specialises in renting out rooms during the working week.
Finally, you can advertise your spare room on a per-night basis using CrashPadder. In a nutshell, this site unites tourists who are looking for a bed for the night with locals willing to put them up.
However, be aware that letting a spare room comes with various legal and health and safety responsibilities. You can find out more information on the Directgov website.
See what rental prices are near you
Sell storage space
If you don't fancy hosting strangers in your house, consider renting out your attic, cellar, box room or garage space as a storage facility.
The SpareGround rental site allows you to list potential storage space for free. People wanting to take up your offer can then contact you via the service.
How much you can expect to charge will largely depend on your location. In big cities, where space is at a premium, you might be surprised at how much someone is willing to pay to store their odds and ends in your cupboard under the stairs!
People will pay you for parking
If you have a garage, driveway or parking space you don't use, consider renting it out. There are now several agencies that specialise in matching drivers looking for parking with homeowners with spaces to offer.
Good websites to help get you started include ParkAtMyHouse, YourParkingSpace and ParkLet. It's always worth doing a little research before you put a price on your particular space.
Demand and location are key factors. For example, if you live near an airport, a sporting or concert venue or a commuter-heavy train station, you've probably got a premium parking spot on your hands.
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Gold at the bottom of the garden
Allotments have soared in popularity in recent months, as people try to fight the recession by growing their own fruit and vegetables.
Research recently commissioned by home insurer Liverpool Victoria found that there's an average of 30 people waiting to get their hands on each allotment plot in the UK. In the London borough of Camden, waiting times are estimated to be a staggering 40 years.
If you have a garden (or a section of garden) that you no longer use, you could make some extra cash by renting it out to "grow your own" enthusiasts.
The website, SpareGround, can help you find tenants for your garden space. It's also a good idea to draw up some clear, simple written guidelines, so everyone understands exactly what the space can and can't be used for.
Even the weirdest spaces have a price
Your property is likely to offer rental possibilities that you've never even thought of. SpareGround and another rental website called RentNotBuy will help you rent all sorts of unusual locations within your property.
For example, you could rent out a spare patch of land for grazing horses, your garden shed, your beach hut or your caravan. You could even tout your lawn as a camping location.
Finally, if you live in an end-of-terrace house, there's another rental possibility to consider. Some homeowners have taken to renting out the gable end of their properties to companies to display advertising boards.
There are planning permission implications here, so if this is an option you want to consider, make sure you clear it with your council first. Then contact a few advertising agencies (look at some local hoardings for details of these) and see if your proposition is feasible.
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