How housing works for travel nurses

Do travel nurses get housing?

Usually, in one of two forms. The agency either arranges and pays for a place (agency housing), or pays you a housing stipend and leaves the search to you. You generally get one or the other, not both. Some contracts come with neither: a local contract, or a job where you don't qualify for a stipend, may pay a higher hourly rate and leave housing to you. Ask your recruiter which applies before you accept.

Your options

Agency housing

The agency books a furnished apartment or an extended-stay hotel room near the hospital, and you arrive with your bags. It's the least work, and handy for crisis contracts that start in days. You won't choose the neighborhood, pets may not be allowed, and some arrangements are shared. Ask for the address, the commute time, whether it's shared and the pet policy before you accept.

Stipend plus a furnished rental

You take the stipend and rent a furnished apartment, condo, house or guest suite for the contract. It takes more work up front, but you pick the location, size and price, and keep what you don't spend. Common terms are month to month or a fixed term matching the contract. This is the option Med Pro Housing is built for: search within 5 to 50 miles of any of 5,384 US hospitals, filter by move-in date and price, and message hosts in the app.

Extended-stay hotels

Weekly or monthly rates, a kitchenette, housekeeping, and nothing to sign beyond a reservation. They work well as a bridge for the first week or two while you look in person, or for short contracts. Over 13 weeks, they can cost more than a furnished rental of similar quality, and the space is tight.

Renting a room

A room in someone's home usually costs less than a whole unit, and it can work if you're mostly working and sleeping. Ask about shared bathrooms and kitchen use, guests, quiet hours if you sleep days, and whether your door locks. If you want a small place without sharing, look at studios and guest suites.

A typical timeline

• Before you accept the job: look at listings near the hospital so you know what housing costs compared with the stipend. Save a search and turn on email alerts.
• As soon as the contract is signed: message hosts with your exact dates, the hospital and your shift. Ask your questions, request a live video walk-through, and get the lease in writing.
• One to two weeks out: confirm move-in time, key or door code, parking and Wi-Fi. Pay the deposit only after you've checked the host and read the lease (see the housing scams guide).
• Move-in day: walk through the home and photograph any damage before you unpack.
• Around week eight or nine: if an extension is possible, tell your host. A host with another booking lined up needs notice.
• Two weeks before you leave: confirm the move-out rules, cleaning expectations, key return, and when and how your deposit comes back.

Costs to plan for besides rent

When you compare a stipend with agency housing, count everything that comes with finding your own place:

• The security deposit, which you won't get back until after you move out
• Utilities, Wi-Fi and parking, if they aren't in the rent
• Cleaning and pet fees
• Renter's insurance, if the host requires it
• Overlap nights if you arrive early or leave late
• Travel days and any gap between contracts, when you may not be paid a stipend at all

None of these is large on its own, but together they can decide whether the stipend actually leaves you money at the end of a contract.

13-week contracts, extensions and cancellations

Most travel nurse contracts are 13 weeks, and many facilities offer an extension, often another 13 weeks, if they still need staff. Extensions aren't guaranteed, and contracts are sometimes cut short or cancelled before they start. For housing, that means:

• A month-to-month arrangement after an initial term leaves room for an extension without committing you to one.
• Before you sign, ask how much notice you need to give to leave early, and whether any deposit or prepaid rent comes back if your contract is cancelled.
• Ask your recruiter what happens to your housing costs if the hospital cancels.
• If extensions would keep you in the same area for more than a year, read the housing stipend guide, because the tax treatment can change.

The guide to housing for a 13-week contract covers lease terms and budgeting in more detail.

What to ask a host

1. Is the rent all-in? Which utilities, Wi-Fi and parking are included?
2. What exactly is furnished: linens, towels, cookware, washer and dryer?
3. Can the move-in date shift a few days if my start date moves?
4. What's the deposit, how do I pay it, and when is it returned?
5. What happens if my contract is extended, or cancelled?
6. Where do I park, and how do I get in after a late shift?
7. Is the bedroom dark and quiet enough for sleeping during the day?
8. Are pets allowed, and with what fees?
9. Can you show me the home on a live video call before I pay?

On Med Pro Housing, hosts don't see your email address, and you get the exact street address when you and the host arrange it. The site doesn't process payments, so rent and deposits are settled directly with the host.