Currently there is that extremely thin, hard, cheap landlord carpeting (and also an area with cheap thin stick on hard tile squares). 

These I have found are real, striving parents, working their butts off to provide the best housing and school system for their children.My ethos in this approach is exactly why we at LaPlante refer to them as Residents, as we consider "Tenant and Landlord" to be dated terms and rife with negative emotion.

So you want to check that out.I also ask how familiar are you with Spanish, and reading Spanish contracts, and knowing landlord/tenant laws in Spain? 

Learn the landlord laws intimately before jumping in, and find a landlord mentor with experience.

I'm presently a facilities engineer by trade, who does some construction and maintenance for landlords on the side, hoping to get back into the private real estate game.

This is the first home that I am landlording and the first tenant was amazing, I was sad to see her leave but happy because of the reason she left was a good one.I am looking for advice from you seasoned pros! 

It is definitely interesting what is happening and I could some see landlord and real estate applications coming soon if this keeps rolling.

For a lot of investors it takes 5-10 years to transition from W2 to full time RE investor and if you don't have a passion for being a landlord, you may find yourself hating it.

Do you have tips for structuring short-term leases that protect me as a landlord while accommodating their needs?

Both Indianapolis and Louisville are excellent markets to consider—affordable entry points, landlord-friendly laws, and steady rental demand.Since your background is in data science and analytics, you already have a strong foundation for analyzing deals.