If you’re among the 15% of Americans who are moving, you know the task is hard enough without the stress of trying to find a home to buy or rent from afar.
A temporary rental is a great option to get you to your new city and buy time before making any life-changing decisions.
Whether you need furnished or unfurnished, are staying a couple of days or a couple of months, there are short term housing arrangements for any need.
Here are four short term rental options and the advantages of each.
1. Corporate Housing
Corporate housing is a type of temporary housing that provides move-in-ready homes. It is sometimes called executive housing.
Today, corporate housing is not just for employees. People who are relocating to a new city make up the largest corporate housing market.
Corporate housing was designed to provide hard-working travelers with everything they need for a home away from home. The inclusions are a huge advantage compared to other types of short term home rentals.
Although the clientele has expanded, the model and amenities haven’t changed.
Corporate housing units come furnished unless you request otherwise. This makes it easy to store your furniture in one place if you’re between homes or keep your furniture at your home.
They also include great amenities like maintenance services, utilities, internet, housekeeping, kitchen utensils, bedding, and towels. You won’t have to worry about packing and unpacking everyday essentials.
Generally, corporate housing rentals are charged based on how long you’re staying. If you’re staying a week or two, then you will most likely be charged based on a daily rate.
Longer stays may be charged by the week or month. Rates will typically decrease the longer you stay and will be based on the size of the apartment or house.
Finding corporate housing is as easy as doing a search for “corporate housing + the city name and state.”
2. Short Term/Temporary Rentals
A short term rental differs from corporate housing in that they do not come with the hotel-like amenities.
These are often houses, apartments, or condos that leasing agencies need to find temporary residents for. Perhaps someone was evicted or someone needs to sublet their home due to relocation or emergency circumstances.
Some short term leases will include furniture and others will not. Depending on the leasing company or the agreement with the lease-holding, the rental may include utilities and amenities like internet and cable.
These options are great if you’re in between homes and need time to learn about a new city before choosing a more permanent home there. If you want more information, a great place to look is the Between Moves blog.
A short term rental will give you a place to live while exploring which neighborhoods you like and viewing rentals or for-sale homes.
If you go through a rental agency, you’ll have peace of mind with their provided services such as maintenance, lawn care, and appliances.
If you sublease or rent from a private individual, you may have more freedom in terms of the length of stay and price. You may also be able to negotiate what is included.
3. Private Rentals
Community marketplaces have become extremely popular for the affordability and homey services.
Community-sourced housing is a private home rental service such as Airbnb, VRBO, Owner Direct, Homeaway, and Craigslist.
They are typically used for vacation and work-travel, but they can easily be used as a short term rental home.
Renting a house or apartment through Airbnb can save you approximately 20% when compared to hotel rates. Plus, you get all the amenities of a home included.
Private home rentals are typically furnished and include everything you need aside from your clothes and toothbrush. The owner continues to pay for utilities and services and remains responsible for the house and appliances.
Some even offer bicycles to get around, recreational items like kayaks, and/or breakfast and coffee.
If you have a place to store your stuff, then a private rental may be perfect for you. They are charged by the day and prices will vary based on the season and the city.
4. Extended-Stay Hotels
Extended-stay hotels include hotel or motel rooms that can be reserved for weeks or even months.
They are different than general hotel rooms because they come with a kitchen or kitchenette and a work area.
Similar to corporate housing, the rates vary based on daily, weekly, and monthly rates. The longer you stay, the cheaper the rate will be.
Extended-stay hotels come with many amenities that you won’t find with housing rentals. These include front-desk services, housekeeping, maintenance, linens, towels, and toiletries.
In addition, hotels offer incentives for extended-stay customers such as free breakfast and discounts on food and drinks.
To find an extended-stay hotel, you can do an internet search for one in your preferred city. If you’re brand-loyal to a specific hotel, you can visit their website or call to see if they offer extended stays.
The downside to staying in a hotel is that you won’t have the space and furniture you’d get in renting a home or staying in corporate housing.
In addition, hotels may be more expensive than other options.
Find the Perfect Short Term Rental Today
Which short term rental type is right for you?
Whether you’re looking for corporate housing, private rentals, or extended-stay hotels, Find A Business That can help.
Use the easy search platform to find local companies or real-estate agents who specialize in temporary rentals and leases. You can also find credible moving companies to make the move even easier.
Check out the blog, too, for all kinds of tips on moving, rentals, and the real-estate market.