u/Opening_Expert_5434

M40, married, 1 kid.

I own a house bought in 2010, fully paid off, worth around €240k.
My wife and I bought another house in 2025, worth about €450k, with €220k left on the mortgage.

We also have some savings, so no urgent need for cash.

Weak point: frustrating job with no career path or prospects, and the salary is decent but not great.

I’m stuck between two options for the first house:

• Rent it out (~€900/month), but with likely future costs: replacing the oil heating system, possible insulation requirements, maybe some roof work…
• Sell it and invest the money in bonds/ETFs/gold.

It seems stupid to sell a paid‑off house when I don’t need the money, but on the other hand I want a more relaxed life, more time to invest in my health, and I don’t want to deal with annoying tenants.

What would you do? Any advice appreciated.