June 24, 2019

30021 Views

How Do Travel Nurses Get Licensed?

Posted on June 24, 2019July 26, 2023 by TNAA- Travel Nurse Across America

This article was provided by: Travel Nurse Across America

Travel Nurse License Information

When considering a career in travel nursing, many nurses wonder about multi-state licensure or how to obtain the licenses to work in multiple states. While it can be confusing, the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) and many travel nursing agencies are actively working to make this process easier. After all, travel nurses are needed to fill staffing shortages, so the faster and easier it is to be licensed, the sooner they can work.

Compact Licensure

The NCSBN created the NLC Nurse Licensure Compact to allow nurses to be able to travel from state to state without having to pay to obtain temporary or permanent licenses. Unfortunately, not all states participate. Your travel nursing agency should have specialists dedicated to all things nurse licensure: staying updated on eNLC requirements and which states have pending legislation to join. You can find a map of states participating here. You will also be required to provide proof of residency in a compact state — like a driver’s license, voter registration, and tax documents.

What About States That Don’t Participate?

States that are not part of the Nurse Licensure Compact require a different process, and it can become expensive and time-consuming to obtain the proper licenses. Most travel agencies offer services to help you obtain them but be on the lookout for one that also covers costs like fingerprinting and application fees.

Utilizing Temporary Licenses

You may hear about “walk-through states” — these are states that give out a temporary nurse license so you can immediately start working while pursuing a permanent license in that state. These temporary licenses are given to nurses who are planning to move to a state, already have a job, or are working on a permanent license. It allows staffing shortages to be filled quickly. A great travel nursing agency will help you obtain this license with little to no cost to you, so be sure to ask your recruiter about this. Your temporary license should last the length of your assignment while your agency helps you obtain your permanent one.

I’ve Heard It’s Difficult to Obtain a License in Some States.

States like California, Washington, and Illinois have a longer process, and for travel nurses, start time is everything. The process in states like these can take several weeks and may impede landing an assignment. Luckily, some agencies can expedite the process through valet programs. Ask your recruiter if you meet the requirements for an expedited licensing program offered by your agency. Requirements may include already being booked for an assignment with your agency, a clean license with no disciplinary actions or convictions, and being specialty-specific.

The Agency Advantage

If all of this sounds complicated, don’t worry. Your travel nursing agency should be in your corner, ensuring licensure is a worry-free process. When you’re talking to recruiters, be sure to ask about their licensure process. Do they cover the cost of applying, fingerprinting, and help with non-compact states? A great agency will not only assist with obtaining your license but will help you through the process and ensure you meet any and all continuing education requirements.

Still have questions about travel nurse licenses? Here are a few more articles with helpful travel nurse license information:

Finished the travel nursing guide and are ready to look for an assignment?

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By The Gypsy Nurse

June 23, 2019

35526 Views

Ask A Travel Nurse: Can I Rent Out My Tax Home?

Posted on June 23, 2019November 10, 2023 by The Gypsy Nurse

Can I rent out my travel nurse tax home and still receive a housing stipend?

The short answer is YES. However, there are additional considerations you should be aware of if you are attempting to use the tax home as a qualifier for ‘duplicated expenses’ for tax-free stipends. If you are receiving tax-free housing stipends, you need to have a residence available for personal use in the area of your tax home. Once you have rented out your house, it is no longer your residence but a business property.

ADDITIONAL TRAVEL NURSE TAX INFORMATION

Answer:

Travel nurse tax home: Understanding the tax home can be very daunting. There are several articles on this topic, and it’s always recommended if you have questions, contact the expert: TravelTax

According to TravelTax:

Generally, you need to have a residence available for personal use in the area of your tax home. Once you have rented out your house, it is no longer your residence but a business property. However, here are a few options if you get the urge to become a landlord.

You rent it out and lease other accommodations somewhere in the same metropolitan area for yourself. This essentially turns your ex-residence into a business venture, regardless of profit or loss.
You rent it out but retain a portion for personal use, NOT just storage. (This could be done in the case of an in-law apt or renting to friends/family who you know well enough to stay at the house in between assignments.)
You rent it out as a vacation rental. This is great for those who live in tourist areas. You are allowed to rent it out completely for part of the year while you go off on assignment. Because the lease is for less than a year, and you are occupying it the rest of the time, it qualifies, and you can still keep your reimbursements tax-free.

See more at: TravelTax.com and check out the TOP 10 Questions for Travel Nurses on Taxes

Finished the travel nursing guide and are ready to look for an assignment?

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By Amanda Evers

June 17, 2019

55439 Views

Buying a House as a Travel Nurse

Posted on June 17, 2019April 29, 2024 by Amanda Evers

Tips for the travel nurse buying a house:

To your healthcare colleagues, you are paid! They are ready for you to foot the bill at lunch. Your friends and family know you started this journey with the intention of making more than you did as staff. You yourself know you are doing awesome (or at least better!) financially. Buuuut your lender? They see that taxable income, and they think you are doing awful. “You only made WHAT last year? And you’re a nurse..? Do you only work for 13 weeks at a time?? And you want to be approved for HOW much?” This is very common for a travel nurse buying a house or trying to buy a house.

At this point, your bank or lender thinks you’re crazy and almost immediately denies you. But can you blame them, though? Think of how many times you had to read your own contract and pay to break it down to really understand it or how scary (but somewhat exciting) to know at the end of 13 weeks. You may be in a totally new state and facility or not working at all. With time and experience, we began to see how advantageous tax-free earnings are and that we are constantly being offered extensions or bombarded with new opportunities! And your lender can too.

House buying process

Whether looking to buy a new house and keep traveling, adding to your portfolio, or found a place in your travels you are ready to call home, you may at some point experience this travel nurse nightmare. Having to prove your worthiness beyond your credit score and nominal tax return and prove the reliability and permanency of your employment can be frustrating and time-consuming, especially when doing it remotely while traveling!

I’ve been a traveler for 2.5 years, and after 1 year, I decided I wanted to utilize a home equity line of credit for some repairs on my permanent residence. I had doubled my income that year and the house was paid off, so I thought it would be a simple process. But simply turned into 5 months of frustration, demands, negotiations, and denials. After months of trying to prove myself, I realized I never really explained myself. How we work as travelers is complex and can be confusing! In my research, I found that a pro tip when trying to get a mortgage or loan is to include a letter with your offer. So I wrote a very, very detailed letter of explanation. The next day, I was approved!! My underwriter told me they were honestly just confused and didn’t understand travel nursing.

Research

I did some research to see if other travelers were ever in this situation. I found an old forum from 2011 on a real estate website, where multiple nurses stated they were denied mortgages and had to change their plans based on the same issues and confusion I faced. I commented to see if travelers were still struggling with this, and even though the original post was from 2011, I immediately got a lot of responses. Travelers who were struggling similarly and even real estate agents whose clients were traveling professionals being denied loans reached out to ask what I incorporated in the explanation letter. I even connected with a nurse who went to staff to try and prove her employment reliability and still got denied by 6 lenders until she submitted an explanation letter! The work we do is awesome, and we deserve as much recognition and credibility as anyone else.

In a concise but detailed page or less, the key points to explain are:

1- The “contract”

No bank or anyone removed from healthcare is going to understand this. They see 13-week employment and see temporary, not consistent income. We see the opportunity to make bank on a beach in Cali or in a cabin in the Midwest, but your lender does not. Explain the concept of extensions and how often nurses stay in one place for up to a year if they choose or how we proactively secure the next contract before our current contract is up. Discuss the nursing shortage in your specialty and how there are jobs in every state. At the end of your 13-week “contract,” you will be employed somewhere! Reinforce that you keep your license in your state where you keep your IRS-mandated permanent residence so if you ever wanted to return home to permanent staff, you easily could without lapse in employment.

No bank is going to understand this

2- The income

We know our tax returns do not directly reflect the actual amount of money we make a year. Explain to your prospective lender the stipend and the GSA, and be prepared to provide pay stubs or forms of proof. Explain that there are sign-on bonuses, extension bonuses, travel reimbursement, overtime rates, increased pay in certain destinations, strike contracts, guaranteed hours, etc. Highlight every possible way you have made money and found travel nursing lucrative!

3- Briefly explain nursing

As part of your introduction, highlight what you do, your specialty, and how your schedule works. Lenders like 9-5, 5-day-a-week employee applicants because they know and identify with these applicants and view their employment as secure. Be as detailed as you want with this part. I included I worked in psych, and my lender viewed this as favorable due to her own personal experience.

The house-buying process as a travel nurse can be hard. We hope with these tips. The process will be a little easier.

If you are a travel nurse looking for housing for your next assignment, check out our Housing Page!

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By Gifted Healthcare

June 14, 2019

18130 Views

Nursing Spotlight: TV Shows, Movies, and Series Featuring Nurses on Screen

Posted on June 14, 2019December 19, 2023 by Gifted Healthcare

This article provided by: Gifted Healthcare

tv shows and movies for travel nurses — Photo by Seth Cottle on Unsplash

Travel Nurses work hard and deserve downtime just like everybody else. And when it’s time to relax, there’s nothing better than getting cozy and watching a great movie or TV show.

And when it’s time to relax, there’s nothing better than getting cozy and watching a great movie or TV show.

Do you have a favorite nurse from the silver screen? You may find a new one when you check out our list of great movies and television shows about nursing and medicine.

Read on for a list of classics and under-the-radar gems.

TV Shows

Nurse Jackie

Nurse Jackie is a medical comedy-drama television series starring Edie Falco that ran from 2009 – 2015 on Showtime. The show follows ER Nurse Jackie Peyton’s daily routine at All Saints’ Hospital, a hectic New York City facility.

Nurse Jackie was popular with both audiences and critics due to Jackie’s raw portrayal as an exceptional yet flawed clinician. The show deals with present-day topics like opioid addiction and the current state of the U.S. healthcare system.

Nurse Jackie is a dark but comedic take on nursing, written with intelligence and depth. You can stream it on Netflix.

Call the Midwife

Call the Midwife is a fascinating period drama that follows young midwife Jenny Lee, who works in 1950’s East London. The show was originally adapted from Jennifer Worth’s memoirs, who worked as a midwife in an East London convent following World War II.

Call the Midwife spotlights the heroic and often thankless work of nurses serving patients in an impoverished community. Critics have praised it for its unique blend of social commentary on present-day female social issues with accurate post-WWII London portrayals.

If you like historical dramas, plan on being glued to the screen once you start watching Call, the Midwife. You can binge all 8 seasons of it on Netflix.

HawthoRNe

HawthoRNe is a medical drama starring Jada Pinkett Smith as Christina Hawthorne, a Chief Nursing Officer at Richmond Trinity Hospital in Richmond, Virginia. The show highlights Christina Hawthorne’s passion for nursing, depicting her as a tireless advocate for her patients and staff.

Given the countless stream-able options of modern television, HawthoRNe is often overlooked. However, it’s a broader, mainstream alternative to the dark and intense shows that make up so much of modern-day television.

You can stream all 3 seasons of HawthoRNe on Amazon Prime.

Movies

**MAS*H**

We begin the movie side of the list with a classic.

M*A*S*H is a 1970 war movie based on Richard Hooker’s famous novel, MASH: A Novel About Three Doctors. M*A*S*H was one of the most popular films of the 1970s and inspired the famous television series of the same name.

The movie takes place during the Korean War. It follows two combat surgeons, “Hawkeye” Pierce and “Duke” Forrest, through various trials and tribulations as they adapt to practicing medicine during wartime.

M*A*S*H is an important release in the history of cinema, and one of the first modern films to revolve around the medical profession. You can find it on Amazon Prime and YouTube.

WIT

Wit is a 2001 television movie based on a Pulitzer Prize-winning play of the same name. It follows Vivian Bearing’s life, a professor of English literature after she is diagnosed with Stage IV ovarian cancer.

Although Wit’s main character is not a nurse, one of its most important characters is. The only person who shows Vivian compassion and care is nurse Susie Monahan, and the two develop a bond that plays a major role in the movie’s central lesson.

Wit is a powerful exploration of the impact that a great nurse can make on a patient. Find it on HBO Now and HBO Go.

Patch Adams

Our list ends with a feel-good classic. Patch Adams follows Hunter “Patch” Adams, a former psychiatric patient who decides to become a doctor after a life-changing stay in a mental institution. Adams’ methods as a physician, which emphasize humor and compassion, are controversial among his colleagues and serve as the central theme in the film.

We’ve included Patch Adams on our list due to its positive portrayal of the nurse’s role. Throughout the movie, Adams encourages his medical students to work closely and respectfully with nurses, highlighting them as integral players in quality patient outcomes.

Stream Patch Adams on Amazon Prime.

From comedies to period dramas, there is a diverse range of great movies and television shows about nursing and medicine. Your next favorite could be on our list, just waiting to be watched.

No matter which one you choose, we hope you get some much-deserved R&R so that you can seize the day (or night) like the all-star Travel Nurse that you are! We hope you found this list of tv shows & movies for travel nurses helpful and fun!

If you are a new travel nurse or looking into becoming a travel nurse:

START HERE

Travel Nurse Guide: Step-by-Step (now offered in a PDF Downloadable version!)

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By The Gypsy Nurse

June 12, 2019

12128 Views

What Do You Find Frustrating About Travel Nursing?

Posted on June 12, 2019May 20, 2021 by The Gypsy Nurse

We hear a lot about the fun side of travel nursing but what Frustrates travel nurses? We asked our travel nurse network group what they find frustrating about travel nursing and here is what they had to say.

Travel Nurse Frustrations

We were able to break down some of the more common issues into 4 categories. In addition to listing the common travel nurse frustrations, we’ve listed some of the ways that you can ease these frustrations.

Travel Nurse Frustrations: On-boarding Issues

Dealing with unreliable and incompetent Credential Analysts
On boarding process. Items that the traveler has to complete for each new contract. The ppd, drug test, check list, computer training.
Doing the same modules every. Single. Assignment.

Unfortunately, the on boarding process is a huge travel nurse frustration and is as varied as the number of hospitals that use travelers. Each individual hospital has it’s own requirements and no matter how prepared the traveler, there will always be on boarding issues. There are a few things that the traveler can do to make this process a bit better. Making sure that you have an updated travel nurse portfolio is the first and most important thing you can do to ease the on boarding. There will still be modules, computer training, drug tests, and checklists for each individual hospital but perhaps you can avoid that PPD.

When on boarding for a new agency or a new contract, understand that some of those last-minute issues aren’t actually coming from an ‘incompetent’ credentialing person – but from the hospital itself. Many times, the person doing the credentialing doesn’t get last minute information until they are passing it onto you.

Travel Nurse Frustrations: On The Job Issues

Being treated like a new nurse and underestimating experience.
Being treated like you should know how every facility works, where things are located, charting systems, and all of the hospital policies while simultaneously being treated like a moron.
No cubby, locker, email account, access to the paging system, or Istat/glucometer login access.
House wide orientation
Not being able to make change in the hospital you’re working at when their protocols or “ways of doing things” aren’t best practice.

Tips for on the job Issues

Someday, maybe hospitals will understand these issues. As a travel nurse all we can do is attempt to educate each new facility on how important these items are. A large part of being able to educate is to build trust between you (the traveler) and the hospital. Effective communication is the key here.

When hitting the floor (hopefully for orientation), talk to your preceptor and provide them a brief overview of your experience and what items you need help with: where are supplies, how do you contact physicians, basic day to day policies, etc.

What items are necessary for you to actually take care of patients? It’s not unreasonable for the traveler to insist on having these items BEFORE accepting patient care. It’s illegal to chart under someone else’s login. Patient safety requires that at a minimum nurses have access to the patients chart, medications, etc.

Do you have suggestions on how the hospital can improve? Ask for an exit interview. If you are able to arrange an exit interview – go prepared! Make sure that your approach is one of process improvement and safe patient care; not simply complaining about what you feel is ‘wrong’ with the current processes.

Contract and Pay Issues

tavel nurse frustrations — Photo by: https://unsplash.com/@kellysikkema

3rd party vendors (VMS/MSP) lower the pay rate.
Contracts are only one sided. No protections for the traveler.
Getting canceled and not getting paid.
Worrying constantly about getting sick and getting losing pay as well as penalties.
Pay rate for the hours of 37 to 40

Tips for Contract and Pay Issues

The first step in dealing with contract and pay issues for the travel nurse is to understand all of the aspects of your travel nurse contract. Additionally, it’s important to make sure that everything is detailed in your contract. Do you know what your pay is for hours 37-40? What are the penalties for missed shifts (sick days) and can you make them up? Does the agency/hospital have to give you any notice for termination? Is your contract going through a VMS/MSP? Knowledge is KEY! Asking these questions and making sure that all necessary items are covered in your contract are your responsibility as a travel nurse.

Other / Misc Issues

Finding affordable furnished housing.
Unsolicited calls, texts, and emails from Agency reps.
Keeping track of references.

Finished the travel nursing guide and are ready to look for an assignment?

Check out our travel nurse jobs!

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—Meagan L. | Cath Lab

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By The Gypsy Nurse

June 10, 2019

11351 Views

Disaster Volunteer Registry: By State

Posted on June 10, 2019November 28, 2023 by The Gypsy Nurse

Travel nurses are always seeking ways to help out after a disaster. Preparation is crucial. Be prepared by signing up for the state disaster volunteer registry near you or where you are licensed. We’ve included state, national, and community organizations for your convenience. Additionally, please let us know if we’ve missed any agencies that need to be added.

REGISTER NOW!

If you hold a state license, get registered now as a state disaster volunteer. I recommend that you add this to your assignment arrival checklist so that you are ready to go as soon as your feet hit the ground!

Who is Eligible? In most states the following can register as healthcare volunteers

Advanced practice registered nurses (nurse practitioners, certified nurse anesthetists, certified nurse midwives, clinical nurses specialists)
Behavioral health professionals (marriage and family therapists, clinical social workers, psychologists, and mental health counselors)
Cardiovascular technologist and technicians
Dentists
Diagnostic medical sonographers
Emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and paramedics
Licensed practical nurses and licensed vocational nurses
Medical and clinical laboratory technicians (includes phlebotomists)
Medical and clinical laboratory technologists
Medical records and health information technologists
Pharmacists
Physicians
Physician assistants
Radiologic technologists and technicians
Registered nurses
Respiratory therapists
Veterinarians

Disaster Volunteer Registry State Agencies

The following list is of State-operated volunteer registries for disaster and/or emergency response. There are many other opportunities to volunteer with independent and national agencies. Please let us know if you find any broken links or if we’ve missed anything.

Alabama	Montana
Alaska	Nebraska
Arizona	Nevada
Arkansas	New Hampshire
California	New Jersey
Colorado	New Mexico
Connecticut	New York
Delaware	North Carolina
District Of Columbia	North Dakota
Florida	Ohio
Georgia	Oklahoma
Hawaii	Oregon
Idaho	Pennsylvania
Illinois	Rhode Island
Indiana	South Carolina
Iowa	South Dakota
Kansas	Tennessee
Kentucky	Texas
Louisiana	Utah
Maine	Vermont
Maryland	Virginia
Massachusetts	Washington
Michigan	West Virginia
Minnesota	Wisconsin
Mississippi	Wyoming
Missouri

National Disaster Volunteer Organizations

In addition to State agencies, there are several National Agencies that you can pre-register with. These are national Government approved disaster volunteer organizations. Please let us know in the comments below if other government organizations should add to this list.

Emergency System for Advance Registration of Volunteer Health Professionals – US Department of Health & Human Services
Medical Reserve Corp – Home
National Citizen Corp
National Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT)

Other Volunteer Organizations

Please let us know in the comments below if there are other non-governmental disaster volunteer organizations that we should add to this list.

Additional Resources:

The Importance of Travel Nurses During a Natural Disaster

A Travel Nurse’s Unique Story of Surviving Hurricane Irma in the US Virgin Islands

Nurses Getting the Lights Back On

Finished the travel nursing guide and are ready to look for an assignment?

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By The Gypsy Nurse

June 9, 2019

12593 Views

Travel Nurse Interview Prep

Posted on June 9, 2019May 20, 2021 by The Gypsy Nurse

Interview prep for the travel nurse can be critical to your final decision. Travel nurse interviews aren’t all about the hospital asking you questions. Traveler needs to know what they are getting into when it comes to contract positions. Once you’ve been selected for an interview, it’s important to prep so you can manage the interview effectively to make sure it’s a good fit.

It’s important to remember when interviewing that you are interviewing the Hospital as much as they are interviewing you. Make sure to ask questions in order to find out if a Hospital is going to be a good fit for your Needs.

PREP: Hospital Travel Nurse Interview Questions

Can you describe the mix of patients on this unit?
What is the normal nurse to patient ratio?
What is the average acuity of the patients on the unit?
How long is the orientation process?
Will there be any testing before I start my assignment? (EKG, medication tests, performance based tests, etc.)
Will I be able to pick up any OT hrs?
How is the scheduling done?
How many weekends in a month are required?
What floors do you float to?
Color of scrubs?
What charting/documentation systems are used?
Confirm with Nurse Manager any mandatory time off needed during assignment.
Is parking provided or do I have to pay for it? (especially in big cities?

Before you Hang up

Make sure to ask for the assignment before hanging up, if you want it!
Do not decline the offer on the phone! We (your agency) can do that for you if we can’t negotiate your requests or concerns.
Remember to get the name and number of the Interviewer before hanging up so we know who to contact for your offer!

Most importantly, travel nurse interview prep is a step that you shouldn’t skip. You might also check with your travel nurse peers and find out if there are items specific to the hospital that you should be asking.

You Might also Like:

Finished the travel nursing guide and are ready to look for an assignment?

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By The Gypsy Nurse

June 8, 2019

15090 Views

Ask A Travel Nurse: What are the best states for Travel Nurse to License in?

Posted on June 8, 2019May 20, 2021 by The Gypsy Nurse

Gypsy,

What are the best states for travel nurse to license in? Where would you recommend I obtain licensing? I will be looking to start my Travel Nurse career after the 1st of the year and I want to be prepared.

What are the best states for Travel Nurse to License

There are many variable when it comes to the best states for travel nurses to obtain a license. Some states like California, always have openings. Others are somewhat seasonal – bringing in travelers during high seasons. Here are 2019 Nursing Trends that might be helpful in determining where to go this year.

Personally, I recommend only obtaining a license for those states in which you have a job offer for. If you are licensed in a compact state and eligible for compact licensure, your choices are much more vast. There are also seasonal shifts in high-demand locations like Arizona, and Florida. If you are interested in working seasonally in these locations, you might consider obtaining a license in advance for these states.

Licensing timeframes can vary from state to state. Keep this cheat-sheet close as you look at job possibilities and states for travel nurses to license in.

If you are a new travel nurse, read over our Travel Nurse Guide for additional guidance and industry specific information. You can also connect with our Travel Nurse Network and find out where the Hot Locations are right now.

Find your Next Travel Nurse Job

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—Meagan L. | Cath Lab

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By Theodora Evans

June 7, 2019

8753 Views

5 Tips on How to Easily Sell Your Home

Posted on June 7, 2019May 20, 2021 by Theodora Evans

When looking to sell your home, here are some tips to make sell it easily.

With your line of work all about traveling, it’s also fair to say it is also about housing. While some travel nurses choose to keep their homes, others find that the cost to maintain their home while on the road exceeds the benefits of owning a home. Therefore, opt to sell their home and possibly rent an apartment or condo. Travel nurses may also choose to sell their home and choose to take their RV for a housing option.

There are ways to save money on accommodation during this adventure, but one question remains – has your actual home become a financial deadweight since you’ve hit the road? If the answer is yes, you’ve probably been thinking about selling it. Easily and fast, if possible. It is possible, but not if you’re just going to plant a ʽFor Saleʼ sign and wait for a miracle to happen. The ease of the process comes from careful presentation of your home which, again, requires the awareness of some external factors. That’s why we’ve put together some tips that will make the full potential of your property truly shine.

5 Tips to Easily Sell Your Home

1. Deal with your Mortgage

This is the first thing you’ll need to tackle. If you have a mortgage on your home, then you know that things are quite simple – you need to make enough off the sale of the home to cover the mortgage. Knowing what your pay off amount is as opposed to the amount on your statements is important. Your payoff amount is how much you will actually have to pay to satisfy the terms of your mortgage loan and completely pay off your debt. You can find out what this amount is by requesting a payoff statement from your mortgage company.

2. Know the Worth of Your Home

Not what you might think your home is worth, but the actual figures. This is when those external factors come into play – the actual monetary value of your property doesn’t depend only on your home’s condition, but is also heavily influenced by the housing market and buyer demand. It’s essential to know the worth of your home so you wouldn’t make the mistake of overpricing.

This isn’t hard to accomplish, though, especially if you leverage the power of online research. You just need the information on how much the other properties in your area are marketed for and then see what they offer compared to your home. Pay attention to location, features, square footage. Once you go through the comparable sales in your neighborhood it’ll be much easier to figure out the appropriate listing price for your property. If you are having a hard time deciding what your home is worth you may want to reach out to a licensed realtor in your area. They typically have knowledge of what the market looks like in your area.

3. Prepare For Home Inspection

Since you want to sell easily and quickly, renovation is not an option. But that doesn’t mean your home can look like a mess, which means you need to take care of all the small stuff. A missing lightbulb or loose handle may seem unimportant to you, but the first buyers coming through will have the attitude of ʽWhat else is broken? ʼ. And truthfully there could be other things – squeaky doors, broken appliances, cracks in the walls, running toilets, leaky faucets, hardware, locks, etc. – especially if you’ve been away for a while.

It’s mandatory to repair or replace many of these things since many buyers will bring a licensed professional home inspector with a sharp eye for safety and functionality. Many of these projects are simple and straightforward DIY jobs, but it’s always prudent to utilize the services of a good handyman, especially if you’re not around that much.

4. Scrub & Purge

Repairs are not enough for your home to look as if it’s been well taken care of, it also needs to look spotless. So, you need to clean the carpets and rugs, tidy every room, and pay special attention to the bathroom and kitchen as these are places where cleanliness is valued the most.

The next step is to declutter your living areas so the buyers will be able to focus on the actual home and not overflowing closets and knick-knacks. It’s very important to perform a complete purge so they won’t have any distractions in visualizing themselves and their families as new owners. The trick is to eliminate your personality and make room for theirs. This means that no personal items such as family photos should be left behind, but you should also remove any bold furniture or artwork.

Same goes for loud color schemes – maybe you think that bright green or orange accent walls are great, but you’ll be on the safe side if you repaint them in neutral colors such as whites, light beige, and light grays. Besides the fact that these shades will represent a clean slate, they’ll also make your home look brighter and bigger and therefore more welcoming.

5. Invite Them In

The last step is to take care of your curb appeal because that’s the thing that will entice the buyers to want to see more. It’s like an invitation to the house, so you need to make your front door clean, visible and accessible, clear the clutter and debris from the yard and walkway, prune the hedges and mow the lawn. There are many really simple things which could go a long way such as replacing your doormat, and pots with colorful flowers will surely attract attention.

With the mortgage out the way and an appropriate price established you’re already halfway done. Keep in mind that a home inspection is all about the details and make sure that your refreshed curb appeal leads the buyers into a home that looks like a blank canvas on which they can project their own visions of living there.

Do you Have Tips to Easily Sell Your Home?

Have you sold a home recently? Have any experiences to share or tips for our readers? Anything lessons learned along the way? Please share your tips to easily sell your home in the comments.

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Travel Nurse License Information

Compact Licensure

What About States That Don’t Participate?

Utilizing Temporary Licenses

I’ve Heard It’s Difficult to Obtain a License in Some States.

The Agency Advantage

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Can I rent out my travel nurse tax home and still receive a housing stipend?

Answer:

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House buying process

Research

In a concise but detailed page or less, the key points to explain are:

1- The “contract”

No bank is going to understand this

2- The income

3- Briefly explain nursing

If you are a travel nurse looking for housing for your next assignment, check out our Housing Page!

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Step #19 Arrival on Location

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Step #8: Submission of Your Profile

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TV Shows

Nurse Jackie

Call the Midwife

HawthoRNe

Movies

M*A*S*H

WIT

Patch Adams

If you are a new travel nurse or looking into becoming a travel nurse:

Travel Nurse Guide: Step-by-Step (now offered in a PDF Downloadable version!)

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Travel Nurse Frustrations

Travel Nurse Frustrations: On-boarding Issues

Travel Nurse Frustrations: On The Job Issues

Tips for on the job Issues

Contract and Pay Issues

Tips for Contract and Pay Issues

Other / Misc Issues

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Who is Eligible? In most states the following can register as healthcare volunteers

Disaster Volunteer Registry State Agencies

National Disaster Volunteer Organizations

Other Volunteer Organizations

Additional Resources:

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**MAS*H**