Landlord Diaries - The Monthly Rentals Podcast

What if everything you think you know about monthly (midterm) rentals is wrong? In this episode of Landlord Diaries, we welcome Miguel del Mazo, a physician turned investor with six high-performing monthly rentals on Furnished Finder. Miguel skipped both short-term and long-term rentals entirely and jumped straight into the mid-term game. His results? 93% occupancy, low-maintenance tenants, and a business model that supports both his community and his family.

From the ROI on different property sizes to how to handle pet policies and utilities, Miguel helps us bust the most common myths keeping real estate investors from entering the monthly rental space. Whether you’re new to real estate or looking for a smarter, scalable strategy, this episode is packed with insights that could change how you invest.

Ready to rethink real estate and learn how to use Furnished Finder to grow your cash flow with confidence?

List your property on Furnished Finder:
https://www.furnishedfinder.com/list-your-property

(Use code LLD10 for $10 off new listings)

Time Stamps

0:00 Intro to Landlord Diaries, The Monthly Rentals Podcast
2:30 Why Miguel skipped short-term and long-term rentals completely
4:10 Inside Miguel’s monthly rental portfolio
5:30 How a career-ending injury led Miguel to real estate
6:20 Myth 1: You must own property to invest in MTR
8:50 Myth 2: Is Furnished Finder just for travel nurses?
11:10 Myth 3: Monthly rentals are seasonal and hard to plan for
12:25 Understanding the booking window and how to hit 90%+ occupancy
16:05 Myth 4: Tenants constantly call with maintenance issues
19:10 Myth 5: Pets destroy rental properties
22:40 Myth 6: You need a certain type of property to succeed
24:50 Is ROI different for small vs. large monthly rentals?
26:00 How to use FurnishedFinder.com/stats and market trends to invest smarter
29:10 Myth 7: Furnishing is expensive and hard to recover
33:00 Myth 8: Tenants will run up your utility bills
35:30 How to structure competitive and protective security deposits
36:10 The purpose behind Miguel’s monthly rental business

Trending Monthly Rental Resources:
https://www.furnishedfinder.com/Resources/PMResources

Miguel’s Listings on Furnished Finder:
https://www.furnishedfinder.com/members/profile?u=Miguel.del.Mazo

The Landlord Diaries is brought to you by Furnished Finder, where you can list your property for one low price and pay zero booking fees.

Could you be sitting on a hidden income stream? In this episode of Landlord Diaries, The Monthly Rentals Podcast, we sit down with Denver-based real estate investor and landlord Andre Galaviz, who shares how he turned his basement into a midterm rental bringing in over $2,500 in monthly profit without buying a new property.

With rising interest rates and housing affordability tightening, Andre’s story is a must-hear for anyone looking to house hack, maximize a current mortgage, or start cash flowing without acquiring a second home. Tune in to hear how he converted his single-family home into a functional duplex, financed the remodel with a HELOC, and leveraged Furnished Finder to attract high-quality tenants all while living upstairs with his family.

Andre breaks down:

• What types of tenants he's attracting (spoiler: it's not just travel nurses!)
• How room rentals (co-living) and house hacking can help offset today’s high interest rates
• Why monthly furnished rentals are the perfect complement to or replacement for short-term and long-term strategies

List Your Property Now on Furnished Finder:

https://www.furnishedfinder.com/list-your-property

(Use code LLD10 for $10 off new listings)

🕒 TIMESTAMPS:

0:00 Welcome to The Landlord Diaries
2:25 Why house hacking is a game-changing strategy
3:00 Turning a single-family home into two income-producing units
3:55 Tax and appreciation benefits of living in your investment
4:45 Why Andre converted instead of purchasing a new property
5:45 Leveraging low interest rates with creative rental strategies
7:50 Using house hacking to scale your portfolio
9:15 How to plan your layout when house hacking with a family
12:20 Using a HELOC to finance a basement remodel
14:00 Marketing different unit sizes effectively on Furnished Finder
16:20 How mid-term income shifted Andre’s long-term family goals
17:35 Why monthly midterm rentals pair perfectly with house hacking
20:00 Common tenant types: relocations, remodelers, and digital nomads
21:00 Andre’s favorite Furnished Finder tools for new landlords
23:00 How rent payments work through Furnished Finder
23:50 Encouragement for those with untapped income potential
26:10 Midterm monthly rentals as the ideal entry point for new landlords
27:20 The first step Andre recommends to get started
28:45 Rapid Fire: Favorite tools, co-living surprises, and more

Guest’s Listings on Furnished Finder:

 https://www.furnishedfinder.com/members/profile?u=Andre.Galaviz

The Landlord Diaries is brought to you by Furnished Finder, where you can list your property for one low price and pay zero booking fees.

What do you do when your 7plex turns into a total nightmare, think evictions, broken windows and a renovation budget that ballooned from $250K to over $530K?

If you’re Megan Ahern, you pivot… and that pivot changed everything.

In this episode of Furnished Finder’s podcast, Landlord Diaries, Megan shares how switching to monthly midterm rentals through Furnished Finder helped her take long-term rents that were around $950 per unit and push them to $1,950, more than double, while achieving less than 5% vacancy and drastically improving tenant quality.

She breaks down:

• What Megan got right and totally wrong with monthly midterm rentals
• Why monthly mid-term tenants are lighter on your property than long-term tenants
• How she uses Furnished Finder’s Market Insights tool to evaluate new deals across the country
• And how to avoid double bookings with one simple calendar strategy

Whether you’re managing one unit or multiple, you’ll walk away with practical tips for increasing your rental income, reducing stress, and building a more sustainable investment strategy.

TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 Welcome to The Landlord Diaries
1:45 How Megan's 7plex from hell led her to the midterm rental model
3:20 Making the portfolio shift: LTRs just couldn’t cash flow like MTRs
4:50 Comparing STR, MTR, and LTR: Why midterm wins on tenant quality and vacancy
7:35 Ideal property types and locations for midterm rental success
8:55 Megan’s formula for analyzing deals with Furnished Finder’s Market Insights
10:40 Remote management is easy with monthly tenants and a solid system
12:20 Megan’s first midterm rental booked in 1 day
14:15 Calendar tip: Prevent double bookings with this communication strategy
16:00 Set your rental calendar up for monthly success
17:40 Booking strategy: How much vacancy is too much between bookings?
22:00 Round Table Discussion: Should you accept bookings far in advance?
25:30 When emergencies hit: Moving tenants mid-stay to avoid the chaos
27:35 Furnishing advice from a pro who stages 100+ homes a year
31:05 Is a remodel worth it for MTRs? Megan's $15K experiment
33:10 Balancing real estate and kids: What Megan and Katie got right (and wrong)
37:00 Final tips for getting started in midterm rentals

📸 Pro Tip: Your listing photos and first impression matter. Want to attract high-quality tenants fast? Invest in professional photos and make your space shine.

💬 Let us know in the comments: What did you learn the hard way in your monthly midterm rental journey?

🎙️ Subscribe for more real estate investor interviews, MTR strategies, and tools to help you live your best landlord life with Furnished Finder.

#MonthlyRentlals #MidtermRentals #FurnishedFinder #RealEstateInvesting #CashFlow #MTR #RealEstatePodcast

The Landlord Diaries is brought to you by Furnished Finder, where you can list your property for one low price and pay zero booking fees.

Imagine placing a professional athlete in furnished housing in less than 48 hours. That’s exactly what Jordan Meltzer, Co-Founder/Owner of Clubbie, has done for over 1,000 athletes nationwide, including more than 50 stays booked through Furnished Finder in the last year.

In this episode of Landlord Diaries: The Monthly Rentals Podcast, we take you inside the world of athlete housing with Jordan Meltzer from Clubbie. He breaks down exactly what professional athletes look for in a midterm monthly rental and why flexible lease terms, accurate calendars, and fast communication are must-haves. You’ll hear key strategies landlords can use to stand out and which markets are in highest demand. Jordan shares a powerful story about a landlord who went above and beyond, turning a simple stay into something truly memorable.

Clubbie connects professional athletes with landlords offering flexible, furnished housing and your property could be next. In this episode you’ll learn how Clubbie works with Furnished Finder landlords to serve professional athletes during the pro sports seasons and how you can become part of that network.

List Your Property Now on Furnished Finder:

https://www.furnishedfinder.com/list-your-property

(Use code LLD10 for $10 off new listings)

Timestamps:

0:00 Welcome to The Landlord Diaries and meet Jordan from Clubbie
2:00 The moment Jordan realized pro athletes needed better housing
3:40 Why pro athletes need midterm monthly furnished rentals
4:45 How Clubbie uses Furnished Finder to match athletes with landlords
7:30 What athletes want: full units, multi-bedrooms, and flexible leases
9:00 Landlord must-haves: great photos, accurate pricing, and fast replies
9:50 Why early lease termination clauses are essential
12:55 Hot markets where Clubbie needs more listings
14:55 Baseball leads Clubbie’s bookings, but other sports are growing
16:45 How to make your property stand out to Clubbie & relocation companies
18:45 Mistakes landlords should avoid on Furnished Finder
21:35 Don’t get discouraged if every lead doesn’t convert
23:00 Jordan estimates 90% of listings have no reviews, let’s change that
24:45 The heartwarming story of a fireman landlord and a pro athlete’s family
28:00 STR is transactional, LTR is hands-off, but MTR is about relationships
32:05 What to expect when working with Clubbie: booking process explained
37:55 How Clubbie handles tenant screening and communication
40:40 Flexible extensions for playoffs and what landlords need to know
41:40 Why Clubbie treats landlords like clients too
43:15 How Furnished Finder creates win-win relationships for both sides

The Landlord Diaries is brought to you by Furnished Finder, where you can list your property for one low price and pay zero booking fees.

What if your retirement plan also created passive income and peace of mind today? In this episode of Furnished Finder’s podcast, Landlord Diaries, Joie Garcia reveals how she’s built a streamlined, low-stress midterm rental portfolio—without quitting her full-time job.

Based in Palm Desert, CA, Joie has mastered the art of creating systems that eliminate chaos, boost guest satisfaction, and generate repeat bookings from Canadian snowbirds, travel nurses, and relocating families. From optimizing turnover days to mastering advance calendar bookings and preventative maintenance, Joie shows us how to make monthly midterm rentals work for your lifestyle—not the other way around.

She also shares how Furnished Finder helps her:

• Secure longer stays with high-quality tenants
• Simplify calendar and booking management
• Run her MTR business on one platform

This is a must-listen if you're building your MTR portfolio and want practical strategies to reduce stress, save time, and increase profit. Whether you're a retiree, full-time employee, or scaling your real estate side hustle—this episode will give you the blueprint for making monthly rentals simple, smart, and sustainable.

List Your Property Now on Furnished Finder:

https://www.furnishedfinder.com/list-your-property

(Use code LLD10 for $10 off new listings)

⏱️TIMESTAMPS

0:00 Welcome to The Landlord Diaries Podcast
2:40 How your retirement plan can be an income-producing asset today
3:35 Why condos are ideal for stress-free management
5:10 Why tenants love condos with resort-style amenities
7:50 Designing a low-stress real estate business
12:15 Joie’s secret to securing longer stays on Furnished Finder
16:45 Managing advance bookings with confidence using calendar tools
21:00 Why Joie personally cleans her rentals & how it brings peace of mind
23:35 Preventative maintenance: The key to fewer calls and 5-star reviews
25:00 How Furnished Finder’s all-in-one tools reduce stress for landlords
28:15 Creating a 5-star experience through hospitality & communication
32:10 Joie’s advice for getting started in monthly midterm rentals today
34:40 What’s one hosting task Joie secretly enjoys?
35:35 A brilliant tip to simplify receipts and taxes for each rental

Trending Midterm Rental Resources:

https://www.furnishedfinder.com/Resources/PMResources

Joie's Listings on Furnished Finder:

https://www.furnishedfinder.com/members/profile?u=Johannah.Garcia

The Landlord Diaries is brought to you by Furnished Finder, where you can list your property for one low price and pay zero booking fees.

Seattle is one of the top 5 U.S. cities where midterm rental demand is outpacing supply in early 2025, and today's guest is proving just how powerful room rentals can be in high-demand real estate markets.

Edward Kusell-Zigelman has hosted traveling professionals, tech interns, and relocating individuals in his beautifully maintained 1920s Craftsman home. With almost two years of consistent room rental bookings through Furnished Finder and eight five-star reviews, Edward has built a reliable income stream bringing in $2,050 per month through his private room rental while living in the home.

In this episode of Furnished Finder’s podcast, The Landlord Diaries, Edward shares how he created a smooth, low-stress co-living space that generates steady cash flow, contributes to housing availability, and fosters meaningful connections, all without the burnout of short-term rentals.

Whether you’re a real estate investor, homeowner, or just curious about room rentals, you'll learn:

• How to screen the right tenants
• What makes co-living work in a shared space
• How to price strategically for your local market
• Why monthly midterm tenants offer reliable income with less turnover
• And how Furnished Finder's landlord tools simplify the entire process

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Co-living is on the rise, and room rentals might be the easiest and most overlooked way to build cash flow while helping solve local housing shortages. 22% of all Furnished Finder listings are room rentals with over 300,000 listings in all 50 states. 

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List Your Property Now on Furnished Finder:

https://www.furnishedfinder.com/list-your-property

(Use code LLD10 for $10 off new listings)

Trending Midterm Rental Resources:

https://www.furnishedfinder.com/Resources/PMResources

Edward’s Listings on Furnished Finder:

https://www.furnishedfinder.com/members/profile?u=edward.kusell_zigelman

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Timestamps:

0:00 Welcome to The Landlord Diaries Podcast

1:25 Why Edward chose Furnished Finder for room rentals

2:30 Who’s renting rooms and how long do they stay?

4:00 Why room rentals are a smart strategy

6:00 What makes Edward’s home ideal for co-living

8:30 Advice for first-time room rental hosts

10:30 How Edward priced his room at $2,050/month

16:25 Edward’s process for showings and screening

20:45 Tools that make Furnished Finder landlord-friendly

21:30 Setting expectations for privacy and shared spaces

24:00 How room rentals have positively impacted Edward’s life

The Landlord Diaries is brought to you by Furnished Finder, where you can list your property for one low price and pay zero booking fees.

Are you running a successful Airbnb or short-term rental business… but feeling the burnout from endless turnovers, guest messaging, and unpredictable income? You’re not alone. In this episode, we sit down with the founders of Thanks for Visiting, Sarah Karakaian & Annette Grant, who are seasoned STR operators and educators. We talk about how they’ve integrated mid-term rentals (MTRs) into their business strategy. 

We cover:

• Why experienced STR hosts are adding MTRs
• How hybrid hosting stabilizes revenue and reduces stress
• The systems and mindset shifts that make furnished rentals sustainable
• Tips for maximizing profit while avoiding host burnout

If you’re serious about building a smarter, more profitable hosting business, this conversation will change the way you think about STRs and MTRs. Subscribe for more insights from top operators.

Ready to fill your mid-term rental? 

List your property on Furnished Finder today:

https://www.furnishedfinder.com/list-your-property

(Use code LLD10 for $10 off new listings)

Learn more about Thanks for Visiting and their upcoming bootcamp: 

https://thanksforvisiting.com/bootcamp

⏱️ Episode Timestamps:

0:00 Welcome to The Landlord Diaries
2:25 How Sarah and Annette met and built TFV
4:20 What made two STR pros explore MTRs
6:40 Why STR burnout is real and what to do about it
8:40 Resourcefulness is your #1 business tool
9:35 Real-life STR/MTR hybrid strategy success stories
11:35 Pro tip: Give yourself time to find the right MTR guest
13:00 When midterm makes more sense than short term
15:05 How they were already MTR-ready without knowing it
17:00 Can glamping work for monthly stays?
18:00 Matching property type to market demand
19:50 When a property doesn't work for MTR
23:40 Why MTRs are perfect for winter slowdowns
25:45 Listing Audit Bootcamp sneak peek
29:35 How to price midterm rentals effectively
33:20 Where Furnished Finder fits in a hybrid strategy
35:50 How MTRs helped reduce burnout and increase freedom
38:25 Smart calendar management for STR/MTR combos
40:15 No booking fees and full control with Furnished Finder
41:10 Why MTRs are part of the future of furnished rentals
42:45 Most unique midterm guest stories
45:20 Best business advice for scaling without burnout

Trending Midterm Rental Resources:

https://www.furnishedfinder.com/Resources/PMResources 

The Landlord Diaries is brought to you by Furnished Finder, where you can list your property for one low price and pay zero booking fees.

Is your space “too small” to rent? Think again. In this inspiring episode of Furnished Finder’s podcast, The Landlord Diaries, we prove that compact properties can deliver massive returns, especially in the monthly midterm rental space.

Meet Yesenia Garkanian, a first-year host who transformed a 600 sq ft guest house on her primary residence into a profitable, family-friendly rental. 100% of her bookings come through Furnished Finder, and she's now living the landlord life she once studied.

Yesenia shares how she overcame doubt, priced her unit for success, added thoughtful design touches, and used Furnished Finder’s tools like the Landlord Performance Panel and Damage Protection Plan to confidently rent her space and spend more time with her kids.

If you're sitting on a guest house, ADU, studio, or any compact rental and wondering, “Will anyone actually book this?” This episode is for you.

We’ll talk about:

• Creative storage and layout tips for tiny rentals
• Why guest reviews prove that compact spaces do work
• How to maintain privacy while renting on your property
• The exact tools that help Yesenia operate with peace of mind

List Your Property on Furnished Finder:

https://www.furnishedfinder.com/list-your-property

(Use code LLD10 for $10 off new listings)

Trending Midterm Rental Resources:

https://www.furnishedfinder.com/Resources/PMResources

⏱️ TIMESTAMPS:

0:00 Welcome to The Landlord Diaries
2:10 Why a guest house can be a powerful income stream
4:20 Sharing your primary residence with midterm tenants
5:25 Busting the “too small to rent” myth
7:55 Real guest reviews that validate tiny rentals
10:30 Tiny rental pricing: California vs. Texas vs. Iowa
12:15 Why full-size amenities matter in small spaces
14:15 Designing compact spaces that feel like home
17:25 Creative storage hacks that renters love
19:25 Setting expectations with strong communication
21:50 Where to store backups and supplies in small units
22:35 Decluttering tip: remove what guests won’t use
23:00 Don’t forget a space for cleaning supplies
24:30 Maintaining privacy when sharing your property
27:25 Furnished Finder tools that helped Yesenia thrive
30:30 How the Landlord Performance Panel guided her pricing
33:15 Using market data to validate your rental decision
37:50 How the Damage Protection Plan gives landlords peace of mind
42:40 Yesenia’s advice: “Just do it”

Yesenia’s Listings on Furnished Finder:

https://www.furnishedfinder.com/members/profile?u=yesenia.garkanian

The Landlord Diaries is brought to you by Furnished Finder, where you can list your property for one low price and pay zero booking fees.

Monthly midterm rental pricing can feel like a guessing game, but it doesn’t have to be. In this episode of The Landlord Diaries, we dive into proven pricing strategies that help real estate investors stay competitive and profitable with their furnished monthly rentals. Our guest, Kyle Driskell, Senior Solutions Consultant at PriceLabs, brings expert insights from one of the most powerful revenue management tools in the furnished rental space. Kyle has led pricing masterclasses nationwide and brings expert-level insights you won’t want to miss.

We’ll show you how to confidently price your rental by understanding your monthly expenses, analyzing local comps, and making smart, low-risk tweaks to maximize both occupancy and earnings. Plus, we explore how Furnished Finder’s built-in tools like the market insights, map search, and Listing Performance Panel help you price with confidence and avoid costly mistakes. Whether you're MTR-only or running a hybrid STR/MTR strategy, this episode will help you stop guessing and start earning more.

👉 List your property on Furnished Finder:
https://www.furnishedfinder.com/list-your-property
Use code LLD10 for $10 off new listings

FREE Pricing Worksheet

https://try.furnishedfinder.com/pricingworksheet/

⏱️ Time Stamps:

0:00 Welcome to The Landlord Diaries
2:00 Meet Kyle Driskell: His journey into pricing strategies & PriceLabs
3:30 The Pricing Struggle: Why most MTR hosts feel stuck or uncertain
5:50 Step 1: Know your monthly expenses & set a confident pricing floor
10:00 What’s a good occupancy rate for midterm rentals? (It’s better than you think!)
10:50 Research 101: Finding your “sweet spot” using comps & market data
11:50 Matching comps by amenities, location & quality: A Furnished Finder guide
17:45 Don’t let “analysis paralysis” hold you back, jump in & watch for pricing signals
21:40 Using PriceLabs tools to automate & refine your pricing strategy
25:35 Monitoring your Furnished Finder Listing Performance panel for feedback
28:15 Reading the market: Are guests telling you your pricing is too high or low?
29:25 How adding MTR to your STR strategy can improve occupancy & stabilize income
33:00 Why your fees and deposits could be affecting bookings
36:45 Final Takeaways: Simple pricing steps you can apply today

The Landlord Diaries is brought to you by Furnished Finder, where you can list your property for one low price and pay zero booking fees.

Can you scale a rental portfolio without buying a single property? Yes—and today’s guests are living proof. Join us on The Landlord Diaries as we sit down with power couple Nate & Katie Lyon to unpack their rental arbitrage strategy for monthly midterm rentals. Katie Lyon, Marketing Director at Furnished Finder, brings over a decade of real estate and marketing experience to the conversation, while Nate adds an extensive background in marketing, operations and design. Together, they’ve built a 14-door portfolio mainly through out-of-state arbitrage in Iowa—leveraging Furnished Finder as the foundation for growth.

You’ll learn why arbitrage works especially well for 30+ day furnished rentals, how to approach arbitrage partners, run the numbers, structure leases, and find quality tenants like travel nurses, relocating families, and corporate professionals. Whether you’re new to investing or looking to expand, this episode is your step-by-step guide to midterm rental arbitrage.

👉 List your property on Furnished Finder:
https://www.furnishedfinder.com/list-your-property 
(Use code LLD10 for $10 off new listings)

👉 Explore MTR tools and resources:
https://www.furnishedfinder.com/Resources/PMResources

👉 View Nate & Katie Lyon’s properties:
https://www.furnishedfinder.com/members/profile?u=katie.lyon8

👉 Furnishing your MTR with Minoan:
https://youtu.be/mc5IFRErgCk?feature=shared

📝 Free MTR Furnishing Checklist:
https://assets.ctfassets.net/8rvbu1uw8lem/4pKVOxeFmg0umMHL2vclew/0cfaabe735029d6f5181bb20cdf26aa6/Monthly_Rental_Essentials_Checklist_-Minoan-Furnished_Finder-.pdf

⏱️ Episode Timestamps:

0:00 Welcome to The Landlord Diaries
3:25 Why arbitrage + midterm rentals = perfect partnership
4:30 The Lyons’ first arbitrage deal (and why they started in Iowa)
5:25 The 3 key players in MTR arbitrage
6:55 Arbitrage vs. ownership: Pros, cons & cash flow differences
10:00 Why MTR arbitrage over STR arbitrage for property managers
12:35 Securing your first arbitrage partnership and tenant placement
14:05 The groundwork: Setting up your arbitrage business
16:15 Market research tips: Traveler types, pricing, and Furnished Finder market data
22:35 How to find and pitch your first arbitrage partner
29:10 Pro tip: How to make a confident first call to the property manager
32:10 Structuring tenant leases in arbitrage units
35:55 Why midterm travelers are the ideal tenant type
38:10 Marketing your listing like a pro (headline, calendar, pricing)
47:50 Why every arbitrage unit should be listed on Furnished Finder
51:05 Lessons learned & scaling tips from arbitrage experts
52:30 3 easy steps to start your MTR arbitrage journey today

🎯 Whether you’re a cash-strapped beginner or a scaling investor, this episode gives you a real-world playbook to succeed in the monthly rental space—without buying a property.

🔔 Subscribe for more landlord stories and strategies, only on The Landlord Diaries, powered by Furnished Finder.

The Landlord Diaries is brought to you by Furnished Finder, where you can list your property for one low price and pay zero booking fees.