Right now, rates for travel nursing are at an all-time high. However, the cost of real estate has also swelled over the course of the pandemic, and more nurses than ever are leaving permanent jobs to chase crisis rates. All of these factors combined have led to increased costs for short-term renters and may make finding travel nurse housing that much more stressful.
Keep in mind that this is why Furnished Finder is a great resource right now–since you don’t have to pay things like booking or cleaning fees through the site, you will automatically save a chunk of money by using them to find housing. In addition to using Furnished Finder, here are a few other ways you can find housing that fits your budget during this hectic time in healthcare.
Creative Housing Tips for Travel Nursing
Option One: Consider a roommate.
If you are a stickler about your housing budget and are struggling to find the right fit in a private space, look into rooming-in at someone’s house or find another travel nurse who will be living in the same area who is willing to split a place. One huge positive of the influx of traveling healthcare professionals is that you will almost always be able to find a handful of people starting at the same facility in the same timeframe. Be sure to reach out to travel nurse housing groups to try and connect with other travelers who might be willing to share a space with you!
Option Two: Look into hotels.
Did you know Furnished Finder actually has a whole page dedicated to hotels that cater to long-term occupants? These types of hotels are often overlooked by travel nurses because they assume the cost will be too high, but you might be surprised by how affordable they can be.
Don’t forget to ask about how taxes work in your assignment’s area as well, because you may be entitled to a refund on taxes after a stay of at least 30 days. This, combined with the fact that you get cleaning services, linens, and items like toilet paper provided, can really make a hotel stay make sense.
Option Three: Splurge a little.
While you may not want to spend more money on housing just because you are offered a crisis rate, keep in mind that those rates are high for a reason. Not only is the hospital desperate for help, but they know resources in the area are stretched thin across the board.
Look at it this way: you are likely going to work the hardest you ever have in some of these hard-hit areas. You will also be making 3-4 times more than your typical travel rates and most likely coming off far ahead of any normal assignment. Consider taking a little stress off your plate and opting for one of the nicer or larger homes over on the Furnished Finder housing database, and giving yourself a nice relaxing place to come home to after working your hardest.
It can seem like an overwhelming time to be in healthcare, but remember that these rent prices (and these rates!) won’t last forever. Eventually, the crisis rates will die back down, more nurses will go back to permanent jobs, and the availability of short-term rentals will go back to normal. Until then, take a deep breath, make sure you are choosing a safe, clean place to stay, and don’t forget to remind yourself how awesome it is to have a lifestyle that can adjust with whatever craziness is going on in the world.
We hope you found these creative housing tips helpful. Do you have any creative housing tips to share with fellow travel nurses? Comment them below.
Are you looking for your next travel nurse assignment? Click here to view our job board. Need to secure housing for your assignment? Click here to view our housing page.
