Originally Posted by LK5kids:
Our primary home is payed off, but we do have to maintain two homes and I have to clean two homes, etc.
Also, overhead really eats up too much profit.
The home I have with my husband is not in the same town as the child care house, so things like shoveling and mowing are my job.
Honestly, I thought it would be a bit more ideal! Years ago I did child care in a different house (different house, different husband 
) that we put a large addition on for child care....I really loved that child care set up! I had a nice, big yard that bordered the woods and was nice and shady. My daughter & family now live in that house and rent it from me.
I now have a smallish yard with no shade.
In hindsight I would have picked a different spot to buy. I love the house but not my yard!
After I started this thread I was thinking about the cleaning part. I was thinking that now I only have to vaccum or wash one floor or just clean the bathrooms instead of adding more on. Also, when they are down for nap I can do things around the house. If I had another location, I might not be able to throw in a load of laundry (unless I bought two washers).
I can see pros and cons both ways but I was most interested in the financial aspects and how it seems most people would have to pay two mortgages, the upkeep on two houses, etc. It looks like the few that do it here have somewhat unusual circumstances so it works for them.
When I lived in another state, we used to own a two family house. Now that would have been perfect. Live in one half and do childcare in the other. Not that particular house as it wouldn't have been right for childcare but that idea. At one point we didn't rent out the upstairs anyway and it kind of just sat there. I didn't do childcare back then anyway.
Laurel