SDI MTR/Hybrid Program

A fully furnished home rented for roughly 30 days to 6 months. That is longer than a typical Airbnb stay but shorter than a one-year lease. The home comes ready to live in: furniture, TVs, kitchenware, linens and household essentials, much like an Airbnb.

MTR is the main strategy. When there is a gap between mid-term guests, the home can also be offered as a short-term rental (STR) to keep it occupied and earning.

You can. Most properties we offer for this program also work as a traditional long-term rental (LTR). The hybrid model aims for higher cashflow. In our analyses, net cash flow has ranged from about $500/month more than LTR on a marginal property up to 3–5 times LTR cash flow on a strong one, after mortgage and all program expenses.

| Option | How it works | Who handles operations | | --- | --- | --- | | Traditional LTR | Standard 12-month lease, unfurnished | Local property manager | | Hybrid/MTR, owner-operated | You furnish the home; it is rented to MTR/STR guests | Our local operator | | Lease-to-Us | A separate entity run by Simply Do It and our Atlanta operator leases the home from you at a fixed monthly rent and runs it as an MTR | The leasing entity |

Currently, Atlanta metro is our main MTR/Hybrid market, run by our local team.

Watch our MTR education video or listen to the "What Is Mid Term Rentals (MTR)?" episode on the Guided Real Estate Investing by Simply Do It podcast.

People who need a furnished house for several weeks to several months, usually in suburban locations:

• Families displaced from their home by an insurance claim (fire, water damage)
• Corporate employees and relocating families
• Film and production crews
• Families living elsewhere while their own home is renovated

Most homeowner policies include loss-of-use coverage that pays for temporary housing while the home is repaired. These stays can be long and well paid. In July 2025, one of our Atlanta hybrid homes signed an 11-month lease at $5,500/month; the same home would rent for about $2,000/month long-term.

The rent in our MTR analysis already assumes the home will not be booked 100% of the time. If we expect a home to earn $5,000/month, we model $4,000–$4,500.

Yes. Rates move with the time of year and local demand, and the local team adjusts pricing seasonally. The figures in our analyses are monthly averages.

The local team lists and markets each home, handles inquiries, and builds direct relationships, for example with hospital liaisons who place traveling medical staff. Short-term bookings fill gaps between longer stays.

It depends on the house. A home that fits the program well can earn roughly double LTR rent and 3–5 times LTR net cash flow. A marginal fit may only net a few hundred dollars more, which is often not worth the added risk.

Recent SDI analyses in metro Atlanta:

Cash flow is after mortgage and all program expenses. Total cash in includes down payment, closing costs, renovation and furnishing. These are projections from past analyses, not results.

• Operator fee: 25% of rental income, instead of a typical 8–10% management fee + 75% leasing fee.
• Utilities: the owner pays them (shown on the "HOA or fixed costs" line in our analysis).
• Insurance: higher, to cover furnished, short-stay use.
• Furnishing: about $25,000–$35,000 upfront, plus any cosmetic work.
• Leasing fee: none. In LTR a fee is paid each time a new tenant is placed; the MTR program has none.

Often yes. Because the hybrid income can carry a larger mortgage, we have suggested 25% down on some hybrid properties. Your lender decides.

Yes. Every property comes with an Excel analysis. Where it works both ways, we show the MTR and LTR versions side by side so you can see the downside case.

Possibly. If the home also operates as a short-term rental and certain requirements are met, it may let you offset other income (often called the "STR loophole"). This depends on your situation; confirm with your CPA.

A typical hybrid budget is about $35,000–$40,000: roughly $30,000–$35,000 for furnishing (beds, sofas, TVs, kitchenware, linens, grill and so on) plus $5,000–$20,000 for cosmetic work such as paint, carpet or countertops. Many of our homes have four bedrooms, which means more items.

Possibly for $20,000–$25,000, but it usually shows in photos and in what guests will pay. A designer on our team plans each home, and we invest in quality, attractive furnishings because they drive occupancy and rate. It is one of the main reasons the program has worked.

About 2–4 weeks after closing for furnishing and staging, plus any renovation time. Lease-to-Us rent starts as soon as the home is rent-ready.

We follow a strict checklist, because this model is sensitive to the house you start with.

Most metro Atlanta schools rate low in national rankings. That matters less for this program, and metro Atlanta is a large, growing market of more than 9 million people.

Send us the property and we will review it. We will tell you if it is not a good fit. For example, we advised one owner against converting two townhomes because the extra ~$500/month did not justify losing LTR stability.

Very little. Our local operator in Atlanta runs the home day to day: marketing and listing, guest communication, cleaning and turnovers, maintenance coordination and pricing. You receive monthly income reports.

25% of rental income. There is no separate leasing fee.

Our team covers the whole process: SDI analyzes and sources the property, the local agent tours and records video, and the team manages renovation and design/furnishing before handing it to operations.

A separate entity operated by Dani and our Atlanta operator, not SDI itself. It leases the home from you and runs it within the Hybrid/MTR program.

• Fixed monthly rent agreed upfront (recent examples: $2,000–$2,100/month for 3BR homes)
• 12-month lease, renewed annually
• Rent starts once the home is rent-ready: right after closing, or after any needed work (for example 2 weeks after closing)
• The tenant entity handles routine repairs up to $250
• No property management fees

The leasing entity furnishes and operates the home. You do not spend money on furnishing.

The lease renews each year unless either side opts out. As the owner you set the rent at renewal; we expect it to be a conversation based on market conditions and the home's performance.

The lease includes an early-termination clause: if we terminate early, we place an approved long-term tenant at our expense. Our intent is to lease for multiple years.

You get one stable, long-term tenant, little to no vacancy, no management fee, fewer repair calls and low turnover. Compared with a standard LTR, those savings typically add up to a few hundred dollars a month.

• Less stability than LTR: income depends on bookings rather than one 12-month lease, and it varies by season.
• More capital upfront: furnishing and setup add roughly $30,000–$40,000 to the purchase.
• Property fit: the model is sensitive. A home that misses the checklist may underperform, which is why we screen strictly and sometimes advise against it.
• Rules and HOAs: local regulations and HOA rules can restrict furnished or short-stay rentals. We verify these before due diligence.
• Insurance: premiums are higher, and the policy must cover this type of use.

Most properties we offer for the program also work as a long-term rental. You can ask for the LTR version of any analysis as your downside case.

Yes. When a home performs, we can repeat the setup on a similar home nearby, and neighboring homes can share leads.

Yes. Most investors use a mortgage, and some hybrid properties can carry 25% down instead of 30%. Your lender decides.

1. Reply to a deal email with its property code, or ask us to review a home you own.
2. Portfolio Builder members receive the address, video tour and full Excel analysis (MTR, LTR and Lease-to-Us where available).
3. Book a call with Dani and our local operator to choose the option that fits your goals.