INCLINE VILLAGE — Renting out a room in his home was both a financial necessity for Christopher Paulsen and a hedge against loneliness.

“It was like empty nest syndrome, and I thought I could use a few bucks to offset costs,” said Paulsen, 48, of Incline Village, whose youngest son left home last year.

Paulsen placed an ad on Craigslist and got many responses. He chose an AmeriCorps volunteer to take over the room for a year in his two-bedroom townhome in this small town at Lake Tahoe. “I don’t want to raise kids over again, but this means I have someone around the house and helps pay the bills,” Paulsen said.

He is one of many homeowners in a down economy who are making extra income by renting out rooms in their homes.

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