Agents are hungry for listings not buyers because of the overall shortage nationwide so in my mind this offers another option to purchase props.

There's a shortage of housing in most markets right now.

Prior to COVID folks were often asking for homes to purchase in the neighborhood and even rent because of the housing shortage.

Your best bet is to come up with points that would make it beneficial to the apartment complexes and with the current rental shortage in the area, most complexes aren't having trouble filling their units.

I don't think there would ever be a shortage of demand for these properties. 

I have been interested in expanding my long term portfolio as of late (I live in Nashville, and had been looking in this area, where I have 2 LTR's), and after some research found that there is an serious shortage of long term rentals in the Smoky Mountains BECAUSE of all the short term rental traffic. 

It's not easy even for experienced investors, especially during these times of labor shortages.

Water shortages in the west, Illegal immigrants, Baby Boomers aging to Assisted Living, Green global warming, Jail populations, etc. 

We have a housing shortage, and it wont be solved for another decade or more. 

I think values are going to continue to rise (and rents along with them) and I don't see any signs of capacity/supply coming online to alleviate the shortages.