Temporary housing is a necessity for many individuals. For example, if you're a digital nomad or international student that needs to travel in or to the United States, short term lease apartments allow you to stay near campus or school without the commitment of entering into a year-long lease. If you're an individual with a family whose home experienced a disaster like a house fire, temporary housing will shelter you until you can a long-term monthly rental or find more permanent housing.

The unique challenge that all individuals face when seeking out temporary housing options is that most short term rentals can be highly inaccessible to some parties or difficult to find (especially if you're looking to avoid long-term hotel stays in extended stay hotels). With that in mind, there are ways to ensure that you find the right furnished accommodations for your needs. If you're looking for temporary housing such as month to month lease apartments, here are a few tips to help you locate the right options.

First, why is locating short-term housing so hard?

Looking for a short-term rental to provide you with temporary shelter is not the same as seeking a vacation rental. Understanding the challenges that you face is crucial to circumventing these issues and finding the best solution. So, why is locating a short-term rental unit such a task?

Most Platforms Are Tailored to The Needs of Tourists Only: Many of today's rental platforms are focused on one audience: tourists. While this is great for those who want to rent short term, it leaves out a great deal of the market, such as traveling professionals or students or families who require temporary housing for relocation until they can find their next home or move into the one that's been damaged. Because the market is so heavily focused on tourism, finding a stable, reliable short-term lease apartment can feel next to impossible.
Much of the Supply Is Fragmented and Offline: Whether you're looking for corporate housing or a short stay rental, you'll discover that there are many properties listed offline and that the quality and types of furnished rentals available can vary wildly. In today's modern age, finding temporary accommodations shouldn't be so difficult. However, for many, this is the reality. If you're running into any of these issues, they indicate a larger issue that the short-term rental industry is facing.
The Options That You May Be Directed to Rarely Offer The Essentials: Vacation rentals offer you the comfort that many travelers are looking for, but typically do not include the amenities that you need to live in your reservation (for example, you may have basics like towels and beds, but you may not have essentials like fully stocked kitchen facilities to prepare meals). Meanwhile, extended-stay hotels may give you more of a traditional home feel but still aren't quite the same as an entire furnished apartments for rent short term.

Beyond finding the short term rental apartments near, you also have to consider that many platforms charge extremely high prices for long-term rentals (and most of them aren't designed for stays longer than a week). Each of these factors contributes to the difficulty that short-term rental hunters experience. So, how can you make sure that you're able to find the right property for your temporary housing needs?

Use a platform that's designed for all renters, not just tourists.

The first step in finding the perfect short term furnished apartment or home, is using a platform known for catering to all types of renters, whether business travelers or interns, students, and families. Although these platforms are few, there are some great options out there that can help you land a reasonable price for your short stay, offer you the amenities that you need, and ensure that moving in is as simple as bringing your luggage across the threshold so that you don't have to deal with moving in furniture and other belongings.

Consider the needs of yourself and your family when you're looking into short-term rental listings.

When you're looking around for your next furnished rental home, you'll discover that every listing is unique, even if it does offer some of the same perks and amenities. Before you dive into just any accommodation, look through the listing and ask yourself, does this meet my needs or the needs of my family. For example, you should look into some of the basics, like whether or not your short term rental apartment has an in-unit washer or dryer or if you can park your car on-site, or if you have to find somewhere nearby to park. You should also take some time to look into some of the extra perks your listing offers, such as if it has a pool and spa or a fitness center where you can work out in the mornings. Although it can be exciting to see a listing that catches your eye, always do your research to make sure it's the right fit.

Pay attention to where your favorite listing is located.

Location matters when you're buying and renting a furnished home or apartment. Take a look at your surroundings and see if you're surrounded by the things that matter most. If you have children, make sure that the schools nearby offer a high quality of education to help your children thrive. If you're working or going to school, make sure that your month to month furnished rental is conveniently located near your place of employment or university. You should also see what your city has to offer in terms of shopping and entertainment. The more research you do, the more confident you can be when you book. It's a win-win scenario for everyone involved.

Use HouseStay to help you find your next home away from home!

HouseStay is one of the few temporary housing platforms designed for everyone. With benefits like fully furnished, entire accommodations, a transparent, fully automated booking process, and no maximum stay limit (renters on our platform only have to stay a minimum of 30 nights in their chosen property), it's never been easier to book a short or long term furnished rental that's affordable and high-quality. If you're tired of the issues we've touched upon above, create an account with HouseStay now to find your next short stay rental.