Mid-Term Rental Ideas for a Converted Senior Living Facility

Mid-Term Rental Ideas for a Converted Senior Living Facility

Investor · San Francisco, CA · Member since 2016 · 338 posts · 444 votes

I've got a "brain storm with the audience" question for the Airbnb/FurnishedFinder/Furnished apartment/STR experts out there - looking for some ideas. I'm mostly a long-term hold apartment investor, and now getting deeper into the development world. I've tried doing STR on a couple apartments but haven't really figured out the right formula yet (and it's not my focus), so my experience with sites like Airbnb is super limited.

Here's the scenario: 

I've got a property lined up for housing development, but the planning process is probably going to take 2+ years before breaking ground. There's an existing building (looks like a house from the outside) on the site that was previously used as a senior living facility. It has 12 dorm-style bedrooms and two bathrooms, plus lots of common space (TV area, kitchen, outdoor space, big basement storage). I'd like to see if I can make some income while subdividing the lot and obtaining permits. While STR would probably make more sense the way it's laid out, my preference is 30-day+ rentals to avoid problems with neighbors and the local jurisdiction. It's in a nice residential neighborhood in the Bay Area, so near a lot of tech employers as well as hospitals/small businesses plus access as a home-base to all the things the region has to offer.

What would YOU do to make this thing marketable and income-producing? Amenities? Target audience? Price point compared to standard rentals? Any other ideas?

Airbnb keeps reporting that 30+ day rentals (has anyone coined the phrase "MTR" yet??) are on the rise during the pandemic, and they claim it's here to stay. And with still super-high local rents, I was thinking maybe some cheaper alternatives could be appealing with the right marketing/amenities/pricing.

Any thoughts would be appreciated!

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Dallas, TX · Member since 2019 · 8 posts · 7 votes
4y

@Robert C. Tough crowd.

I don’t have much experience to leverage, but I have a couple ideas.

1. Look for a Co-host (Facebook groups are a decent place to find one) that has mid-term experience to partner with.

2. Try reaching out to facilities managers and HR teams for the large local tech companies and offer up the ability to house interns or new transplants that are new hires. You may be able to fill it through a single contract. (You could run the campaign through LinkedIn)

Good luck!

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  • John UnderwoodPro Member
    Investor · Greer, SC · Member since 2014 · 13k+ posts · 17k+ votes
    4y

    I think this would be too risky for me so I would pass. That's just me. This is more like a motel. I want vacation rentals where people would stay with their family and spend vacation money.

  • Michael BaumPro Member
    Olympia, WA · Member since 2016 · 8k+ posts · 7k+ votes
    4y
    Just to be sure, there are 12 rooms with only 2 bathrooms?
  • Investor · San Francisco, CA · Member since 2016 · 338 posts · 444 votes
    4y

    @John Underwood, To be clear, the intended purpose of this property is a development project. My question is for feedback on whether there’s a way to get it cash flowing for a couple years. I would never purchase a weird property like this for rental only. 

    @Michael Baum, Yes, there are 12 single occupancy rooms. Everything else is shared including the two bathrooms - kind of like a dormitory. 

  • Rental Property Investor · Phoenix, AZ and Rehoboth Beach DE · Member since 2019 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    4y

    So 6 bedrooms would share one bathroom, which is awful.  Even in my college days in the 70's, we only had 2 bedrooms with 4 people sharing a bathroom.  The only 2 kinds of people I think who'd want that are young, lower paid workers, who can't find anything better.  The other would be foreign travelers who are used to shared bathrooms in hostels, but that's not the 30+ day stays that you want.  

  • Investor · San Francisco, CA · Member since 2016 · 338 posts · 444 votes
    4y

    Boy oh boy, where’s that “can do” attitude BP? ;)

    Maybe we can reframe my asks a little. Instead of looking at the scenario as “this guy’s an idiot with a loser property”, can we just assume the building is what it is and talk about how we could make the best of the situation for the best chance at getting some renters?

    @Lauren Kormylo, to your point - what do you think if instead I just rent half the bedrooms. So then it’s only 6 renters sharing two bathrooms. And I can provide the empty rooms as extra storage or something else marketable/rentable?


    My cup is half full here. Anyone else want to join my world of rainbows and unicorns?

  • Dallas, TX · Member since 2019 · 8 posts · 7 votes
    4y

    @Robert C. Tough crowd.

    I don’t have much experience to leverage, but I have a couple ideas.

    1. Look for a Co-host (Facebook groups are a decent place to find one) that has mid-term experience to partner with.

    2. Try reaching out to facilities managers and HR teams for the large local tech companies and offer up the ability to house interns or new transplants that are new hires. You may be able to fill it through a single contract. (You could run the campaign through LinkedIn)

    Good luck!

  • Rental Property Investor · Phoenix, AZ and Rehoboth Beach DE · Member since 2019 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    4y

    @Robert C. Yes, 3 people to a bathroom is much better.  I think many more people would find that favorable.  The empty rooms could be rented out for extra money to those same people as an additional work space, or storage as you said.  Could you inexpensively cut a doorway between 2 units to make a larger living space, and charge more?  

  • Investor · San Francisco, CA · Member since 2016 · 338 posts · 444 votes
    4y

    @Alex Euziere, Co-hosting is definitely something I haven't heard much about. I will do some research on that. I definitely think partnering with a company would be fantastic if I could find the right contacts. One thing I learned from my brother (a doctor) is that some of the hospitals actually partner with nearby hotels/motels to provide extended outpatient care after they have to leave the hospital. I'm exploring that option, since there's a hospital really close by. 

    @Lauren Kormylo, Some of the units could have a doorway cut, but I'm not sure if it will be worth the cost. The tricky thing about this is also balancing setup costs with potential income. Since I'm eventually just going to knock everything down, I don't want to overspend just to make a few bucks. Constructon costs in the Bay Area are out of this world right now. 

  • Greg PowersPro Member
    Real Estate Agent · Manchester, NH · Member since 2013 · 120 posts · 159 votes
    4y

    @Robert C.

    Brainstorm…

    Connect with a music promoter and rent it to bands passing through. Contact a film company location manager and see if anyone needs something like that for a set. Any nearby races—triathalon, bicycle, etc.—or rallies that could use it as a way-station? Does the local fire department need a property to practice on? Overflow housing for a homeless shelter or recovery non-profit for veterans?

  • Michael BaumPro Member
    Olympia, WA · Member since 2016 · 8k+ posts · 7k+ votes
    4y

    Hey @Robert C., glass half full here. Turn it into artist lofts, do some sound proofing and maybe band practice rooms, people looking for storage for collections, small office space for massage therapists, etc.

    Easy long term rentals, especially if you are under local rates. The 2 baths would not be a hindrance at all.

    You might turn this weird little place into a cash cow that could just keep going.

  • Investor · Orlando, FL · Member since 2012 · 312 posts · 165 votes
    4y

    Bro people make money off airbnb with just a tent in their backyard.. make it interesting and see where it goes

  • Investor · San Francisco, CA · Member since 2016 · 338 posts · 444 votes
    4y

    @Michael Baum, Thanks for the positive feedback! All the better if it somehow makes decent income. Every dollar I make will be less holding costs while I pursue permits. 

    @Chai Xiong, People make it sound so easy and lucrative to do the STR thing, but every time I've made the attempt it seems like there are a lot more variables to consider. I guess that's why I thought I'd ask here - see what creative ideas people might have.

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