NASHVILLE, Tenn., March 19, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Costigan Group at Compass rolls out a structured pre-acquisition screening framework for short-term rental investors, giving buyers a four-checkpoint system to evaluate zoning eligibility, property layout, competitive positioning, and revenue projections before committing capital.
The framework arrives as Nashville’s STR market enters a period of tighter margins and stricter oversight. Occupancy rates across the city’s most active rental corridors have normalized in the low-to-mid 50s, while average daily rates pulled back 15 to 25 percent from post-COVID peaks. Properties purchased without conservative underwriting now face monthly cash flow gaps that many first-time investors did not anticipate. The Costigan Group built its screening process to address that disconnect head-on.
Nashville operates under a two-tier permit system that separates owner-occupied from non-owner-occupied short-term rentals. Non-owner-occupied permits, the type most investors require, are restricted to commercial and mixed-use zoning districts. Two properties, three blocks apart, with identical asking prices, can have completely opposite investment viability based solely on their zoning designations. The Costigan Group’s framework begins with zoning verification through Metro Nashville’s parcel viewer and planning department records, filtering out ineligible properties before clients tour or write offers.
“Most investors discover zoning issues after they have already committed emotionally to a property,” said Jack Costigan, founder of The Costigan Group. “We reverse that sequence. Zoning comes first, and then we evaluate performance potential within the pool of eligible properties.”
The four-checkpoint system moves from zoning verification to layout analysis, measuring bedroom count, bathroom ratios, parking availability, and outdoor space against guest expectations for each price tier. Block-by-block positioning then examines proximity to Nashville’s primary attractions, walkability scores, and competitive density within a quarter-mile radius. The final checkpoint runs conservative revenue modeling using actual neighborhood performance data, accounting for management fees, furnishing costs, maintenance reserves, and vacancy periods that optimistic calculators tend to ignore.
”STRs amplify both good and bad decisions,” Costigan added. “If the basics are not right, whether that is zoning, layout, pricing strategy, or location, no amount of marketing will fix it. We run every deal through this framework before a client ever writes an offer.”
The Costigan Group closed $40 million in transactions last year, bringing total closed volume to approximately $70 million. Year-over-year revenue growth exceeded 141 percent, driven by repeat clients and referrals from investors who credited the team’s conservative projections with protecting their capital.
“Nashville still generates strong returns for investors who buy correctly,” Costigan said. “The margin for error has narrowed, which makes disciplined pre-acquisition analysis more valuable than it has been at any point in the last four years.”
The Costigan Group serves Davidson and Williamson counties from its Compass Nashville office at 4025 Hillsboro Pike.
About The Costigan Group
Jack Costigan is a top-producing Realtor and founder of The Costigan Group at Compass Nashville, specializing in short-term rental, investment, luxury advisory, and residential real estate across Greater Nashville and Middle Tennessee. Known for his data-driven strategy, modern marketing, and high-touch client experience, Jack advises homeowners, professionals, and investors on identifying and executing high-performing real estate opportunities.
Contact Details
Spokesperson/Contact Name: Jack Costigan
Name of Company/Organization: The Costigan Group at Compass
Website: https://www.jackcostiganrealestate.com/
Email Address: [email protected]
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