Most landlords assume the market is the problem when bookings slow down. The truth is the answer is almost always inside the operation: pricing, design, photography, tenant targeting, and how quickly you respond to leads. Today we break down exactly how to diagnose what is broken in an underperforming furnished rental and what to fix first.David Kamenetsky, founder of DOMA Luxe Properties, discovered this firsthand when he came across a beautifully designed property on Furnished Finder (opens in new tab) listed at $3,500 per month. The photos were excellent, the design was on point, but the pricing told a different story. After reaching out to educate the owner about actual market rates, David was able to consistently rent that same property for $6,000 to $7,000 per month.That dramatic increase wasn't magic. It was the result of understanding what actually drives rental performance in the monthly mid-term rental space.
The foundation: understanding what makes properties perform
David manages over 50 monthly rentals across Northern California through his fully furnished property management company. His journey started three and a half years ago with a single mid-term arbitrage unit, furnished with leftover furniture from a house flip. His first guests were travel nurses he sourced from Furnished Finder, and after proving the concept, he went all in.His background as both a real estate investor and realtor shaped his approach in two critical ways. The flipping experience taught him how to modernize properties cost-effectively, while his realtor background prepared him for consistent outreach and inevitable rejection. That persistence became essential for building his management portfolio when he lacked extensive experience or connections.
The sweet spot: four-bedroom homes with accessibility
Through managing dozens of properties, David identified his all-star performer: four-bedroom homes, either single-level or with a bedroom and full bathroom on the main level.This configuration works because it serves multiple markets simultaneously. Larger families get the space they need, while smaller groups relocating from bigger homes don't feel like they're downgrading. The first-floor bedroom and bathroom accommodate elderly parents or anyone with mobility challenges, a surprisingly common need among relocating families.While four-bedroom properties can intimidate landlords due to higher overhead and perceived risk, they represent only about 7% of inventory on Furnished Finder. That limited supply, combined with strong demand, creates opportunity for those willing to furnish and manage them properly. Discover what your property could earn now on Furnished Finder’s Market Insights page: https://www.furnishedfinder.com/stats (opens in new tab)
Looking beyond the surface: how to evaluate potential
When David evaluates a property, whether his own or one he's considering managing, he looks past the current state to see potential. The key factors include:
Physical condition
Quality of finishes in bathrooms and kitchens
Whether simple updates like cabinet painting could freshen spaces
Overall bones of the property, not just the finished product
Furnishing quality
This is non-negotiable. David requires clients to invest in cohesive, modern furnishing before he takes them on. In a growing competitive space with abundant furnished options, design becomes the differentiator. Even properties that aren't fully remodeled can command premium rates with the right furniture creating a modern, cohesive feel throughout. Furnished Finder has partnered with Minoan to create a quality MTR furnishing checklist (opens in new tab).
Professional photography
Properties must look as good online as they do in person. Since most tenants book without seeing the property, photos are everything. David also provides video walk-throughs for every property, either professional reels or Matterport 3D tours, so families can get acquainted with the layout before committing.
The confidence factor: demand versus differentiation
Here's a critical mindset shift: David doesn't worry about whether demand exists. With over 30,000 travelers searching Furnished Finder daily, and demand for 28-plus day stays growing 138% from 2019 to 2025, the question isn't "Are there enough renters?" It's "How do I stand out?"This perspective changes everything. Instead of anxiously wondering if anyone will book, David focuses on making his listings the obvious first choice. When you manage multiple properties in a market, this approach compounds. Leads often reach out having seen several of his homes, already impressed by the consistent quality and design. If one property isn't available, he can offer alternatives they're already interested in.
The turnaround: from $3,500 to $7,000
That first property David found on Furnished Finder became his first management client. Located in the Fresno-Clovis area of California's Central Valley, where property values are more affordable than the San Francisco Bay Area, the market rate for three to four-bedroom furnished homes was $5,000 to $7,000 per month.Yet this property, with great photos and design, sat at $3,500.The owner, a busy medical professional, was grateful when David reached out. He understood demand from medical professionals but didn't know about the broader insurance housing market or construction crews needing single-family homes. More importantly, he lacked time to respond to leads promptly and didn't have the connections to secure higher-paying bookings.When David proposed nearly doubling the rental rate, the owner was understandably hesitant. But David proved himself quickly, renting the property within three to four weeks at the higher rate. From that point forward, the owner trusted him completely.The transformation wasn't about changing the property. It was about proper pricing, timely responses, and understanding the full market.
The diagnostic: what to check when performance lags
Whether a property is struggling or brand new, David runs the same diagnostic. Beyond design and photography, he examines:
Pricing strategy
Properties must be priced competitively compared to market comparables. Fair market value matters more than trying to maximize every dollar. Despite misconceptions that insurance housing allows for variable pricing based on which company is inquiring, transparent and fair pricing across the board solves most vacancy issues.
Response time
Many mid-term travelers book last minute, often within the last couple weeks before their start date. Quick responsiveness is crucial. You can lose excellent tenants simply by being slow to reply.Tenant flexibility
While transparency is essential, having flexibility to work with families based on their specific situations builds relationships and fills properties. This isn't a purely transactional business. It's relational, more like long-term rentals than short-term ones.
Market-specific performance expectations
David sets realistic occupancy expectations based on market characteristics:
San Francisco Bay Area: 80-90% occupancy due to high demand from AI companies and people returning to offices, beyond just insurance housing
Central Valley: 70-80% occupancy in less densely populated areas
The larger homes in the Central Valley offset slightly lower occupancy with higher profit margins per booking.
Common mistakes landlords make
Before getting started:
Expecting the process to be purely transactional rather than relational
Not responding quickly enough to leads
Failing to invest in quality furnishings upfront
Skipping professional photography
Underestimating the importance of design cohesion
When struggling:
Blaming the market instead of examining their listing
Pricing too high or too low instead of competitively
Adding surprise fees instead of transparent all-in pricing
Not considering who their target renter is and what amenities matter most
For a detailed overview of mid-term rental pricing, see the Furnished Finder + Pricelabs Pricing Guide (opens in new tab).
The amenities that matter
Through hundreds of conversations with tenants, David identified consistently requested features that landlords underestimate:
Walk-in showers
Especially important for older renters, this accessibility feature gets requested far more often than most landlords expect. Having one on the main level is ideal, but at minimum, having one somewhere in the house makes a significant difference.
First-floor bedroom and bathroom
Families with elderly parents or anyone with mobility challenges need this. It's not something you think about until you need it, but it dramatically expands your potential renter pool.
Blackout curtains
Particularly for larger homes attracting construction crews or travel nurses who may work different shifts, privacy and light control matter.
Cost-effective improvements with maximum impact
When budget is limited, David recommends focusing on:
Furnishings: Usually less expensive than structural improvements but creates the biggest visual transformation
Repainting kitchen cabinets: Especially for older, dated cabinets, a fresh coat of paint completely changes the feel of kitchens and bathrooms
Professional photography: Non-negotiable and relatively affordable for the impact it creates
Setting up for success from the start
For landlords entering the mid-term rental space or trying to improve performance:Evaluate your listing honestly
What improvements can be made? What would make you most comfortable for a longer stay? Who is your target renter, and what matters most to them?
Invest in the right amenities
For larger homes attracting construction crews, focus on privacy, separation of space, and blackout curtains. For properties targeting families, accessibility features and comfortable common areas matter more.
Price competitively
Research market comparables. Don't price too high hoping to negotiate down, and don't price too low leaving money on the table. Find the fair market value and be transparent about all costs.
Respond quickly
Set up systems to ensure you can reply to inquiries within hours, not days. Many bookings happen last minute, and speed wins.
Think beyond medical professionals
While travel nurses are a significant market, insurance housing, corporate relocations, construction crews, and families in transition all need furnished monthly rentals. Understanding the full market expands your opportunities.
The bigger picture: why this matters
David's motivation extends beyond maximizing rental income. He finds the work gratifying because he helps families during traumatic and stressful times while helping landlords supplement income and support retirement goals.His company now donates $100 to charitable organizations for every family they place, and they've expanded beyond California to help families nationwide. This mission-driven approach keeps him motivated to refine processes and provide the best possible experience.
Your next step
If you're managing an underperforming rental or considering entering the mid-term rental space, start with these actions:
Evaluate your current listing with fresh eyes, focusing on design, furnishings, and photography
Research competitive pricing in your market using tools like Furnished Finder's Market Insights (opens in new tab)
Identify your target renter and ensure your amenities match their needs
Set up systems for quick response times
Consider whether professional management could unlock value you're currently missing
The difference between a $3,500 rental and a $7,000 rental often isn't the market or property itself. It's how you present it, price it, and manage it.With monthly mid-term rentals representing about 19% of the overall rental market and demand continuing to grow, the opportunity is substantial. The question is whether you're positioning your property to capture it.Have a property that’s not listed on Furnished Finder yet? Join the network of over 240,000 landlords reaching 6.5 million+ travelers each year looking for monthly furnished housing. https://www.furnishedfinder.com/list-your-property (opens in new tab)
Episode 167 Transcript
I came across a property on Furnished Finder that looked like it had great photos, it had a great design, and I noticed the price was just was just really undervalued. It was about 3,500 per month is what it was listed at. And what I did was I approached the owner, you know, I kind of educated him a little bit about what the market rates are, and he was actually very grateful that I called. I was able to rent out the the client's property for about 6 to 7,000 per month consistently. >> Most landlords blame the market when their rental is underperforming. A great property manager knows where to actually look. Today's guest is David Kaminetsky, founder of Doma Lux Properties, a fully furnished property management company. David manages over 50 monthly rentals across Northern California. He works with landlords at every stage, from setting up their first mid-term rental the right way to turning around properties that have not been hitting their potential. So, excited to uh just hear more of David's story today, and for you guys to have a key takeaway to apply to your rentals. David, uh you didn't just start with a portfolio handed to you. Give the listeners a picture of what that journey looked like and how you figured out, you know, there was a real opportunity in the monthly mid-term rental space. >> Yeah, definitely. Thanks so much for having me, and I appreciate the intro, Kelly. Furnished Finder has been a a big part of my journey from the start, and um my background comes from being a real estate investor as well as being a realtor. So, I got started with mid-term rentals uh about 3 and 1/2 years ago, where I had my first long-term arbitrage unit, and I was able to kind of prove the concept with that with that first unit. I had some extra furniture from a flip that I had done, so it was pretty easy to to get it furnished, get it going, and my first uh Uh, my first guests were travel nurses that I was able to source from Furnished Finder. And after I was able to to really prove the concept with that first unit, I was kind of all in and that's when I started co-hosting for other property owners and began building my own portfolio. >> Nice. And how did your experience as a realtor and house flipper uh shape the way you look at properties and work with owners uh and their stories? >> Yeah, definitely. The flipping experience I think came in handy when doing, you know, light remodel or refinishes on a house to make sure that we're really modernizing it as much as possible and keeping our our budget, you know, in mind too, especially if it's an investor that's just starting out. And in terms of uh the realtor background, I think that reaching out consistently and getting told no, having that repetition of rejection was really useful for me to to be able to continue to move on, continue to persevere um and that's how I was able to, you know, find find clients to manage their properties when I nes- when maybe early on I didn't necessarily have the experience um or connections, but just being able to kind of be consistent with that outreach, I think really helped me be successful and um that realtor background really uh allowed me to kind of put those repetitions in over the years and prepared me to to do well in this space. >> Love that. All right, David, this is my favorite question. Everybody knows it. Walk us through your portfolio now. Um what do you have in your personal personal portfolio? What does your management portfolio look like? Give us kind of a kind of an all-in picture about what what do these properties look like? >> Yeah, definitely. So, the 50 properties that are part of our core inventory or our portfolio, that consists of about three properties that are my own mid-term rentals. And then we have about eight or so properties that are just long-term arbitrage, and the rest all fall under our property management company. So, it started out just co-hosting for owners, but being being a real turn California, I was able to to become an official property management company. Um and majority of the units, about 40 or so, are ones that we manage for other property owners here in the San Francisco Bay Area, as well as the Central Valley in California. >> And what have you found are like those property types that are just your best performers in the monthly mid-term rental space in your portfolio? >> Yeah, our all-star property, I would say, is like a four-bedroom home. We really like four-bedroom homes that are either single-level, or they may have a bedroom and full bathroom on the main level. So, that allows people with maybe elderly parents, or people that are older and just can't do stairs very well, gives them a little bit more flexibility. And that four-bedroom is kind of a sweet spot for us, we've noticed, because we're able to kind of cater to those larger families, um but also maybe ones that may not need it need so much space, but they might be coming from a larger home. So, we're kind of able to cater um to both, you know, larger and smaller uh types of groups, and appeal to to a larger renter pool. >> Yeah, that that's interesting, because those larger properties, and and four-bedrooms can be seen as a larger property in terms of a monthly rental, can sometimes intimidate people or landlords and investors, because, you know, they carry a larger overhead, um and they can feel a little bit riskier. So, it's really great to hear that you've found success. I think it's also of note that you called out that a first-floor bedroom and bathroom, or like a ranch-style home that's all on one floor. Um we had a a larger mid-term rental in our portfolio as an arbitrage for a few years, and we got that request quite often, and it was something that I hadn't necessarily realized how many families are relocating or displaced and have a family member who stairs are not an easy thing for. It's one of those things you don't really think about until you need it. So, that that's a great call out, and actually in that one arbitrage we had, we ended up um turning the main floor office into a bedroom, so that we could accommodate that request even though it didn't have a closet. It did help just to see that. So, um yeah, I think I think that's fantastic, especially that you found that sweet spot in your market. So, let's talk about how you find that opportunity. When you're evaluating a property, whether it's your own or whether it's one that you're looking to manage for um a property owner, what are you looking for in terms of knowing it'll be successful as a monthly rental? How do you know where that demand exists, and how do you confidently say to a property owner or an investor, like, I feel good about your property as a monthly rental? >> Definitely. Yeah, that's a great question. I think evaluating the property to kind of just looking at the bare bones of it, not necessarily the finished product, and really being able to see past it to see what potential it could have. So, I always like to see like the finishes of the property, you know, what how what kind of condition are the bathrooms and the kitchen in, can maybe like a a paint paint job on the cabinets kind of freshen up the spaces, or anything that could be done on that aspect. And then, the biggest thing would be the furnishing, and having a cohesive furnishing design. That's the biggest thing that we require our clients to invest in before we kind of take them on to work with them. There has to be, you know, some kind of differentiator with with it being a growing competitive space. There's so so many furnished options out there. You really want to be able to stand out to people and to be able to get those higher [snorts] occupancy rates, you really want to stand out with the design and not just kind of put the most inexpensive furniture in the property. You really want to make sure it's comfortable for longer stays, it's cohesive, and sometimes we've had even great success if the property is not maybe the most remodeled or updated, but just having like that modern cohesive furniture throughout really makes a huge difference and really changes the whole feel of the property. So, those are those are a couple things that we kind of look for when we're looking to manage properties and redoing that design and getting some professional photography for the space as well really sets the property up for success more so than a property that might not be pictured in the in the best way. It might be nice in person, but if it doesn't look that way online, you know, people aren't going to be as likely to book it. >> Yeah, that's that's really interesting because you are not worried about if there's enough demand. Right? And we see these stats at Furnished Finder. There's more than 30,000 travelers searching every single day. But you are focused on how do you stand out and how do you create the best place to stay? How do you stand out from other homes? How do you make your listing shine? How do you use those photos, that design? That's a really good perspective that I feel like probably not enough landlords take and they're focused more on is there enough demand? Is there enough Is there enough people coming? Is there enough people in need of that monthly rentals? And what I'm sensing from you, and you tell me if I'm right or not, but is like you have the confidence that the demand is there. You just want to make sure that you stand out and you're the first choice. >> Definitely. Yeah, and a lot of times because we have multiple listings in a specific market, we have, you know, leads reaching out to us and they've said that they've seen a couple of our homes, they already see our level of design and quality, and they're just already interested in working with us. So, if maybe one home ends up not being available for their dates, we can offer them something else that might be a good match. So, we have a lot of success leveraging kind of, you know, all of our listings to be able to to fill fill the demand. And we try to be a little bit conservative when we're analyzing a market, too. We kind of look at what are the furnished options out there, how many are available, too, and we try to be realistic with our clients on what we think the occupancy rates can be. So, in our specific market in the San Francisco Bay Area, we're seeing about 80 to 90% occupancy rate. So, pretty high rates due to high demand with a lot of AI companies and a lot of people going back into work beyond, you know, insurance housing. Um and then in the Central Valley, I would say our average would be kind of in like the 70 to 80% range. So, we do see a little bit more vacancy there just because it's not as a largely densely uh populated area. >> Yeah, but with those larger homes, you have that larger uh profit margin, as well. So, it's like you might see uh so, that 70 80% occupancy where maybe a studio to a two-bedroom might see more of that, you know, 90% occupancy, but the margins aren't as great. So, I love that you've really discovered what your niche is uh that you go after in the monthly mid-term rental space. A quick couple reminders before I'm really excited to jump into an example of how it wasn't the market you helped someone that was struggling with their property performance and turned that around for them. But first, just come at some of those things to keep in mind if you're newer to the space and demand is something that you're concerned about. Go to the Furnished Finder Market Insights page is a fantastic snapshot of who's coming to your market and what is the rental price ranges in that market for per bedroom size. Um we've seen on Furnished Finder that demand for 28 uh plus day stays has grown 138% from 2019 to 2025. So, it is definitely and and around 19% of the overall rental market is this monthly mid-term rental space. So, definitely worth pursuing and considering if you're coming from the long-term or short-term rental strategies. And David, let's let's jump in. What was one of those situations where there was a property owner that was struggling and you noticed? Did you come to them first? Did they come to you first? And how did you really help them turn that property around? >> Yeah. Yeah, definitely. That's a great question. It was actually my first client that I ever started managing their property for that I actually was able to locate on Furnished Finder. And this is a market that's a few hours away from where I'm located in the Central Valley in the Fresno Clovis area where the property values are much more affordable than the San Francisco Bay Area, which is, you know, one of the most expensive markets, you know, in the nation. So, going over there is a bit more affordable, seemed a little bit more attainable for me. And I knew that the the monthly furnish rental rates were around between like 5 to 7,000 per month for for a three to four bedroom home. And I came across a property on Furnished Finder that looked like it had great photos, it had a great design, and I noticed the price was just was just really undervalued. It was about 3,500 per month is what it was listed at. And what I did was I approached the owner, you know, I kind of educated him a little bit about what the market rates are. And he was actually very grateful that I called because he was looking to offload the property to have somebody manage it. He was a pretty busy medical professional himself, so he knew the demand for medical professionals, but he didn't really know kind of beyond that, the whole insurance housing world, and different types of sectors like construction housing that may also need single family homes. So, that was kind of a great initial experience for me. I was able to rent out the the client's property for about 6 to 7,000 per month consistently, and he was extremely happy. He didn't have to worry about the day-to-day operations with his hectic work schedule. He was able to have peace of mind that everything is handled, and he was able to cash flow more at the end of the day. So, we're really able to maximize the revenue and and save the client time, and that's kind of the the ideal situation. So, a lot of times it may be the design or the marketing, but in this case it was just maybe the lack of time to be able to respond to leads in a timely manner, and having kind of the connections in place to to getting those larger paying bookings. >> So, when you approach him and said, "Hey, I want you to take your rental rate from 3,500 and basically double it." How did he respond to that? Was it easy for him to see that opportunity, or was he shocked? Like, what was the scenario? >> Looking for a simple professional way to manage your monthly rentals? >> [music] >> Furnished Finder's landlord tools brings everything together. Tenant screening, lease [music] templates, and online rent payments, all in one place. Stay organized, [music] save time, and stay in control. For more information, explore landlord tools today. >> I think he was a little bit um hesitant at first, but I was able to prove myself pretty quickly, and we were able to get the property rented within 3 to 4 weeks at a higher rate. So, I think at that point he was fully trusting of me, and um you know, he he was understanding that that there is more more to just traveling medical professionals, but there's so many other groups that need housing. And um he really was able to trust me at after that point, I would say. >> You know what's really unique about midterm rentals, and I think so many landlords have yet to realize is what you just said is that it's more than just traveling medical professionals. And it's great because you can manage your property on your own if you want. It's completely doable, but you don't have to, right? Like it's short-term rentals, it's it's difficult to handle your own property, even if you just have one property. It's a lot of involvement. If you have someone staying at your house for 2 or 3 days, and they have a question, they expect it answered before they send it, right? Like like it's it's a lot of attention. It's constant turnovers. Long-term rentals, you know, a lot of people have that property manager, but you can really be pretty hands-off. I mean, we had a long-term rental for years, and I would go months and months and months without hearing from our tenants. Midterm rentals are that space where you can do either, right? But people are out there like David, if you want that help and that support to operate your midterm rental and make sure that you're getting the maximum out of it, right? And then just have been doing it for a while. So, it's great just that you have that optionality. So, David, I want to talk to you because you've seen so many properties, you've managed so many properties, and you have a great eye as far as not only seeing and kind of anticipating if a property will be successful or not, but how you can kind of pull a struggling property into success again. So, you know, whether a property's struggling or it's brand new, you're essentially running the same diagnostic. Walk us through the first few things you look at when you're looking at a monthly rental, and and you see if it should be if it's performing the way it should be. What are the first few things you look at? >> Yeah. Yeah, so beyond just what I kind of mentioned before with the design and the photography, going past that, I would say looking at what it's priced at as well. You want to make sure that the property is priced competitively compared to other market you know, comparables. You want to make sure that you are providing a fair market value and it's a fair fair value for for what's out there. A lot A lot of times, you know, people have a misconception that with insurance housing that kind of whatever rate may be approved, people people go higher for different rates depending on who may be inquiring, depending on what company is inquiring, but having a well-rounded fair price that's transparent all the way around is is the best way to go and just being competitive and fair with your pricing, can solve a lot of people people's issues that may be struggling with high levels of of vacancy. >> I Katie, I'd like to hear your perspective on this because it it's true, whether it's struggling landlord or someone new to the space, uh it's it's very much the same and your properties are different size than David's properties and uh mine are kind of in between both of yours. So, what what would you say from your perspective, someone coming in with that studio to one-bedroom space uh for the most part? What do they tend to get wrong or that that needs that those first three things you want to set up when you're getting started in the in the mid-term rental space? >> Yeah, good point cuz a lot of it carries over to the smaller property sizes, but I would say when you have that smaller property, how you present it matters even more. Arguably, right? Because my properties don't have a fenced yard that I can brag about or a big space that if a family is looking, like, you know, that inventory might be a little bit more limited. There's more properties that are of a smaller size. So, I feel like my photography, my furnishings, my descriptions on my listing are really, really important so I can stand out from the start. And that I love what you said, David, about the transparent pricing. >> [snorts] >> Right? Like, the number one way to lose a tenant in my book is like you have your price and listing as something and then you're like, "Oh, but there's this fee, this fee, and this fee." Right? Just put it all out there on your listing and make it clear so that there's no surprises. Nobody likes surprises. It's the worst. So, unless it's a birthday party, don't have any of these surprises. So, it's I think it's just having that quality and being intentional with what you're doing, right? Like thinking about your pricing. And I like what you're saying, David, about like thinking about who is staying there and what their budget might be and how do you compare to others in the market? And then I think also it's how you operate your business, right? Like, how fast are you responding to leads? Um are you doing a tenant screening? Are you doing a digital lease? Like like your best practices, they come in really they come in clutch here. >> I would love to have uh a little bit more of this conversation based off, you know, both of your stories from different perspectives as Leia Lords. Uh cuz while we're talking about it, when it comes to Furnished Finder and the size of properties on Furnished Finder, 75% of properties have two bedrooms or less. So, David's going after and I think he has a variety in his portfolio, but his his uh niche, his specialty is those four-bedroom properties, ranch style. That's about 7% of inventory on Furnished Finder. Uh so, the the supply is lower, but the, you know, that balance plays out a lot of times. So, for both of you, I'd love to hear what do y'all see that landlords get wrong before they even get started um in the monthly mid-term rental space? >> Yeah, you did touch on a good point with the timeliness to respond to leads. I think you can lose a lot of great people that are ready to book right away. Oh, often these kind of mid-term travelers are booking last minute. Looking at the statistics, uh you know, there's very high numbers that are booking within the last couple weeks before the start date. So, having that quick responsive time responsiveness is really crucial um to making sure that you can book those book those leads successfully. And also having flexibility in your pricing, too. Kind of going off of what what we were talking about with the transparency of all the fees and pricing, and just kind of talking to the lead, getting to know their situation and their needs, and having that flexibility with the pricing, too, to just be able to help the family. Um I think it goes a long way, and it's important in this in this industry, for sure. >> Mhm. Yeah, I think a lot of landlords expect it to be transactional. And like David's saying, it's relationship, right? It's a It's a relational thing. You want to get to know these tenants, what their needs are, um whether it's a four-bedroom or a studio, you might need to change something before they come in, right? Or you you just it's not about a quick is your property available, great, it's booked, you've got the funds in your account. Like And that's intentional because these people are there for a while, and it needs to be something that can work. Like you would never rent a long-term rental, a 12-month rental, just send a message on Zillow and have it be done, right? Like And that's on purpose. So, I think the biggest thing is is people expect it to just happen instantly. And I love what you're saying, David, about like having some flexibility and working with tenants and making sure that your property is a fit for them because there's plenty of demand. If your property's not a fit for them, there will be someone else who it works for. Um but you've got to be in the conversation. >> What does getting someone set up the right way actually look like and is there any like pitfalls to avoid? >> I would say for landlords to kind of set them themselves up for success is kind of evaluating your listing first and seeing what improvements can be made. What would you look for to be most comfortable in this longer stay and what are the the types of people that are looking to book your place? Is it a larger home that might be more for construction crews, you know, larger crews so that privacy and separation of space and blackout curtains might be might be important. So kind of looking and seeing what what are the most important amenities that are attracted to to that renter pool and being able to highlight highlight that in your listing or reinvest and improve your listing. That would be the kind of the first step for me and then taking a look at the the pricing and making sure that you're competitive with the market rates and that you're you're not, you know, too high or you're not, you know, too low but you're kind of right in par with with what the market seems to to be willing to pay. So that would be kind of my my rough overview and analysis of a listing. >> One thing I'm going to add that we haven't really touched on yet is a different bedroom sizes is Furnished Finder has over 60,000 room rentals as well. So if you're listing and you're like, "Hey, this is intriguing. I'd like to get start started in the space." You can even just advertise a room in your house that isn't getting, you know, that value. Maybe it's currently used for storage or you're you know, a kid that comes home like twice a year something like that. You can make it into rental income that is working for you and still have it available when you know, your family is coming home as well. >> Okay, great point Kelly and I I totally agree. It does not have to be a huge endeavor to get started and at least test the water and see if it's something you like. Um All right David, well we have talked so much about these practical tips that people can take and put into action. You know, looking at your pricing, making sure your photos are good, responding, all of these truly fundamentals that can make or break you in the midterm rental space, but I want to talk about your mindset. You work with a lot of landlords and property owners and you have a lot of properties that you are managing, a lot of tenants, a lot of leads. How do you stay organized? How do you stay motivated? How do you stay optimistic? And and what kinds of opportunities do you see within this midterm rental space that keep you excited? >> Yeah, yeah, definitely. I think for me midterm rental midterm rentals in general are something that I'm very passionate about and just being able to to help families during such traumatic and stressful times is very rewarding and also being able to help landlords, you know, supplement their income, help their retirement. It really means a lot for them and really you can see the the positive impacts that it has. So, I feel very grateful that I have the opportunity to be in a space that is so gratifying to being able to just uh be able to kind of stop and explain to families kind of the whole process and uh educate them on on kind of the next steps. It's it really goes a long way and they're usually so grateful for, you know, us taking the time and patience to educating them. So, for me it's just always really rewarding when a family is placed and they're just so so thankful for us for being able to place them so quickly. They're often just going through such a hard time, so I feel you know, lucky to be able to be in a position where we're able to to at least help make one part of the process a little bit less stressful. And for me that the mindset is always to continue to be able to help more families in need. We've been able to implement um like a donation program recently where we donate $100 to different charity charitable organizations um each month. So, we donate $100 for every family that we place. And we also do place families nationwide, not just in our in our local market. So, we're able to kind of go beyond the reach of the current inventory that we manage and kind of help at a larger scale as well. So, it's been really uh motivating to be able to grow from just, you know, our local market here in California to being able to to help families nationwide. And it's just very uh inspiring to continue to keep growing and being able to keep refining our processes so that we can, you know, keep keep working at a quicker pace and being able to provide, you know, the best possible experience for our clients. >> Well, if you're listening and you have one actionable step that you're like, I love what David said about this, I want to start implementing that into my strategy, put it in the comments. We would love to interact with you on YouTube. Um you know, if you're listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, please don't forget to leave us a five-star review if you're loving our show. Uh we like to wrap up David with a fun rapid-fire question where whatever comes to mind, just a quick answer. Furnished Finder's been a consistent part of your midterm rental journey. Uh what's one thing that you love most about Furnished Finder? >> Yeah, being able to connect with landlords um that have quality properties that are ready to go and that are available has been a huge asset to our business to being able to to kind of expand our reach and and help place families at a larger scale. So, connecting with quality landlords that that have great properties has has been the biggest you know, asset to to our business. >> All right, next one's up. What is your dream property type to manage? One that you would take the blink of an eye without even knowing any details. >> I would say like a beach property would be would be amazing to have. We don't have anything that's like along the water. We have someone like a private lake, but nothing like along the coast. So, I think anything along the coast I would I would take it in a heartbeat. >> I love that. You know, that's a good point is when we buy these mid-term rentals, we're often like, "Yes, we've got a awesome place we could go visit in between stays." But, that doesn't That hasn't really happened for me. So, it's like this beach property would be amazing, but when you have you know, 90% occupancy and or greater in my case, you don't really have much time between those turnovers. So, that's a good problem to have in the in the mid-term rental space. Let's see. What's the one amenity tenants always ask for that landlords underestimate? >> Walk-in shower. For sure, always always a walk-in shower. It's like you said Katie before, it's not something that you think about that people would request so often, but the walk-in shower for for you know, older folks is just so much more convenient and it's it's much more more commonly requested than you would imagine. So, I think having one on the the main level is is ideal if possible, but at least having one in the house at a minimum. >> Once you walk through the eyes of someone who needs a little bit of accommodation, you realize how difficult typical properties can be. So, even if you don't have a fully accessible home, but you just have some things here and there that make it easier, that's a huge plus. >> Yeah, goes a long way for a lot of folks, for sure. >> Yep. All right, what is one change to a property that makes the biggest difference, but costs the least amount of money? >> Um I would say I have a couple things. Maybe the furnishings would be would be one cuz it's usually less expensive than doing improvements to the home. And then probably the one of the most cost-effective improvements that I feel make makes the biggest impact what I mentioned earlier was repainting kitchen cabinets, I would say. Um especially if they're like the older dated ones, just a fresh coat coat of paint on some cabinets really goes a long way and could really change the whole feel of a kitchen or a bathroom. >> I want to add in here photos. I know it's not I know it's not, you know, a furnishing, but that changed your listing, professional photos, game-changer. >> That's always like a requirement for us, you know, the professional photos is like it's a non-negotiable, for sure, because so you know, people are often booking without seeing the property in person. So, that's that's all they're really getting from from their from their perspective. So, having those clear photos is really key. We also like to do a video walk-through of all of our homes, too. So, if the property is booked, you know, and and the family doesn't want to be disturbed and they really need to see it before it with insurance housing, it's it's pretty common that that they do need a walk the property first. So, that's always really huge to to be able to give them that kind of feeling of the layout and and really get acquainted with the with the whole place. >> Any go-to tool for that video tour? >> We personally use We have our professional photographer do like a walk-through reel at the same time. It's pretty efficient for us and then we have like a professional version that's edited and ready to go. It's kind of like the quicker walk social media style reel, but a lot of people do like the Matterport 3D walk-through, too. So, if you if the budget allows doing like the actual 3D walk-through where you can click through the entire home is is is great to do, but not necessarily a requirement if you're on a budget. >> That can even be simple. Like we have our cleaner just do a video walk-through after a good clean. And it's it there's no it's nothing fancy, right? But I'm like next time we can get a professional photographer in there that can do the walk-through on a video, great. But until then, don't have nothing. Have something. Even if it's just a video you take on your iPhone. Just have something. >> Yep. >> All right, last one. What's one thing that landlords are most resistant to change even when it's clearly holding them back? >> I would say furniture is actually probably the one that's the most underestimated. And we have a lot of landlords that, you know, they don't see maybe the return on their investment right away because it can be a bit you know, a bit costly, but it could also be kind of something you do gradually over time and in phases, you know, maybe certain like room by room or the just focusing on a few larger pieces at first. I think that that can be can go a really long way and can help increase you know, occupancy rates as well as the rental rates that landlords are able to achieve. And I think a lot of landlords have a hard time seeing that value right up front until they kind of see it in action and and they see the proof proof of concept. >> Well, David, we've really enjoyed having you. Thanks for all the insights and expertise on, you know, how to take a struggling property to a successful property or just get started in the um mid-term rental space. Uh so, reminder, there are uh no booking fees on Furnished Finder compared to short-term rental platforms. So, all you have to do to get started is one low annual price uh to add your listing. And if you have multiple listings, we have a fantastic team uh that can point you in the right direction. We even have a listing setup service if you decide I don't even know where to start uh marketing my property, our listing setup team can help with that. So, David, if anyone wants to connect to you with you, we'll of course have your listings in the show notes, but is there any other way you'd like them to connect? >> Yeah, you people can reach out on our website domoluxproperties.com or they could send us a message on Instagram, too, where we showcase a lot of a lot of our properties if people want to take a look at our inventory. >> Well, thanks for being here. Uh stay tuned and we'll catch y'all again next time. Have a great week, everybody. Bye. >> Thanks so much. Thanks for having me. >> Thanks, David. >> Thanks for joining us on this episode. If you're enjoying the Landlord Diaries, be sure to like, subscribe, and share it with others. With over 300,000 listings across the country, Furnished Finder makes [music] it easy for landlords and tenants to connect directly. No middleman, no markups. Ready to list your property? Head to http://furnishedfinder.com (opens in new tab) to be a part of the movement that's redefining rentals one connection at a time. >> [music]