The Top 7 Best Travel Nurse Housing Sites are:

1. Furnished Finder
2. Hello Landing
3. Corporate Housing By Owner (CHBO)
4. VRBO
5. Airbnb
6. Blue Ground
7. Home Stays

So, you’ve landed the job!

Now the fun begins — finding a place to live.

As a career travel nurse, I have gone through the process of searching for travel nurse housing many times — and have actually become quite good at it.

So why should you listen to me?

Not only do I have years of experience in this area, but I am also not receiving any money for my opinions. I am not getting paid or making affiliate earnings to say anything in this article, so you can rest assured that my opinions are my own and without any outside influence.

Where To Start

So after you land a job and have signed the contract, THEN you start looking for short-term housing.

Pro tip: Do not sign a lease for a place until after you have signed your new work contract. See my post on the Best Travel Nursing Tips for first-time travel nurses for more advice.

When beginning the search, I suggest starting with Furnished Finders to get a feel for the market and then branching out from there.

Furnished Finders has become the go-to website for travel nurse housing, but there are still many platforms out there to check out.

To streamline your hunt and cut through the clutter, I’ve curated a list of the Best 7 Travel Nurse Housing Sites that stand out for their reliability, range of options, and my personal experience.

Pro tip: If you are still in the packing phase, check out my “Travel Nurse Packing Essentials” and, “Packing Tips for Travel Nurses” posts.

What Are travel nurse housing sites?

Travel nurse housing sites are online platforms that are designed to help travel nurses find short-term furnished housing.

Some sites like Furnished Finder and Hello Landing are designed specifically for travel nurses, while others, such as AirBnB, are not.

Even if a site is not specifically for travel nurses, you can still use it as long as it provides short-term furnished housing options.

The main goal of a travel nurse housing site is to facilitate the connection between travel nurses and property owners.

Criteria for choosing the best travel nurse housing sites

Acknowledging critical factors such as proximity to healthcare facilities and overall safety, these housing sites for travel nurses prioritize ensuring that healthcare professionals have a comfortable and convenient base during their assignments.

The best travel nurse housing options are not just about providing a roof over your head; they are about creating a home-like atmosphere that supports both your professional responsibilities and personal well-being.

Moreover, these travel nurse housing sites go beyond just listing properties.

They offer comprehensive solutions that include utilities, parking, and other household essentials, easing the transition for travel nurses into new communities.

Affordability

In general, most of these site’s listings prices are similar to one another.

The difference is that some may require the total cost of the entire stay to be paid upfront, while others require it monthly. 

When thinking about how much travel nurses pay for rent, keep in mind the amount of your weekly government tax-free stipend and what your weekly take-home paycheck is.

If you are more frugal, try to keep the rent to one week of stipend pay.

If you have more spending room, try to keep it close to what one week of total take-home pay is. 

Location options

Do you want to live 5 minutes from the hospital, or do you want to live closer to the city center and commute to work?

For each property that you are considering, calculate the commute times, including traffic, to and from work.

Amenities

What amenities are important to you?

My must-haves are a washer and dryer, dishwasher, and if I’m in a city, assigned parking.

Think about your permanent home and what amenities that you would be miserable without and put those on your must-have list. 

This is also a good time to think about what you will be packing and taking to your next assignment. Check out my Travel Nurse Packing List article for tips on packing.

Reviews and ratings

Usually for products on Amazon and the like, I take customer reviews with a grain of salt.

But when it comes to housing, read those reviews carefully.

Was the tenant ripped off? Was the property falsely advertised? Was it way better than what they thought it would be?

Signing a lease on a property that is sight unseen can be nerve-wracking so gather all the information you can beforehand. 

Flexibility in lease terms

Most places don’t care if your contract gets canceled and you have to move out early — they will still make you pay through the date that was agreed to on the lease.

It is always worth asking if there is a penalty for an early move-out just in case something happens. 

The Best Travel Nurse Housing Sites

This list is not a ranking from best travel nurse housing sites to worst, and it is entirely based on my experiences and knowledge.

Take this list with a grain of salt and ALWAYS do your research on what is the best fit for you and your circumstances.

1: Furnished Finder

Furnished Finder is in the number one spot as it is literally made for travel nurses.

Other traveling professionals use this site as well, but it is clear with its hospital proximity locator on each listing who this site is geared towards.

Yes, Furnished Finder is legit, and I have used it many times throughout my travels.

I have also only had one issue which was more due to the shady property management company than anything.

Housing costs generally reflect prices in the desired location, and all of the amenities are clearly laid out.

Getting ahold of the owner or landlord can sometimes be difficult, but so far that is my only drawback. (See my post on Furnished Finder vs. Airbnb for more details).

The chicness and niceness of the property is totally dependent on the owner.

Also, to list a property, one must pay and register which weeds out the scammers for the most part.

2: Hello Landing 

Hello Landing is the way to go if efficiency is the name of your game.

If price isn’t a huge factor and you just want to find a place online, book it, and show up, then Hello Landing is for you.

These properties are usually furnished pretty minimally and very…almost sterile with not a lot of personality or charm.

There are also many different types of housing available, from modern apartments to cozy townhomes, especially if you are in a city.

I was also pleasantly surprised to learn that Hello Landing has branched out as far as its locations go — they now offer many suburban cities outside of major cities which is great.  

As far as price goes, they are on the higher side with studios going for $2,000-$2500 per month.

They also require full payment upfront.

But, they do offer a “7-day guarantee” where if you aren’t happy with your place in the first 7 days, they help you find a new property or help you with a full or partial refund.

The site also boasts 24/7 support which is not widely heard of in this industry. 

3: Corporate Housing By Owner (CHBO)

Now, I very much love this housing website for travel nurses.

I have found that it is particularly good if you are looking for a property in states that are warmer than average — read, a lot of nice houses with pools.

The rent prices are also usually pretty reasonable, especially for what you’re getting. Keep in mind that you are competing with corporations and not just other travel nurses. 

This is another site where you pay the rent monthly instead of upfront, and the fees are minimal.

It also explicitly says if they take pets or not, which is very helpful.

The website is user-friendly and easy to navigate. The only downside is that there is not always a large selection of properties. 

4: VRBO

While traditionally known for vacation stays, VRBO offers a variety of properties that cater well to the unique demands of travel nursing.

I have never stayed with VRBO but I know many people who have.

One of my biggest hangups is the price.

The listings have the price per night with the total below it. I recommend doing some quick math and dividing the total by the number of months you’re staying to see what it comes out to monthly.

It is also important to note that VRBO typically requires payment upfront for the total stay, which might be a consideration for those preferring more flexible payment terms.

Despite this, VRBO’s expansive selection, combined with the convenience of having a fully furnished space, makes it an attractive option for many travel nurses.

5: Airbnb

Airbnb is a common go-to for anyone who is looking for temporary housing. The brand is trusted and they are all over the globe.

The problem is their pricing.

If you want an entire home (not an apartment, or not with anyone above you) that is not a “tiny home”, or “casita”, or bigger than a studio, then be prepared to pay for it.

I will say that they recently adjusted their fees, and if you stay longer than 90 days then it is only about $200-$400. It used to be north of $1000 for the renter, so good on them.

But keep in mind that if you rent directly from the owner, without using a third party, then there are zero fees. (Read more on Airbnb’s fees here).

I will also say that the properties on Airbnb can be super cute and aesthetically pleasing as they have tough competition, so that’s a plus.

Also, if you need to cancel your lease and you are within the first 30 days, you should be off the hook for the remainder of the lease without any penalties, which is something you will not see with a traditional lease. (See my post comparing Furnished Finder to Airbnb).

6: Blue Ground

As far as the best travel nurse housing sites go, Blue Ground has some of the nicest properties.

The issue is if you can afford it. Of course, rent depends on which city you’re in, but they do tend to be higher than say Furnished Finder or CHBO.

Then there’s the extras.

Utilities per month range between $200-$300 per month, if you want a parking space, it’s around $100 per month, and if you have pets, then you’re looking at another $100-$200 per month.

This turns a $3000/month property into a $3500/month property. They also prefer for you to pay for the entire stay upfront. There is an option to pay in two installments, but that will cost you a 2-3% fee.

Now, I don’t mean to shit on Blue Ground.

I would love to stay with them.

Their properties are chic and modern, and have an elevated living feel.

I say this would be a great option if you had a roommate (second traveler or partner) to split the rent with, and you wanted to live a boujie life for 13 weeks.

7: Home Stay

Home Stay is definitely the most frugal option and is solely for renting out rooms.

For those who don’t mind living with strangers and other nomads and who like to get a feel for the culture and city.

I am not one of those people who rent out rooms, but it is a solid option for those who are.

The hosts of these properties range from young professionals looking for help with the rent to empty nesters who miss the company and sound of a full house.

A somewhat odd option is that some places offer breakfast, ranging from light to full, that can be included in the total rent or added on as an extra amenity.

If I were looking to rent a room, I would 100% choose this site over Craigslist.

As we all know, everyone and anyone can post on Craigslist.

With Home Stay, you must apply and be accepted to the website.

And remember, you aren’t the only one wanting to ensure safety, the host is also concerned with this factor so it appears to be generally safe.

Conclusion

To recap, if I needed to look for temporary furnished housing, I would check these seven best travel nurse housing sites first, and in order, starting with Furnished Finder.

The website that you decide to go with to find short-term housing depends on how much you’re willing to spend, the amenities that are your must-haves, proximity to the hospital, and how flexible you need the lease to be.

Also, always trust your gut.

There are some creepy, up to no good people out there and if you have a bad feeling about something, then I suggest you trust it and move on.

Have fun with this part of the travel nurse life.

Yes, it can be stressful, but this is also the life you signed up for.

Not to mention being a travel nurse is a pretty badass job.

If you have any queries or comments, please reach out! My (temporary) door is always open.

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