A Family Has Decided to Go Away for the Summer

Multiple Choice

A family has decided to go away for the summer. The monthly mortgage payment on the family's house is $1,000. Water, electricity, natural gas, and maintenance bills, to be paid by the family, will be $700 per month if the house is occupied and zero otherwise. If the family wishes to minimize losses from being away, it should rent the house for as much as the market will bear, as long as the monthly rent is above which of the following? (Assume wear and tear to be the same whether or not the house is occupied.)

A) $300
B) $700
C) $1,000
D) $1,700