Searching for a place to live on the internet can be pretty nerve-wracking, especially when you don’t live in the area and are forced to decide and pay a deposit site unseen.
If you are reading this, you are probably in this exact situation and are asking yourself, is furnished finder legit?
(It’s hard enough trying to find an amazing travel nurse agency if you’re a traveler, or trying to design your rental and figuring out how much rent to charge if you’re a property owner).
Thankfully, you clicked on this link and you are about to get an honest and real answer, made from the real-life experiences of me — a career travel nurse.
I have used Furnished Finder many times in my career and I can whole-heartedly say that yes, Furnished Finder is legit.
That’s not to say that the site is perfect and there are no potential Furnished Finder scams — of course not. But it is considered to be one of the best travel nurse housing sites out there, so there’s that.
In this post, I will be discussing what exactly Furnished Finder is, who is allowed to list properties on the site, and my personal experiences with the platform.
TL;DR
- Real-life Experience Verification: As a career travel nurse, I vouch for Furnished Finder’s legitimacy, despite its imperfections.
- What is Furnished Finder?: A platform connecting landlords with professionals needing short-term, furnished rentals, specially designed for travel nurses.
- Accessibility: Not exclusively for travel nurses; anyone needing short-term furnished housing can benefit.
- Safety Measures: While generally safe, it’s crucial to be vigilant about potential scams. Watch for red flags like poor-quality listings or rushed lease signings.
- Personal Experiences: My interactions with the platform have been mostly positive, with efficient search functionality and adequate property options.
- Lease Precautions: I usually bypass Furnished Finder’s lease systems, opting for third-party templates from reputable sites, ensuring legality and comprehensiveness.
- Scam Awareness: While scams exist on all housing platforms, due diligence and direct communication with homeowners can help avoid risks.
What Is Furnished Finder?
Furnished Finder is a platform designed to connect landlords with traveling professionals who need furnished short-term rentals — specifically travel nurse housing.
The Furnished Finder platform allows property owners to list their properties and receive inquiries from potential tenants.
Before renting to a tenant, the platform offers tenant screening services, including background, credit, and eviction checks to ensure a safe and secure transaction for everyone involved.
However, it is also important for tenants to be cautious of potential scammers who are trying to take advantage of people who have a time crunch.
Furnished Finder helps reduce online housing scams by providing a secure platform for anyone who requires short-term housing.
The platform not only requires landlords to pay a fee to post their listing but also must go through an identity verification process by submitting official tax forms.
Whether you are a travel nurse, digital nomad, or traveling professional, Furnished Finder has you covered.
Regarding Furnished Finder vs Airbnb, the platform offers a wide array of furnished accommodations that go beyond the latter’s options — not to mention FF is also generally much more affordable.
Do You Have To Be A Travel Nurse To Use Furnished Finder?
So, we know that FF is the go-to website for professionals and individuals looking to rent monthly furnished rentals.
And even though it was designed for travel nurses who are seeking housing online, it doesn’t mean that only travel nurses can use the site.
The platform can be utilized by anyone in need of short-term, furnished housing.
It’s also popular among those on temporary work relocations, business travelers, and relocating professionals waiting for permanent housing.
Searching for and securing housing online is stressful and nerve-wracking enough — especially when you live too far away to see the property in person.
So how do you know that you can trust this platform and its users?
How Safe Is It For Renters?
Coming from someone who has used Furnished Finder multiple times over the past three years, I believe that the website is safe to use.
Of course, there are stories and reviews out there of people being scammed and whatnot, but this has just been my experience so far.
When it comes down to asking yourself, “Is Furnished Finder legit?” safety should be your number one concern.
My best advice on this topic is to trust your gut, do your research, and watch out for red flags.
Here are some Furnished Finder red flags that I look out for:
- Having only 2-4 photos of the property
- Photos only of outside the home
- Making sure the photos of the property look like they’re from the same unit
- Abnormally low or high rental price
- An abnormally large security deposit amount
- The property description has bad grammar
- The property description is super short (i.e., a couple of sentences)
- The property manager’s information isn’t verified when you click on their profile
- An abnormal number of complaints in the reviews
- They won’t talk to you on the phone or provide a callback number
- They won’t do a video walkthrough — one of my best travel nurse tips
- They are rushing you to sign a lease and send money
Another thing about the customer reviews: I’ve noticed that they aren’t that common.
So if the place you’re looking at doesn’t have one, don’t take it as a red flag. For some reason Furnished Finder reviews just aren’t that big on this platform.
Remember, the landlords making these listings are searching for you — they need people to stay at their place so that they can make some money. Their listing should be attractive and you should be able to tell that they put some work into it.
You are interviewing them, not the other way around.
The main takeaway here is to trust your gut.
If something feels off about a place but you just can’t put your finger on it, trust that there is probably a reason for it.
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My Experience With Furnished Finder
Having been a travel nurse for three years, my experience with Furnished Finder has been generally positive.
The platform’s search functionality and the number of available properties usually make it easy to find a place that fits my needs.
I should also mention that I have never used Furnished Finder’s lease system.
The most common thing I see is that the landlord will use Zillow.com for the credit and background check ($35 fee for the tenant), and then they will also have their own lease template form that they use.
If the landlord asks you for a rental lease template, here are a few sites that I trust:
It is important to remember to select the state for which the lease is in as the rules and regulations regarding rental agreements can vary.
You can also always just Google “rental agreement template + [your state]”.
Just be sure to read the entire document thoroughly before you sign — it is a legally binding contract after all.
Is Furnished Finder Legit?
Without a doubt, Furnished Finder is a legitimate service that caters to a real need in the market.
However, like any platform, it’s not immune to anything bad ever happening.
So before you make any financial or legal commitments and send thousands of dollars to a stranger, make sure you understand the cancellation, refund, and fee policies.
What if your contract gets canceled halfway through your lease? Are they going to make you pay through the end anyway? Will there be a lease breakage fee (most common outcome)?
Transparency and honest, clear communication are a must when making giant decisions like these. Not to mention it could help prevent any future miscommunications and lost money.
Between all of the best travel nurse housing sites, I can confidently say that Furnished Finder is my number one choice when it comes to finding furnished housing for travel nurses.
Conclusion
Is Furnished Finder legit is a, well, legitimate question.
But the biggest takeaway here is to do your homework, communicate, ask all the questions, and TRUST YOUR GUT.
Do scams happen? Yes. They happen on every single short-term housing website.
It’s inevitable.
Scammers will always be around and they will be waiting for someone to come along who just isn’t paying attention.
Do your research and make sure to speak with the homeowner on the phone.
Trust me, it really helps solidify my feelings about whether a place seems legitimate or not.
And for those still in doubt, my advice is to give it a try, but always stay informed and attentive.
Utilize the security features and READ EVERYTHING.
If your experience is a positive one, don’t hesitate to share it, and if not, share that too.
I would love to hear what your experiences with Furnished Finder have been.
If you have any other questions, please leave them below or contact me and I would be happy to help.
FAQ
Why is Furnished Finder so cheap?
Furnished Finder tends to have low prices because the tenants directly book with the owners. This means no additional fees for either the renter or property manager. This is different from Airbnb which requires fees on both the landlord’s and tenant’s end, and results in higher rent.
Is Furnished Finder the same as Airbnb?
Furnished Finder is different from Airbnb in that it is mainly for traveling professionals looking for month-to-month furnished housing. Airbnb is marketed for anyone looking for vacation housing and for stays as short as one night — the properties on Furnished Finder usually have a minimum of 30 days to book.
Can I use furnished finder if I’m not a nurse?
Anyone who is looking for short-term furnished housing can use Furnished Finder. Even though the platform was built for travel nurses and other traveling professionals, it provides month-to-month lease options for anyone in need of this particular kind of housing.
If you are new to the travel nursing world and are wondering how to become a travel nurse or are looking for advice on how to pack, I encourage you to explore my page and leave a comment.
Disclaimer: I may earn commissions from purchases made through the links in this post at no extra cost to you.
very reassuring; thank you!
You’re so welcome!
I was skeptical at first when I stumbled upon Furnished Finder, but after reading your thorough review I feel much more confident in giving it a try. Your honesty and transparency really helped me make an informed decision. Thanks for taking the time to share your findings with us!