GOOD / BAD idea AIRBNB or short-term rent your FLIP WHILE on MLS?

[Natalie Schanne]

Have you ever AIRBNB'ed, VRBO, Craigslisted, or rented a STAGED FLIP property while on MLS?

(Have you ever found a new, willing to maintain staged cleanliness, short term tenant in exchange for a rent discount?) It seems like it could be a win-win but it could also be a disaster.

Issue: I'm about to get the deed to a 3/1 property I won on auction.com via a live event in Philadelphia. FLIP property will be ready for MLS sale within 7 days of deed ownership. It's very cold here in Pennsylvania / New Jersey, so maintaining heat, water, etc., to the property + property taxes $400/mo + my private money interest will burn roughly $1300/mo total. I plan to stage the property with a full set of basic furniture with help from a professional stager. I'm also going to marginally overimprove (new granite countertop) to speed sale.

12 month rent would be roughly $1500/mo plus utilities (net $1800-2000 to tenant). Property will be for sale on the market for $130k. Hotels are $80-120/day in the area, which is 10 minutes from a lot of jobs. 

I'm a newer real estate agent specializing in investors (foreclosures) and flips. Generally I don't show occupied properties because coordinating schedules with a tenant is a hassle. This property only needs cosmetics such as paint/carpets/appliances. I'm concerned if I don't have it occupied, I'll be paying a lot of expenses with no income like heat, snow shoveling, etc. The tenant's security deposit can be used to make anything 'like new' again for the closing walkthrough. His/her lease will include an optional termination on sale clause.

I expect to hold the property no longer than 6 months.