You definitely want to make sure there’s housing in the area you plan to work in BEFORE you accept that contract!
Remember, there are two ways to approach the housing situation:
- You find the housing yourself. This means you get a tax free housing stipend every paycheck!
- You let the agency find your housing. Unfortunately, you give up that tax free money, but you don’t have to deal with the hassle of finding potentially scarce housing.
Now, there are so many GREAT websites to find housing on! Let’s talk about them!
Furnished Finder
https://www.furnishedfinder.com/
Furnished Finder is essentially the AirBnB of the traveling healthcare world! There are plenty of homes, apartments, rooms, and even hotels (with a discount!!!) listed on their website.
This is usually the first place I look when trying to find housing for a new travel assignment.
AirBnB
https://www.airbnb.com/
AirBnb is a great choice because so many hosts are using it these days! You can even find hosts that give discounts for stays longer than a week and sometimes longer than a month.
The only caveat: AirBnB tacks on A LOT of fees for your stay.
Pro Tip: If you find that dream AirBnB then take the time to reach out to the host and ask if they are willing to do a traditional style least so you can avoid the fees! Most hosts are willing to work with healthcare travelers as they have stable income and tend to be clean, reliable tenants. Use this to your advantage!
VRBO
https://www.vrbo.com/
VRBO is an alternative to AirBnB and may provide you with some additional options that aren’t listed in other places. It is good to check here is housing seems limited in the area you want to go to!
Corporate Housing
https://www.corporatehousing.com/
Corporate Housing tends to be on the more expensive side, but you’re guaranteed to get a great quality furnished place to stay during your travel assignment!
Extended Stays
https://www.extendedstayamerica.com/
If you don’t have any qualms about staying at a hotel this can be a great option to save some serious cash! Many of the extended stay hotels come with a kitchenette, but you can even consider a stay in a hotel room if you’re willing to be creative with your dining options. (And if you don’t like to cook… Well, this could be a perfect option for you!)
Pro Tip: If you decide to stay at a hotel make sure it, at the bare minimum, has a microwave and fridge. Want to take it up a notch? Bring along a small crockpot and your airfryer and you’ll save a lot of money on food!
Private Facebook Groups
“Travel Nurse Housing – The Gypsy Nurse”
Because traveling healthcare workers are growing in numbers many have banded together in groups like the one above to bring workers and hosts together in an easy access, quick response style environment.
Facebook Marketplace
You might be hard pressed to find a fully furnished apartment on the Facebook Marketplace, but they do exist!
Consider looking for sublets in the area you’re planning to go to and reach out to a few people directly!
Craigslist
https://craigslist.org
Craigslist has been around forever and is still a viable option to find housing for your travel assignment!
Many room shares are available, but be careful as there are many scams posted on Craigslist.
Apartment Search Websites
https://www.apartments.com/
https://www.zillow.com/homes/for_rent/
If you’re willing to furnished your own apartment on the cheap (or rent furniture) then apartments can be a great option if you’re having difficulty finding housing through other means! Many apartments offer short term leases and will be flexible with a lot of things if you just ask.
Just remember – You will be responsible for most utilities so factor that into your budget!
Pro Tip: Look at consignment shops, Habitat for Humanity Restores, and thrift stores for basic home furnishings and decorations so you can hold onto more of your hard earned money!
Hello Landing
https://www.hellolanding.com
Hello Landing is a good alternative to Corporate Housing as their options tend to be more affordable.
You’ll still be getting a fully furnished apartment with flexible lease terms!
Hello Landing has apartments across the United States, so you will more than likely be able to find one in your destination area.
Campgrounds
Do you have a camper or motorhome? Campgrounds might be a great options for you if you don’t want to live out of a few rubbermaid totes for the upcoming years of your life.
You can quite literally take a piece of your “home” with you everywhere you go, and you don’t have to pack it up every single time!
This list is a great starting point to look at BEFORE you submit to an assignment. You don’t want to be down and out once you arrive to an unfamiliar place!
However, you can always have your agency provide the housing for you if you’d really like to visit a particular area. You’ll just be giving up that tax free money!
New to Travel Work?
Visit our entire travel work series here.
Have you used any of these options on an assignment? What has been your favorite way to find housing? Let me know in the comments below!
1 thought on “How to Find Excellent Housing as a Travel Tech!”