Finding housing for a 13-week contract

When to start looking

Start researching before you accept the job. Look at listings near the hospital so you know whether the stipend covers a decent place, because that can change which contract you take. Then:

• Before the contract is signed: compare prices and neighborhoods, and save a search with email alerts. Don't pay anyone yet.
• As soon as the contract is signed: message hosts with your exact dates, the hospital and your shift.
• Two to three weeks before you start, if you can: sign a lease, pay the deposit by a traceable method, and confirm move-in details.
• Short-notice contracts: if you start in less than two weeks, consider a week or two in an extended-stay hotel, then find a monthly place once you've seen the neighborhoods in person.

Choosing a location for three months

For a stay this short you won't learn the city before you pick a place, so focus on the things that affect every shift:

• The commute at your shift times. Check the drive for 6 a.m. and 7 p.m., or whatever your schedule is, not the midday estimate.
• Parking at home and at the hospital, and whether you'll need a permit for either.
• Sleep. On nights, a bedroom that faces away from the street and has blackout shades matters more than extra space.
• Errands. A grocery store and a laundromat or in-unit laundry nearby save time on your days off.
• More than one campus. If you might float between hospitals, pick a spot that works for both.

Searching by hospital with a 5 to 50 mile radius, and checking the map of nearby hospitals, makes these trade-offs easier to see.

Month-to-month or a fixed term

A common middle ground is a fixed first term that matches the contract, then month to month, with a clause that lets you leave early with set notice if the hospital cancels. Write the lease by exact dates rather than "three months," since 13 weeks doesn't line up with calendar months.

Planning for an extension

Extensions are common but never guaranteed. Tell your host early that one is possible, and ask before you sign whether they'd hold the home or already have a booking after your dates. On Med Pro Housing, hosts set availability dates on each listing, so check the end date before you commit. If you think you'll extend, a place that's open for several months past your contract end is worth a little more rent.

If extensions would keep you in the same area for more than a year, read the housing stipend guide. An assignment that becomes indefinite under IRS rules changes how the stipend is treated.

Furnished or unfurnished

For 13 weeks, furnished is almost always the better deal. Renting furniture, buying a mattress, opening utility and internet accounts, then undoing all of it three months later costs time and money you won't get back. Unfurnished places make sense mainly if you're staying in one area for a long stretch or relocating for good.

Ask what "furnished" means, because it varies. Linens, towels, cookware, a washer and dryer, and a desk aren't always included. If the host provides only the big pieces, budget for the rest or bring it.

Budgeting against the stipend

• Get the weekly housing stipend in writing and multiply by 13 for the contract total. For example, $500 a week is $6,500 over the contract, or about $2,170 for each of the three months.
• Add up the real cost of the rental: rent, any utilities and parking not included, cleaning or pet fees, and the deposit, which you won't see again until after you leave.
• Read how the stipend is paid. Some agencies reduce it for missed shifts, and travel days at either end may not be covered.
• Check the local GSA lodging rate. Many agencies base the stipend on it. Our stipend calculator uses current GSA lodging rates, and you can set your search price filter below it.
• Keep a buffer for travel, the deposit and the first grocery run.

Move-in checklist

• Walk through and photograph every room, including existing damage, before you unpack. Send the photos to the host in the app so there's a dated record.
• Test the Wi-Fi, heating and air conditioning, hot water, appliances, washer and dryer, and every lock.
• Find the smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and the fire extinguisher.
• Confirm parking: which spot, any permit, and the rules for guests.
• Get the host's contact details for urgent problems and ask how repairs are handled.
• Note trash and recycling days.
• Before your first shift, drive to the hospital at your shift time and find staff parking and the entrance you'll use.
• Write down the move-out rules now: cleaning, key return, and how and when the deposit comes back.
• Keep a copy of the lease and your rent receipts with your tax records.

To start a search, enter your hospital on the search page and filter by move-in date. If you're new to this, read how travel nurse housing works and the housing scams guide first.