Although only temporary, travel nurses deserve to find a place to stay that feels like home. The question is, how do they find that place? Figuring out where to start, and what you need will help make the search for travel nurse housing easy. Use this guide to find your new travel nurse home in no time.
Where to begin?
When beginning the search for housing, you can start anywhere. You can utilize websites, friends and family, and even your agency. Just make sure that any resources you use are reputable and trusted so you can avoid scams. Here are just a few to look into:
Furnished Finder:
Furnished Finder is the perfect resource if you’re a light packer. Geared toward the travel nurse, it specializes in finding fully equipped, short-term housing, at no cost to you. In addition, the website provides useful tools like stipend budgeting. With a super easy search tool, just enter your location, move-in date, and max monthly budget, and Furnished Finder will connect you with landlords directly.
Airbnb or VRBO:
Usually advertised as sites for very fun vacation rentals, some hosts on airbnb and VRBO provide specials for longer stays. Just go online, or download their apps, and search the dates of your contract to see what an average assignment would cost. Feel free to reach out to the host to see if they will be willing to negotiate a better deal for a monthly rental. You may even be able to cut down any third-party fees if you rent through them directly. If you’re looking for a unique place to stay while on assignment, this is a great site to browse.
Extended Stay America:
Extended Stay America specializes in hosting traveling professionals. With over 650 locations, free wi-fi, on-site units, and fully functional kitchens, this hotel is prepared for any nurse on assignment. Not to mention, pets are welcome at all their hotels, making this a great option for those traveling with man’s best friend. Additionally, sign up for their free reward program and get 10% off your next stay!
Friends & family:
Friends and family are an awesome resource for getting to know the area, and potentially for a free place to crash. Staying with a familiar face may be the ideal situation for travel nurses on a tight budget – just make sure it doesn’t mess up your tax home. If you don’t plan on couch-surfing, feel free to use them as your own personal tourguide. Make sure to ask them questions about neighborhoods, traffic, fun night life, and affordable areas.
Recruiter:
And don’t forget, you can always reach out to your recruiter! Since they work with nurses all over the states, they may know some ins-and-outs about finding housing in your new city. At Ethos, our recruiters are here for you 24/7 – every step of the way.
Before making any decisions, be sure to compare prices, utilities, and amenities of any places you’re interested in, and ask yourself the right questions to make sure you’re getting exactly what you need.
What do you need to call it home?
Knowing what you’ll need for the next 13 weeks can be half the real-estate battle. Why make things harder on yourself by going in blind? Before you begin the hunt, ask yourself these questions that may or may not be deal-breakers.
What’s your budget?
You can figure this out by looking at your financial situation. Pay attention to what you’re expecting to receive from stipends, your current savings, investment goals, and other bills and expenses you’re paying. There are plenty of online resources to use as well to help you get started.
Where do you want to live?
Deciding where you want to stay can also influence your budget. If you’re traveling to a state with higher living costs, you’ll want to do a lot more research on where to stay. Do you want to live near your hospital for a shorter commute, or downtown for the night life scene, or away from the city entirely? The more popular these housing locations, the pricier it can be.
What does your specific living situation look like?
A few travel nurses take their pets with them, so they need pet-friendly homes. Others travel with friends, or look for roommates, so two bedrooms are a must. No matter if your roomie is four legged or two, it can dictate where you can stay.
Amenities or appliances?
Think about what will help make your stay feel more like home. If you like cooking, do you need a fully equipped kitchen, or are you fine with bringing your own tools? How about laundry – will trips to the laundromat become a part of your new routine, or will it drive you crazy? These small perks can truly make a difference while on assignment.
Knowing where to look and your non-negotiables will help you easily find your new home for the next 13 weeks. Although temporary, everyone deserves to stay somewhere they love.
Find your next home with ETHOS. Apply today!
