How Columbus Homeowners Are Turning Empty Properties Into Income With Midterm Rentals

Most homeowners know two options for a property they're not living in: sell it, or rent it long-term to a tenant. But there's a third option quietly growing in Columbus — and for the right property, it can outperform both. It's called a midterm rental: a furnished home rented for 30 days or longer, typically to traveling professionals and families who need a real home, not a hotel.

I don't just write about this — I run a furnished midterm rental myself here in Columbus, and I coach other property owners on making it work. Here's the honest overview.

What a Midterm Rental Actually Is

A midterm rental sits between a short-term Airbnb and a traditional 12-month lease. The home is fully furnished — furniture, kitchen stocked, linens, wifi, utilities handled — and guests stay 30 days to several months.

The 30-day minimum matters. It keeps you clear of short-term rental regulations and hotel taxes in most jurisdictions, attracts a completely different (and far less party-prone) guest, and means dramatically less turnover than nightly rentals. One guest staying three months is a lot less work than ninety one-night guests.

Who Rents These in Columbus

This is the part most people don't realize: the demand is real and specific. In Columbus, midterm rental guests include traveling medical professionals on 13-week contracts, corporate relocations, insurance placements for displaced families, and families between homes.

What Makes a Property a Good Fit

Not every property works. The ones that do well are furnished and move-in ready, close to demand drivers (hospitals, major employers, the airport corridor), with in-unit laundry, fast reliable wifi, parking, and a real kitchen.

The Honest Math

Midterm rentals typically earn meaningfully more per month than a traditional long-term lease on the same property. The tradeoffs: you furnish the home upfront, cover utilities and wifi, manage vacancy between guests, and handle cleanings and turnovers. More income, but more of a business.

About the author: Julian McClurkin is a Columbus, Ohio realtor and investor with The McClurkin Group, Real of Ohio (OH License #2020001780). He runs a furnished midterm rental in Columbus and coaches property owners on building midterm rental income. Call or text (614) 657-6600.

Have a property that might work? Book a call with me to talk through it, text (614) 858-3398, or visit https://heyleo.com/julian.