Newbie Here. Seeking inputs on if my home is suitable for MTR or not

Member since 2025 · 1 post · 2 votes

The AI algorithm led me to this rabbit hole and now I am stuck in analysis paralysis. I am moving out of the state and I need to decide on what to do with the home. Initially I was just going to move/trash everything and do un-furnished traditional rental, but the MTR popped up and I'm trying to figure out if MTR works here.

The property has 2 stories, 3 car garage, 5bd/3ba, 2600 sqft, has office and family room with private pool.

My initial thought is that my home is too large for the traveling nurse tenant pool. The location (85224) already has enough extended stay hotel brands that I don't think corporate tenants are allowed to book elsewhere.

Please let me know your thoughts and what additional analysis I should do.

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Allen DuanPro Member

Property Manager · Los Angeles, CA · Member since 2022 · 590 posts · 463 votes

Don't make the mistake of assuming travel nurses are the only or primary MTR guest type. There are many other MTR guest types, especially for four bedroom home. Look up comps on Airbnb to get an idea of the supply as well as how much you could rent for as an MTR. Four bedroom homes are great for insurance bookings for example. My gut tells me MTR will be a good option with the right marketing. We have a handful of four bedrooms in Los Angeles that do great.

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Mason WeissBusiness Member
Realtor · Phoenix, AZ · Member since 2021 · 523 posts · 239 votes
1y
Why don't you try and put it on furnished finder and see how it performs as a 30+ day furnished rental? Worst case scenario is it stays vacant for 1-2 months and then you can pivot to a long term rental instead. Hard to ever know for sure until you actually test the market.
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Jonathan StyerBusiness Member
Real Estate Broker · Columbus, OH · Member since 2018 · 330 posts · 396 votes
1y
Is the place furnished? I would not suggest paying to furnish unless you're sure it'll work. You can check comps on Furnished Finder as well as 30+ day stays on other OTAs (AirBnB, etc.) to see if there appears to be a demand at a price that works for you.
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Melissa JusticeBusiness Member
Rental Property Investor · Phoenix, AZ · Member since 2024 · 518 posts · 1k+ votes
1y
@Wilson Sung,
You're not alone-analysis paralysis hits hard when you’re presented with so many strategies, especially with a move coming up. Here’s a quick breakdown of how to approach this decision, given your situation and property:

This sounds like a large, high-end home with features that don’t neatly fit the typical MTR (Mid-Term Rental) mold.

You're correct-traveling nurses and standard MTR tenants usually prefer:
* 1–3 bedroom units
* Simpler, lower-cost housing closer to hospitals
* Units priced under the per diem/housing stipend (often $2,000–$3,000/month)

Your home might be overbuilt for that niche, which could mean longer vacancy unless:
* You attract relocation families, insurance-displaced families, or corporate groups needing short stays.
* You price creatively by renting by the room or splitting it into separate livable zones (if layout permits).

Other Options to Consider:
1. Traditional Unfurnished Rental
- Easier to manage from out of state
- Long-term tenant = stable income
However, likely lower cash flow and you’ll want to vet tenants carefully to protect your high-value asset.

2. Furnished MTR / Executive Rental
-Higher income potential than long-term
-Could appeal to insurance, corporate, or relocation families
You'll still have expenses of furnishing + utilities add cost and more turnover = higher management needs.

3. Sell It and Reinvest
- Unlock equity now
- Use proceeds for multiple cash-flowing units (turnkey or BRRR) in investor-friendly markets
However, then no future appreciation on this asset.

Actionable Next Steps:
Run comps: Check furnished vs unfurnished rents in your zip on Furnished Finder, Zillow, and Airbnb.
Test demand: List a mock ad for a furnished 30+ day rental (e.g., on Facebook or Zillow) to gauge interest.
Connect with a local PM: Property managers often have solid insight on what performs well in your exact neighborhood, especially for mid- or long-term.

If you're leaning toward passive income, another viable route is selling the home and reinvesting in out-of-state turnkey rentals, especially in landlord-friendly Midwest/Southeast markets with strong ROI. That way you avoid the MTR complexity entirely and get multiple doors instead of one large one.

Let me know if you want to break down the numbers on those scenarios!
Best of luck,
Melissa
[email protected]313-221-8718
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Allen DuanPro Member
Property Manager · Los Angeles, CA · Member since 2022 · 590 posts · 463 votes
1y
Don't make the mistake of assuming travel nurses are the only or primary MTR guest type. There are many other MTR guest types, especially for four bedroom home. Look up comps on Airbnb to get an idea of the supply as well as how much you could rent for as an MTR. Four bedroom homes are great for insurance bookings for example. My gut tells me MTR will be a good option with the right marketing. We have a handful of four bedrooms in Los Angeles that do great.
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Noah CorwickPro Member
Realtor · Phoenix, AZ · Member since 2021 · 274 posts · 117 votes
1y
One thing to consider is how you intend to Property Manage the home. Will you be doing it yourself or will you be hiring a company to do this? You'll need to factor this when you're running your numbers.
For example, if you're hiring a Property Manager, does the LTR rent enough give you enough margin to be happy with the cash flow (8-10% goes to the PM each month)? If not, you should probably consider MTR.
[email protected]602-834-4617
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Myka Artis
Rental Property Investor · Arlington, TX · Member since 2016 · 706 posts · 611 votes
1y
Your property qualifies as a mid-term rental; however, if you want the biggest bang for your buck, you should consider Padsplit, as it offers five bedrooms and three bathrooms. I always tell people that MTRs are always suitable in metro markets. If you already have five bedrooms, you can contact PadSplit to determine the cost per bedroom. They may also utilize your space to create additional bedrooms. If you don't want to use the PadSplit route, you can list your property on traditional OTAs, such as Furnished Finder, Airbnb, VRBO, etc., and see how many inquiries you receive. You can also get on LinkedIn, reach out to people who work for Homelink, CRS, Travelers Haven, and ALE Solutions, and ask them how much traction they are getting in your market. More likely than not, they will already have a client who needs a place to stay. A 5-bedroom, three bath with a 3-car garage is going to kill it in the MTR space. You need to find the right MTR strategy and execute it. My suggestion is PadSplit, but insurance, government housing, etc, will work as well.
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Michael SmytheBusiness Member
Real Estate Agent · Metro Detroit · Member since 2023 · 4k+ posts · 3k+ votes
1y
You could try MTR by the room.
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Colleen F.Pro Member
Investor · Narragansett, RI · Member since 2013 · 8k+ posts · 4k+ votes
1y
@Wilson Sung The first question that is unclear, is it already furnished? In furnishings that you would want to leave in a rental? Next is it in a location near a major university or business where people would be looking for temporary relocation housing? Or where costs are high enough that rent by room would work. Then compare all in costs for furnished vs unfurnished rental.
If it is furnished and you are willing to leave the furnishings and they are appropriate for midterm you could do furnished finder or if near a university sabbatical homes even airbnb over 30 days. You could do a trial and if it doesn't work move to unfurnished.
It is going to me alot more work to rent by the room so consider that if you go for that strategy.
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Colleen F.Pro Member
Investor · Narragansett, RI · Member since 2013 · 8k+ posts · 4k+ votes
1y
@Wilson Sung What was the verdict? what did you do?
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Jared CooperPro Member
Rental Property Investor · Scottsdale, AZ · Member since 2020 · 24 posts · 8 votes
1y
With all the industrial construction in the East Valley (TSMC, Intel) and more with Trump's latest bill to increase domestic manufacturing of semiconductor chips there will be more demand for construction workers. I have experience in hosting workers in the industry. Maybe something to consider with pros/cons and you need to run the numbers but that size home would be perfect. Sure more wear/tear and you will need to adjust down the monthly rate but might be better than having a lot of vacancies with an STR or LTR with lower monthly rate??

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- Miguel Del MazoPro Member
  Northeast Georgia · Member since 2023 · 140 posts · 170 votes
  1y
  Quote from @Jared Cooper:
  
  With all the industrial construction in the East Valley (TSMC, Intel) and more with Trump's latest bill to increase domestic manufacturing of semiconductor chips there will be more demand for construction workers. I have experience in hosting workers in the industry. Maybe something to consider with pros/cons and you need to run the numbers but that size home would be perfect. Sure more wear/tear and you will need to adjust down the monthly rate but might be better than having a lot of vacancies with an STR or LTR with lower monthly rate??
  
  I agree. There are a growing number of Avatars who need fully-furnished, monthly rentals, and traveling work crews are our favorite for larger units.
  Imagine if you are a construction company making a pretty good monthly income from the traveling crew, you want to keep them happy and working. A 5 man crew is going to need at least 3, but more likely 5, hotel rooms. At a modest $100 per bedroom, per night, that is going to be a $9k to 15k a month expense.
  It makes a lot more sense to rent your 5/3 with a kitchen at 7k a month. The crew is happier and better fed for less money. The tricky part is getting leads to fill the space.
  In addition to furnishedfinder and Airbnb, you'll want to use LinkedIn to reach out directly to companies working in your area (Chatgpt and perplexity can tell you which companies' project managers to target).
  Obviously, run the numbers yourself, but don't feel that if you don't have a property good for nurses that you can't do the MTR strategy.
  
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Andrew McGuire
Real Estate Agent · Chandler, AZ · Member since 2022 · 216 posts · 156 votes
1y
I would try a room by room rental but depends on CCR's and what you can do with the cars. I've had good luck putting these on Facebook in the church community websites. They are always looking for housing, jobs etc.
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Matt Greer
Real Estate Agent · Mesa, AZ · Member since 2017 · 231 posts · 169 votes
1y
We get a lot of medium term renters in the valley here coming up. They come from up north and canada.
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