💸 Cheap rent with a catch in Columbus

Picture a fully furnished Columbus apartment for $1,295 per month — with no lease, no security deposit and all utilities included. Sound too good to be true?

• It is, because there's one catch: You might have to move with just three days' notice.

Details: "Standby" living is a new residential offering from Landing, a subscription-based rental network with furnished apartments in Columbus and across the U.S.

• The service is designed for the post-pandemic, work-from-anywhere economy, Axios' Joann Muller writes.
• The concept is similar to flying standby: You can find a cheap apartment, but might get bumped by a higher-paying customer.

Why it matters: In a city with ever-rising rental costs, Landing could be an affordable option for new residents or contract workers here on temporary assignment.

How it works: Standard members pay $199 annually for priority access to rent one of the company's 20,000 apartments in 375 cities.

• Rent is month-to-month, with better rates for longer commitments. Members can relocate any time to another apartment — or another city — with two weeks' notice.

The intrigue: A cheaper "Standby" membership offers every listing at a flat rate of $1,295 per month — but they can get booted with just three days' notice if a standard member wants their apartment.

Zoom in: We found several apartments on Landing available for a three-month lease between April 1 and July 1, including:

• A 900-square-foot, two-bedroom apartment near OSU's campus for $1,500 per month (with standard member pricing).
• A small studio at the tonier Nicholas building downtown for $2,400 per month — much higher than the landlord's standard listing price.

The bottom line: Such is the cost for a furnished pad and maximum flexibility.