Mid-term rentals: The STR growth opportunity hiding in plain sight
Mid-term rentals (MTRs) – stays of roughly 30 days or more – have moved from a niche corner of the market to a serious growth strategy for short-term rental hosts and property managers. Bookings of 28+ nights grew 136% between 2019 and 2025.
In the latest Build for Growth episode, Frank Bosi, Senior Director of Partner Development at Hostfully, explains what's driving the shift, how the economics really stack up, and how to test MTRs this week without gutting your short-term business.
Why mid-term rentals are booming
Frank calls it "the perfect storm." Several trends are converging at once:
Remote and hybrid work – millions still work flexibly and can live somewhere new for a month or two.
Travelling professionals – nurses, healthcare workers, and corporate relocations.
Displaced homeowners – home renovations and insurance claims forcing temporary moves.
Military assignments and people testing a new city before committing to a permanent move.
The result is huge demand for furnished housing that sits neatly between a vacation rental and a traditional lease. And it lines up with what operators want: predictable revenue. As Frank puts it, "instead of constantly fighting weekend gaps and frequent turnovers, one 60-to-90-day booking provides steady occupancy – with far less operational work."
The data backs it up. Between 2019 and 2025, bookings of 28 nights or longer grew 136%, compared with roughly 52% for traditional short-term rentals.
The economics: chase return, not nightly rate
This is where Frank says most people look at the wrong number. "The first thing they compare is the nightly rate – but that's only one piece of the equation."
A short-term rental may command a higher nightly rate, but it also brings more turnovers, more cleanings, more guest communication, and more gaps between bookings. "Every reservation creates a new cycle of work." A mid-term rental's nightly rate might be lower, but operating costs fall sharply: one guest staying 60 days means one check-in, one check-out, fewer cleanings, fewer supplies and far less day-to-day management.
"Look at it through a profitability lens instead of a revenue lens, and the numbers get a lot closer than people expect – sometimes MTRs come out ahead. Don't chase the highest nightly rate. Chase the best overall return, and that includes your time."
Positioning your listing for the 30-day guest
The biggest change, Frank says, is mindset: "You're not marketing a vacation rental anymore – you're marketing a home someone can comfortably live in."
That means dialling down the vacation extras (the pool, the view) and making everyday essentials the star: reliable Wi-Fi, a dedicated workspace, a fully equipped kitchen, laundry, storage, and easy parking. Answer the practical questions before guests ask them – utilities, mail and package delivery, and proximity to hospitals, universities or major employers. "The more information you provide up front, the more confidence you give the guest – and the fewer repetitive questions you answer later." A digital guidebook does a lot of that heavy lifting.
Where mid-term demand actually comes from
Airbnb helped normalise monthly stays, but Frank warns it's "just one piece of the puzzle." Key channels include Furnished Finder (the go-to US MTR marketplace), Blue Ground, and Homeads – and Hostfully now integrates directly with Furnished Finder and Blue Ground, so bookings flow into one calendar and inbox.
Just as important: local relationships. "Some of the best opportunities come from your community – hospitals, universities, large employers, relocation companies, insurance providers, construction firms." Host James Varley shared his own example: an enterprise park near his properties sends a steady stream of weekday contractors. Leaflets, targeted Meta ads, joining the Chamber of Commerce, and a direct booking site with referral incentives all compound over time.
Don't overlook the legal side
Frank's biggest caution: regulation. Depending on location, a guest who stays beyond a certain point may gain tenant rights. Understand your local rules, use the right rental agreements with the correct wording, put everything in writing and screen guests properly. The good news: MTRs are usually easier to run day-to-day – you just need slightly more structure in your documentation.
How to test mid-term rentals this week
Keep it simple. "You don't have to change your entire business model overnight," Frank says. Open one property up to 30-day stays as you head into your slower season, refresh the photos and description for a live-in guest, and list it on an MTR channel. Then compare occupancy, operating costs, and profitability against your STR numbers. The smartest operators run both – short-term to maximise peak-season revenue, mid-term for steady occupancy in the quieter months.
FAQs
What is a mid-term rental? A furnished stay of roughly 30 days or more – sitting between short-term vacation rentals and long-term leases.
Are mid-term rentals more profitable than short-term? Not always on nightly rate, but often on overall return, thanks to far lower turnover, cleaning and management costs.
Where do I list a mid-term rental? Furnished Finder, Blue Ground and Home Ads, plus direct bookings and local partnerships.
This episode of Build for Growth is brought to you by Hostfully — the all-in-one PMS connecting guest messaging, operations, channel management, and digital guidebooks, so you can run short- and mid-term rentals from one platform. Get free PMS onboarding and 30% off digital guidebooks for life. Click here for details.
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