How to Find Travel Nurse Housing?
Travel Nursing is a great way for healthcare professionals to be able to satiate the travel bug within them while also having a stable career and earning an income.
Since travel nursing involves moving from city to city frequently, one of the most important aspects of any travel nursing assignment is finding accommodation in each new place.
Because of this, each contract has a clause about travel nurse housing. Some assignments come with pre-allotted accommodation, while in others, nurses get a stipend and find it for themselves. Usually, the stipend depends on the area as well as your contract, so be sure that you know the exact amount before you sign up.
A good Travel Nursing agency will try to make sure that you have good, safe, and comfortable living quarters. After all, it is their job to take care of their nurses. That being said, you should not rely exclusively on the agency since the quality (or lack thereof) of travel nurse housing can make or break your experience.
Thus, it is important that every nurse knows the ins and outs of finding accommodation. This article tells you the basics of how to do so.
Know Your Needs
The first step to finding travel nurse housing that works for you, is to ask yourself – “What are my needs?” Everyone’s needs are different, so there is no correct answer to this question.
There are a few criteria you can think about to determine what kind of housing would work for you. These are:
Location in city
For example, do you want accommodation close to the city center? Or, would you like to live closer to nature, in the outskirts?
House Sharing conditions
Would you prefer to live in a small apartment alone? Or, would you rather live with one or more roommates? Considerations of privacy and whether you are an extroverted or introverted person will determine the answer to your question.
- Proximity to workplace
- Policy on pets
- Presence and needs of any dependents
- Safety (especially if you are a single woman)
- Apartment/Housing complex rules
- Any other special considerations (these may include any disability accommodations you need)
It is unlikely that you will be able to find accommodation that suits your needs on all these fronts. So, you should also have a clear idea of what your priorities are in terms of requirements.
If you are allotted travel nurse housing by your organization or agency and it meets most of your needs, congratulations! If not, you might wonder what the next step is.
Finding Housing Independently
Well, the good news is that you can simply elect to take the housing stipend and find a home on your own instead! It does take a little more time, but you can make sure you find the perfect housing for yourself.
You can begin this process by speaking to your co-workers and any other travel nurses who have lived in the same place. They will be able to guide you in finding housing that is fit for and allows short-term stays like yours. Then you can make a shortlist, visit houses, and make a decision.
If your colleagues and peers are unable to help you, you can also consult other local resources. This may range from going over local classifieds to finding a good real estate agent.
There are several options that you can choose from, though their availability might differ from locality to locality. You could pick from apartments, condos, single-family homes, and even hotels or Airbnb’s!
If none of these options work for you, it might be worth it to consider purchasing a mobile home. Not only will it put an end to your house-hunting woes forever, but it will also save you a lot of money on rent. In fact, more travel nurses are opting for this option as it also allows them freedom of mobility and travel.