In the travel therapy world, the ability to find affordable housing that meets your personal needs is one of the biggest considerations when choosing a contract. The location of your contract can make a huge difference in both the housing options available and their affordability. Let’s look at some of the factors and considerations you should keep in mind when securing housing for a travel contract!
Renting a House or Apartment
There are several options for renting a house or apartment, including Airbnb, Vrbo, and Furnished Finder. Each of these travel housing platforms offers its own benefits and drawbacks, which we will look at below.
Airbnb
Airbnb is usually considerably more expensive than Furnished Finder but is often in line with Vrbo pricing. However, Airbnb offers the added protection of booking through its platform, similar to Vrbo.
If a major issue arises—like your ceiling falling in four weeks before the end of your contract (yes, this actually happened to me, lol)—you have the platform available to help address problems with the reservation and potentially assist with refunds or alternative accommodations, depending on the circumstances and applicable policies.
Here are some of the key pros and cons of renting through Airbnb:
PROS:
CONS:
VRBO
Vrbo is similar to Airbnb when it comes to securing housing for a travel contract. One of the primary differences between the two platforms is the type of housing available. While Airbnb offers everything from individual rooms and guesthouses to apartments and entire homes, Vrbo focuses primarily on entire-property rentals.
If you are traveling alone without pets and simply want an inexpensive room to sleep in, Vrbo may not be your best choice.
Another distinction is that Vrbo has traditionally focused more heavily on vacation rentals, while Airbnb has a large selection of monthly stays, with many properties offering discounts for longer bookings.
Let’s look at some of the pros and cons of VRBO:
PROS:
CONS:
Let’s Look at a Sample Cost Comparison
It is important to compare the total cost of your stay, not simply the advertised monthly rent.
Airbnb
$1,800/month × 3 months = $5,400
Cleaning fee = $175
Pet fee = $150
Other platform/booking costs = $300
Actual cost = $6,025, or approximately $2,008/month
VRBO
$1,650/month × 3 months = $4,950
Cleaning fee = $300
Pet fee = $250
Service/booking costs = $500
Actual cost = $6,000, or $2,000/month
As you can see, the property with the lower advertised rent is not necessarily the less expensive option once all of the additional fees are included!
Furnished Finder
Furnished Finder can vary significantly depending on the area you are traveling to, the deposit required by the landlord, the base rent, and the flexibility of the lease agreement.
One of the biggest benefits of Furnished Finder is that the platform is specifically designed around furnished rentals of 30 days or longer, making it particularly useful for travel healthcare professionals.
Furnished Finder can be an amazing resource, but you need to do your homework and perform your own due diligence on both the landlord and the property.
Let’s look at the pros and cons of Furnished Finder!
PROS:
CONS:
Traveling With an RV or Travel Trailer
This is another popular option among travelers because monthly RV site rent can be considerably cheaper than renting a house or apartment. However, traveling with an RV comes with its own unique requirements and expenses.
Let’s take a look at those now!
Cost and Setup of the RV
If you are looking to buy an RV, you will need to decide whether you want a motorized RV that you can drive or a travel trailer/fifth wheel that you tow.
If you choose a towable RV, you also need to make sure you have a vehicle capable of safely towing the specific rig you are considering. Remember that towing capacity is only part of the equation—you also need to consider payload, hitch weight, and the fully loaded weight of the RV.
Cost of Purchasing the RV
Once you have decided on the type of RV, you need to consider the price.
If you purchase a $40,000 RV and finance it, you need to account for more than just the monthly RV payment. Your actual expenses may include the RV payment, site rent, electricity, fuel to move the RV between contracts, insurance, maintenance, propane, tires, and repairs.
Also keep in mind that towing an RV can dramatically decrease your truck's fuel economy. Depending on the truck, trailer, terrain, wind, speed, and weight, towing fuel economy may fall into roughly the 8–12 MPG range.
Let’s look at a practical example:
RV Payment: $700/month
RV Site Rent: $700/month
Electricity: $200/month
(Electricity is often billed separately from monthly site rent.)
Fuel Required to Tow the RV: If your next contract is 1,000 miles away and your truck averages approximately 8–10 MPG while towing, you might spend roughly $400–$500 on diesel, depending on current fuel prices.
Estimated First-Month Cost: $2,000–$2,100
Estimated Ongoing Monthly Cost at the Contract Site: $1,600
One Additional Consideration
You also need to account for expenses such as RV insurance, tires, propane, routine maintenance, registration, and unexpected repairs.
All in all, an RV can result in significant housing savings, particularly if you already own the RV and tow vehicle. However, purchasing an RV specifically for travel therapy doesn't automatically mean it will be cheaper. Whether RV living makes financial and practical sense depends entirely on your circumstances and how frequently you plan to use it.
How Location Affects Housing Cost and Availability and Some Travel Tips
If you are looking to work in a high-demand tourist area, you can expect housing to be more competitive and potentially more expensive, particularly during peak season.
Similarly, if you are considering a contract in a very rural or remote area, housing may be much more challenging to find. The limited housing that is available can also be surprisingly expensive because of the low supply.
Below are a few tips to help you navigate the travel housing world!
Red Flags When Securing Travel Housing
Unfortunately, housing scams and bad rental situations do exist, and travelers can be particularly vulnerable because we are often trying to secure housing from hundreds or even thousands of miles away. Before sending anyone money, take the time to verify the property, landlord, and terms of your rental agreement.
Here are a few red flags that should make you slow down and do some additional research:
The price seems too good to be true. If every furnished rental in an area costs $2,000–$2,500 per month and someone is offering you an entire house for $900, there is probably a reason. Compare the property with similar rentals in the area before sending money.
The landlord pressures you to send money immediately. Be cautious if someone tells you that you need to send a deposit within the next few hours or you will lose the property. Creating a sense of urgency can be a tactic used in rental scams.
The landlord wants you to use an unusual or difficult-to-recover payment method. Be especially cautious about wiring money or using payment methods that provide little protection if something goes wrong. Understand exactly who you are paying and what the payment is for before sending a deposit.
There is no written lease or rental agreement. Even for a short-term travel contract, you should have something in writing outlining the rent, deposit, dates of occupancy, utilities, pet policies, cancellation terms, and other important conditions.
The landlord won't provide a live or virtual tour. If you cannot tour the property yourself, ask for a live video walkthrough. This can help confirm that the person you are communicating with actually has access to the property.
The listing information doesn't match what you are being told. Pay attention to discrepancies in the address, photos, amenities, rent, landlord's name, or payment instructions. You can also search the property address online to see whether it appears elsewhere with different information.
The cancellation terms are unclear. This is especially important for travel healthcare professionals. Your contract could be delayed or canceled, so you need to know exactly what happens to your deposit and future rent if your assignment changes.
Utilities aren't clearly addressed. Ask whether electricity, water, internet, trash, and other utilities are included in your rent. Some furnished rentals include utilities but place a monthly cap on electricity or other expenses. Know what you will be responsible for before signing.
Pet policies are vague. If you are traveling with pets, get the number of permitted animals, pet rent, pet deposits, breed or size restrictions, and yard requirements in writing. Don't assume that "pet friendly" means your particular pets are automatically approved.
Something simply doesn't add up. If the landlord's story keeps changing, you can't verify basic information, or you continue to notice inconsistencies, don't be afraid to walk away. Finding another property is much easier than trying to recover thousands of dollars after a housing scam.
My rule of thumb: Never let the excitement of finding the "perfect" travel contract pressure you into rushing your housing decision. Verify the property, understand the lease, know your cancellation terms, and know exactly where your money is going before you pay.
Final Thoughts
Housing can make or break the financial success of a travel contract. Before accepting an assignment, research the local housing market, determine your realistic total monthly housing cost, understand the cancellation terms, and make sure the available housing actually meets your needs.
Taking the time to assess the housing situation before accepting a contract can save you a ton of stress, time, and money!
Pack light, negotiate hard, and I’ll see you on the road!