Her First Mid-Term Rental Was 600 Sq Ft—and Paid For Half the Mortgage

Is your space “too small” to rent? Think again. In this inspiring episode of Furnished Finder’s podcast, The Landlord Diaries, we prove that compact properties can deliver massive returns, especially in the monthly midterm rental space.

Meet Yesenia Garkanian, a first-year host who transformed a 600 sq ft guest house on her primary residence into a profitable, family-friendly rental. 100% of her bookings come through Furnished Finder, and she's now living the landlord life she once studied.

Yesenia shares how she overcame doubt, priced her unit for success, added thoughtful design touches, and used Furnished Finder’s tools like the Landlord Performance Panel and Damage Protection Plan to confidently rent her space and spend more time with her kids.

If you're sitting on a guest house, ADU, studio, or any compact rental and wondering, “Will anyone actually book this?” This episode is for you.

We’ll talk about:

• Creative storage and layout tips for tiny rentals
• Why guest reviews prove that compact spaces do work
• How to maintain privacy while renting on your property
• The exact tools that help Yesenia operate with peace of mind

List Your Property on Furnished Finder:

https://www.furnishedfinder.com/list-your-property

(Use code LLD10 for $10 off new listings)

Trending Midterm Rental Resources:

https://www.furnishedfinder.com/Resources/PMResources

⏱️ TIMESTAMPS:

0:00 Welcome to The Landlord Diaries
2:10 Why a guest house can be a powerful income stream
4:20 Sharing your primary residence with midterm tenants
5:25 Busting the “too small to rent” myth
7:55 Real guest reviews that validate tiny rentals
10:30 Tiny rental pricing: California vs. Texas vs. Iowa
12:15 Why full-size amenities matter in small spaces
14:15 Designing compact spaces that feel like home
17:25 Creative storage hacks that renters love
19:25 Setting expectations with strong communication
21:50 Where to store backups and supplies in small units
22:35 Decluttering tip: remove what guests won’t use
23:00 Don’t forget a space for cleaning supplies
24:30 Maintaining privacy when sharing your property
27:25 Furnished Finder tools that helped Yesenia thrive
30:30 How the Landlord Performance Panel guided her pricing
33:15 Using market data to validate your rental decision
37:50 How the Damage Protection Plan gives landlords peace of mind
42:40 Yesenia’s advice: “Just do it”

Yesenia’s Listings on Furnished Finder:

https://www.furnishedfinder.com/members/profile?u=ye

The Landlord Diaries is brought to you by Furnished Finder, where you can list your property for one low price and pay zero booking fees.