How to Find Temporary Housing when Moving

Moving to a new place will need you to take care of so many things altogether. That’s why most people prefer creating moving checklists or calendars to tackle all moving-related priorities. One of the most common problems you may encounter is not being able to move to your new home on the moving day itself. Whether it’s because your new home isn’t ready yet or because you haven’t found a new place yet, the need for a place to stay in the interim arises.

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A temporary house can be your best solution during such times. So until you find a new home to stay or ensure that your new home is ready to move in, you can avail of short-term housing solutions. To help you find a place that you can call your home-between-homes, we have compiled a list of things that will help you with temporary housing. Let’s just dive right in to understand how to find temporary housing when moving.

1. Research For Your Short-Term Housing Options

The first thing you need to do is know about your short-term housing options before you go house hunting. There are several factors you’ll have to consider, like your needs and budget to choose the right temporary house for yourself. You can research a little bit over the Internet about the different short-term housing options in your locality. With just one click you’ll get hundreds of options that you can compare based on their advantages, prices, and drawbacks.

Short-Term Rentals

Short-term rental properties usually have month-to-month lease terms. You’ll also find several short-term apartments which will have variable lease terms. In case you’re moving with your family and need lots of room to accommodate all family members, this can be your best option.

Do keep in mind that short term rentals come with lease agreements. So you’ll have to take care of setting up all of your essential utilities in the house. Make a mental note of the fact that a lease agreement for a less amount of time will require you to pay a high monthly rent.

Corporate Housing

Corporate housing is essentially created for giving temporary housing solutions for business professionals who are traveling. Since corporate housing is similar to short-term rentals, these housing solutions are now available to all people in need of temporary housing. You can search the Internet for furnished corporate housing homes which usually are available in suburban areas. One of the advantages of furnished corporate housing is that you don’t have to worry about moving your household items. Also, your rent may include essential utilities which is an added advantage of furnished homes.

Vacation Rentals

Vacation rentals are a great option if you’re looking for temporary housing solutions. They have many advantages like furnished homes and a variety of options to choose from. If you’re moving with your family, you can rent an entire furnished house. Otherwise, a single person can rent a one-bedroom apartment.

Some of the most popular vacation rentals are Airbnb, VRBO, HomeAway, etc. You can easily find these rental companies online. The best thing about online booking is that you get to confirm the availability of a home along with its pricing. You can even check out their long-term options especially during off-season months.

Extended Stay Hotels

There will be times when it will be difficult for you to find a short-term rental, especially if you need temporary housing immediately. That’s when you can consider hotels that offer extended stays. You can avail of different amenities offered by the hotel like a furnished kitchen, bedroom and bathroom, free breakfast, gym memberships, and WiFi.

Depending on your needs, you can choose to stay in a suite or a single room with basic amenities. Do keep in mind that your rent will vary depending on the kind of hotel and room you choose, time period of your stay, etc.

Sublets

A sublet is available when a tenant has to move during a lease period. That’s when such tenants look out for people who can stay in their rental apartment and pay the rent on their behalf. An important thing to note is that a sublet will require the permission of the landlord. Also, you may not have the same agreement rights as the actual tenant because of the lease being under their name. That’s why it’s best to ask for an official contact if you’re considering a sublease.

2. Understand Your Needs

When researching your temporary housing options, it’s important that you be mindful of your needs. The first thing you need to consider is whether you need a one-bedroom unit or a large house. So if you’re planning to move with your entire family, you’ll have to search for large units like two or three-bedroom houses. Speaking of family, your lovely pets cannot be forgotten. If you’re moving with your pets, you’ll have to search for pet-friendly rental homes.

Another important thing to consider is the location of your rental home. Depending on whether you want the home in close proximity to your workplace, child’s school, etc., you can choose a convenient location. The crime rate and commute time of the place also needs to be analyzed before you agree to stay at a particular place. Also, the different kinds of amenities you’ll need will also need to be considered. That will include whether you’re looking for a furnished house, a luxurious apartment or a simple one-bedroom unit, etc. You’ll have to enquire about the amenities your rental company can offer you.

Also Read our Article on Temporary Housing Options for your Next Move.

3. Consult A Real Estate Agent

To help speed up the process of hunting a rental home, it’s best to consult a real estate agent. Your real estate agent will have several contacts and resources that will come to your aid when it comes to finding a temporary home. Whether it’s finding a place in a city close to your work or a home within your budget, you can ask your agent to help you with the process. The best thing is that you won’t have to pay your agent anything; your rental home landlord will pay them the commission.

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4. Know Your Budget

It’s important that you plan a budget for your temporary home as you’ll have to take care of other moving-related expenses as well. Be mindful of the fact that the longer you stay at a rental home, the cheaper your home rent is going to be. Speaking of rental homes, you’re most likely to get discounted rates for signing a long-term lease of 3 or 6 months time. Having said that, other factors like the location of the property, different amenities, etc. will determine the overall rent.

If you’re considering extended stay hotels, your overall cost will depend on whether yours is a one-bedroom suite or a three-bedroom suite, different amenities you ask for, location of the hotel, etc. Your average rent in an extended stay hotel would be around $800 for a month. There are cheaper options available for around $90 to $125 on a weekly basis. The catch is that the locality of these cheap hotels may not be in safe neighborhoods and so you need to be very careful.

5. Determine The Length Of Your Stay

When you’re searching for a temporary house, don’t forget to determine the length of your stay. Depending on whether you want to stay for a week, one month or six months, you’ll have to look for temporary housing options that meet your criteria. Not always will your budget complement your length of stay. So don’t forget about staying within your budget when choosing a rental home. Just in case you don’t know how long you’ll be staying, make sure you choose a rental company that will offer you flexibility in terms of your length of stay.

6. Approach Property Owners Or Brokers

Once you have understood your housing options and planned your budget, it’s time to start narrowing down your options for temporary housing. There are several property owners and brokers that will offer you short-term rental options. Just make sure you don’t keep your search limited to the Internet. You can even contact the property owners and brokers in your neighborhood and enquire if they have any unit that suits your needs and budget.

Speaking of some of the popular sites for temporary housing, you can consider Airbnb, HomeAway, VRBO, etc. as your housing options. Otherwise, there are several popular extended stay hotels like Extended Stay America which offer online booking services.

You can also approach brokers who are licensed and have their own real estate firm. Depending on your affordability, needs and location, they will help you find the best housing options for you. Want to know what’s the best part? Just like your real estate agent, you won’t have to pay them anything. The property owner of your rental home will give the brokers their commission.

Also See: Benefits of Hiring a Rental Broker

7. Be Flexible With Your Search

The more flexible you are with your search, the sooner you can find a temporary home for yourself. You can also get yourself a discount or a cheap rental home if you decide to compromise on certain requirements.

If you’re looking for temporary housing for a short period of time, you can adjust with minimal amenities. Things like upgraded appliances, swimming pools, expensive neighborhoods, gym memberships, etc. can be avoided. That way you can save yourself a lot of bucks and get a rental home within your budget or sometimes even cheaper.

8. Create A Plan For Your Belongings

After you have found a temporary home for yourself, the next thing to do is decide what all things you want to take along with you. You can ask your property owner to know what all things are available in the home. If it’s a furnished home, you’ll have to take very few with you. But if your rental home isn’t furnished, you’ll have to take along your basic items like kitchenware, furniture, wardrobe, toiletries, etc.

Don’t get carried away by packing too many things. That will just add up to your expenses and put your items at risk of getting damaged during the move. You’ll also have to make arrangements for the items you’re not taking along with you. That’s when you’ll have to consider taking a storage facility in your locality. Otherwise, you can just contact your moving company and check if they provide storage facilities. Whether you decide to seek storage facilities or not, you need to plan this well in advance to avoid any last-minute stress.

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Conclusion

Finding temporary housing can be really intimidating and challenging at times. You just have to be very flexible with your search and see to it that you start researching your housing options. If you’ve read our guide on how to find temporary housing when moving, you certainly will find the right temporary home for yourself.

FAQs

How Do I Temporarily Move Somewhere?

If you want to temporarily move somewhere, you can consider different housing options like short-term rentals, corporate housing, vacation rentals, extended stay hotels or sublets. Otherwise, you can contact any close relatives or friends and ask them if you can stay with them for some time.

What Should I Bring To Temporary Housing?

If yours is a furnished home, you won’t have to worry about bringing in too many belongings. But if your rental home is not a furnished one, make sure to carry the following things:

• Kitchenware
• Bedding
• Furniture
• Wardrobe
• Toiletries

How To Find A Rental House When You Move?

You can find several rental properties on the Internet. All you have to do is search for temporary housing in your locality and you’ll get tons of results with a click. You can also approach your real estate agent, brokers, or property managers to search for rental houses.

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See also: Top-Rated Movers Near Me