All Forum Posts by: Kathryn Demesa Sebastian

Hi Matt! I understand your concern. I think it might help some seasoned landlords answer your question if you share details about your rental like bed/bath count and sq ft. Generally, I’ve heard there’s demand for both unfurnished long-term rentals (LTR) and furnished mid-term rentals (MTR) in Anaheim, but that’s very general and hearsay.

If you haven’t already, it’s a good idea to look at rental comps in your specific area of Anaheim. I usually check Zillow, Furnished Finder, and Airbnb to get an average comp price for both unfurnished LTRs and furnished MTRs. The Airbnb calendars for similar MTR listings can also give you insight into local demand.

I noticed from your previous posts that you were inquiring about ADUs. If you don’t mind sharing, did you complete the construction of a modular ADU in Anaheim? I’m curious because I’m from Anaheim and still local in OC.

Cheers!
Kathryn

Quote from @Alexandra Hughes Pailet:

Hey Andrew! Registration will open in March. You can get on the waitlist at biggerpockets.com/conference

See you in Cancun! 

Hi @Alexandra Hughes Pailet! I have a question about the pricing for BPCON 2024. If I purchase a general admission ticket for myself, can my family stay with me in the included superior deluxe double bed room? My family includes my husband, three children (ages 4 years, 2 years, and 4 months), and my mom who will help with the kids. Since I am the only one attending the conference, would the cost remain $1839, or would it be different because my family is staying at the resort?

Quote from @Mel Adams:

Hi Kathryn - I personally would have no problem sharing insights if another host or soon-to-be host reached out to me. I think your message is fine. If you haven't already, I would look on Furnished Finder (FF) for comps, and you can reach out to hosts there. You can get a pretty good idea of current occupancy just by looking through FF listings. 

Reaching out to hosts on Airbnb/VRBO can sometimes be received in different ways because response times/rates come into play. That isn't a factor on FF though. Happy to answer any other questions!

 Thanks for the great feedback. Just read the summary of your investment in your BP profile.  Very cool and motivating! 

Hi Everyone. I'm new to REI and am an aspiring MTR host. I'm planning to reach out to a host of a comparable MTR unit in Ontario Ranch, CA. I currently have a 3 bed 2.5 bath LTR and am intending to convert it to an MTR. Timeline depends on when the current renter ends their lease. There doesn't seem to be a lot of MTRs (rooms and entire units) in the area just based on initial searches on Airbnb and Redfin, but I understand this isn't the only indicator of demand.

Below is a drafted message to the host. Please let me know if you have any advice on reaching out to hosts of comparable units.

Attached photo is the kitchen of this unit.

Thanks! 

"Hi. I hope you're doing well. My name is Kathryn, and I'm intending to start a mid-term rental unit similar to yours in the near future. I was wondering if you're comfortable sharing some insights with me.

If so, could you let me know what trends you've noticed in terms of vacancy rates for your unit(s)? It would be helpful to understand the seasonality and other factors that affect bookings.

Also, how long have you been a host, and what have you found to be key to your success? I'd love to hear any tips you might have for someone who's just getting started.

I appreciate your time and any advice you can offer. Looking forward to hearing from you."

Quote from @Allen Duan:

Quote from @Kathryn Demesa Sebastian:

Quote from @Allen Duan:

Hi Alex! I own a MTR management business with 25 MTRs in Los Angeles. I would target 1 bedroom units and/or 3 bedroom and larger. Could be SFHs or small multi family. Over the last 4 years, 2 bedrooms have performed the worse than the 1 bedroom or larger homes. I believe it's because individual travelers will choose the 1 bedroom and families prefer 3 or more bedrooms. 

The right property pretty much anywhere in LA can work well as a MTR. You need to identify what kind of tenant the specific property will appeal to and make sure it makes sense for the location. 

Great insight. Do you own or manage any studio MTRs? If so, how have they performed? 

I browsed through a few of your properties.  They look great! Do you hire an interior designer when setting up MTRs and STRs?

 Hi Kathryn! We've had a few studios as MTR arbitrage units before but they didn't perform well. Currently we have one we manage in a triplex. 

Yes, I have a designer on my team. But our PM clients furnish the properties themselves before handing them over to us.

Thanks Allen! Do you have considered MTRs for individual rooms? Or would you not recommend this? 

Quote from @Allen Duan:

Hi Alex! I own a MTR management business with 25 MTRs in Los Angeles. I would target 1 bedroom units and/or 3 bedroom and larger. Could be SFHs or small multi family. Over the last 4 years, 2 bedrooms have performed the worse than the 1 bedroom or larger homes. I believe it's because individual travelers will choose the 1 bedroom and families prefer 3 or more bedrooms. 

The right property pretty much anywhere in LA can work well as a MTR. You need to identify what kind of tenant the specific property will appeal to and make sure it makes sense for the location. 

Great insight. Do you own or manage any studio MTRs? If so, how have they performed? 

I browsed through a few of your properties.  They look great! Do you hire an interior designer when setting up MTRs and STRs?

I'm currently researching a similar scenario for myself. If you're able to share, what did you end up deciding on and how did it pan out?

A few questions:

Did Zillow provide any reasoning for blocking?

What do you mean by an internal ADU?

Was the ADU construction approved by the local agency? If so, this would provide a separate address which may solve the Zillow blocking issue.