As a Travel nurse, especially one that may travel all around the country, finding furnished Housing is a necessity, not a preference. Housing for travel nurses needs to have furniture that’s already available, so you don’t need to spend time and money getting furniture into the home. Here’s a guide to finding a furnished apartment for the few months you’ll be on your travel nursing assignment.
Know what you need in your housing
First, make a list that prioritizes the important elements you need in your travel nurse housing search. Here are a few common components:
- Home or apartment size
- Specific neighborhoods
- Commute distance to your travel nursing assignment
- Price
- Pet allowance
- Lease agreement length
Make a list of absolute necessities—components that are non-negotiables, and preferences—components that you might be willing to budge on if you find a great nurse housing option that doesn’t include this.
What to look for in furnished housing
One of the reasons that travel nurses often search for furnished apartments is that it can be upsetting to come home to a completely empty house every day. It makes you feel like it isn’t really your home; it’s just a box that you sleep in. Plus, there are some kinds of basic household items that you probably need that you’ll otherwise have to purchase or take with you, neither of which are especially cost-effective options.
So, what should you be looking for? Here are a few things to check for before you choose a specific furnished housing option.
- High-quality photos – Low-quality photos tend to be indicative of a lower-quality home, and you might waste time and money on these locations if you don’t end up moving in.
- The furniture you need – Generally, you’ll need at least a bed, a couch or a few couches, a dresser in your bedroom, and a dining room table or other table. Other furniture that makes the house look like a home can also be helpful.
- Clean furniture – Whether you’re able to do your own walk-through, you’re doing a virtual walk-through, or you’re looking at pictures, check the furniture for dirty stains and general griminess. You want to feel confident that the furniture has been cleaned since the last tenant.
- Pots, pans, and dishes – If the home doesn’t have pots, pans, and dishes, then you’re either going to be ordering out a lot, or you’re going to have to buy all these things when you arrive, only to discard them when you move again. Make sure the home has them as part of the furnishments.
- Art and decorations, if desired – These are more common in “move-in ready” homes than in “fully furnished homes,” but having some artistic flair in your home can make it feel like a place you want to live as soon as you step in.
The two housing options for travel nurses
There are two options that travel nursing agencies will usually provide for your short-term housing. Those options are company housing, also called corporate housing, or taking a housing stipend and finding your own housing.
Company housing – Pros and cons
The main positive of company housing is that it’s much simpler. With this process, you allow the travel nursing agency’s housing coordinators to find a home that you can live in for the length of your contract. You let them know any housing requests you have, such as specific commutes and whether you might have a pet or a spouse with you, and they find a housing solution.
However, with that simplicity also comes some negatives. The main negative component of this option is that the travel nurse recruiter can probably find housing much cheaper than the housing stipend. That means the extra money goes straight to the travel nursing agency. Additionally, you get less control over the rental property you end up living in for the entirety of your contract.
Housing stipend – Pros and cons
The housing stipend is the option that most travel nurses take. With this option, the travel nursing agency gives you a set amount of money to pay for a rental property on your own. You’re responsible for finding short-term furnished housing that offers the type of accommodation you’re interested in, but you also get to be in charge of the entire process.
Additionally, the stipend is tax-free, and any amount that you don’t use, you’re allowed to pocket. That means this nurse housing option can actively increase your paycheck if you know how to use it correctly. Finding the perfect travel nurse housing means that you get to increase the amount of take-home pay you receive.
Tips for finding your own furnished travel nurse housing
Finding furnished housing is a bit more difficult than finding traditional unfurnished apartments. If you’ve decided not to use the agency-provided housing and you’re looking for more opportunities, then here are some tips for finding housing that meet your needs.
Filter for “Travel nurse housing”
If you’re looking for affordable travel nurse housing, then you may want to look specifically into housing that’s advertised for travel nurses. This is becoming a more common niche in short-term furnished apartments, and travel nurse apartments are available in many cities across the United States. Plus, landlords advertising in this way may be medical professionals themselves, more knowledgeable about and understanding of travel nurse jobs.
Try Facebook and other online groups
If you’re not having any luck looking on sites for travel nurses, then consider trying social media. If you can connect with other travel nurses who have experience looking for furnished housing, then they can give you more insight into the best places to look, places to stay away from, and even specific landlords they’ve had positive or negative experiences with.
Find an extended stay hotel
In some cases, especially if you’re having no luck with short-term rentals or your contract is especially short, you might want to consider an extended stay hotel. You may be able to negotiate 30-40% off the daily price when you stay for multiple weeks. And if you’re not going to stay in the area for long, this is one of the types of housing that might offer flexibility and a great location.
Use a short-term rental service
One great way to find housing is to use vacation rental websites and other similar short-term rental websites. A site like Zumper can be a great way to find short-term rentals for any situation, whether you’re renting your first-ever nurse housing for a short eight-week contract or you’re on the third 26-week contract of your career.
FAQ
The stipend associated with your travel nurse contract will vary depending on the travel nurse agency you work with and the location you’re going to. On average, you may see this stipend as low as $700 per month or as high as $5,000 per month. One of the reasons that many travel nurses choose to find their own housing is because this money is tax-free, and any money you don’t spend, you’re allowed to keep, which can improve your monthly pay significantly in some areas.
On average, travel nurse assignment contracts are 13 weeks long, which is about three months. However, some contracts can be shorter, at around eight weeks, and some may be longer, at 26 weeks or more. The most important part of finding a short-term rental for your travel nurse assignment is that the landlord offers rental contracts that are the length of your contract.
If you have a pet, then you can almost certainly bring it along with you as a travel nurse. Make sure you communicate this information clearly to the landlord before you move in. You may have an extra pet rent that you need to pay every month, and many landlords will also charge a one-time pet fee to provide for deeper cleaning after you move out.
It depends on the area, the specific property, and the service you’re using to find an apartment. On average, a furnished apartment will be more expensive than an unfurnished one, but it’s possible to find a furnished apartment at a cost that fits within your housing stipend. To avoid burnout and housing fatigue, it can be beneficial to rent a furnished apartment as a travel nurse.
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