How to find temporary housing when moving to a new city

Most people would agree: it’s risky to sign a year-long lease for a place sight-unseen. Still, when you’re moving to a new area, it can feel like there’s no other option—that is, unless you can lock down some sort of short-term housing in a new city while looking for a more permanent place. Luckily, mid-term rental options offer the perfect solution, filling the gap between nightly hotel stays and signing a lease.

“The biggest advantage of a short-term rental is that it buys you time and local knowledge,” says Robin Edwards, London-based buying agent at Curetons, who regularly helps clients find short-term accommodation when relocating from overseas. Keep reading to understand exactly what those short-term housing options look like, including how to find temporary housing when relocating or traveling, where to search, what costs look like, and how to choose.

Key takeaways

• Short-term housing options include furnished mid-term rentals, corporate housing, extended-stay hotels, sublets, and co-living.
• Professionally managed furnished rental platforms such as Blueground, Landing, and Anyplace can offer more consistency and support compared to privately managed listings.
• Check total costs before booking, including rent, utilities, security deposit, and any other fees.
• Carefully review agreements and understand cancellation and extension policies — flexible terms are best if you don’t know how long you’ll stay.
• Watch for scams: Verify private listings before paying, and always use secure payment platforms.

Know your short-term housing options

Short-term or temporary housing often describes a furnished space that can be rented for a few weeks up to several months. “The right type of temporary accommodation depends mainly on the length of stay and how much certainty someone needs,” Edwards explains.

Furnished short-term rentals

Fully furnished apartments are typically available for rental periods of 30 days or more, often on flexible terms. They’re usually more expensive than signing a lease, but offer the convenience of being move-in ready.

Corporate housing

Corporate housing often means professionally managed, furnished rentals in residential areas, in many cases arranged through an employer’s relocation package.

Extended-stay hotels

Extended-stay hotel rooms often include a kitchenette and small living space, and can be booked by nightly, weekly, or monthly rates. They can be less comfortable and more expensive than other options, but may afford more flexibility if your plans change.

Sublets & lease takeovers

Subletting from an individual tenant or landlord can be one of the cheaper routes, but carries higher risk, Edwards says: “Renters must verify that subletting is permitted and that the person advertising has the right to do so.”

Co-living

Co-living usually entails renting a furnished private room with access to shared common spaces. Co-living can work brilliantly for solo movers seeking flexibility and a ready-made social network, but is rarely suitable for families or those valuing privacy, Edwards says.

Where to search for short-term rentals

• Specialized or furnished mid-term rental platforms: Blueground, Furnished Finder, Landing, and Anyplace specialize in short-term furnished apartment rentals, usually offering booking options of one month or more. Some are professionally managed while others connect renters directly with landlords, so standards and support may vary.
• Vacation rental platforms: Sites like Airbnb, Vrbo, and other Airbnb alternatives work as short-term rental options too. Stays of 28+ nights often unlock monthly discounts, though they vary by host.
• General apartment rental sites: Find short-term housing options on traditional apartment rental sites such as Zillow and Apartment List using filters for furnished properties, short-term, or month-to-month leases.
• Co-living networks: Coliving.com includes listings around the world and across co-living providers, while brands like Outsite have a membership-based co-living network of their own.
• Community sources: Find listings on local Facebook groups, forums, Craigslist, and Sublet.com, though you should be careful to vet properties and landlords carefully.

Budget for the full cost of a short-term stay

Short-term rentals are usually priced higher per month than traditional leases, but that’s not the only cost you need to consider. These other costs are worth investigating as you budget for accommodation:

• Utilities and Wi-Fi: Many mid-term furnished rentals include utilities and Wi-Fi costs in the listing price. Confirm whether or not they’re included and if the cost is determined by usage.
• Upfront or extra costs: Some short-term rentals require a security deposit, first month’s rent payment, and fees for submitting an application, cleaning, or building amenities.
• Furnishing and necessities: With an unfurnished rental, factor in furniture and setup costs; even furnished rentals may require a few household basics.

Prioritize location and commute

Map your commute, transit options, and proximity to daily essentials like groceries, pharmacies, healthcare, and cafes, then consider neighborhood safety and overall feel.

If temporary housing is your first step in relocating permanently, take the pressure off booking the perfect location from the jump. Booking a short-term rental first “allows people to experience and explore neighborhoods, and learn what they genuinely need before signing a long lease or purchasing a property,” Edwards says.

Furnished vs. unfurnished: what makes sense for a short stay

The pros and cons are pretty clear: Renting a furnished apartment for a short-term stay will come with a higher monthly rent, but eliminate the financial and time/energy costs of buying, moving, or selling furniture. Unfurnished apartments will be cheaper per month, but cost more money, time, and effort to fill out the place and relocate your things. For shorter stays, a furnished place reduces hassle and can also end up costing less, all things considered.

Understand lease terms and legal protections

Just because you aren’t signing a year-long lease doesn’t mean your rental doesn’t need to be legitimate. Ensure you receive (and read) the complete agreement in writing before paying anything, no matter whether it’s a short-term or month-to-month rental agreement. “Renters should still receive clear terms covering the total cost, deposit, cancellation, notice, extensions, and responsibility for utilities or damage,” Edwards says.

It’s also a good idea to brush up on the local rules around short-term rentals. For example, if you’re looking for apartments to rent in NYC, it’s helpful to know that entire apartments or homes cannot be rented out for fewer than 30 days—any listing offering an entire apartment for less time would generally violate NYC’s short-term rental rules.

How to spot and avoid short-term rental scams

Short-term rental scams are real. Booking through a platform that vets and/or manages the properties and offers booking protections and customer support can help reduce some or most of this risk. Otherwise, watch for:

• Listing red flags. Be particularly wary of prices substantially below the local market, stock photographs, and anyone refusing a live video viewing, Edwards says. If needed, reverse image search a listing and vet the landlord’s info.
• Pressure to pay. Be aware of demands to pay immediately and requests to transfer money outside a recognized platform, Edwards says—especially by wire transfer, crypto, or gift card. Don’t send money before verifying the property.
• Sneaky fine print. Get all agreements in writing, and read carefully to understand any hidden or non-refundable fees.

Find your next short-term home with Blueground

No matter why you’re searching for short-term housing in a new city, you can find an option that balances cost, convenience, and comfort. If you want a move-in ready, fully-furnished, and professionally-managed rental apartment that you can call home for a few weeks or months, Blueground could be the perfect fit. You’ll find thousands of Blueground homes in 1,000+ cities around the world, all held to the same standard and often on flexible terms.

FAQs

Where is the best place to find short-term rentals?

Professionally managed, fully furnished rental platforms such as Blueground, Landing, or Anyplace are arguably the best places to find short-term rentals if you want consistency and professional support. Other options include vacation rental sites like Airbnb or Vrbo, local sublet groups, co-living networks, or traditional apartment rental sites (think: Zillow) using filters for short-term or month-to-month leases.

How can I live somewhere for 2 months?

The rise of short-term rental platforms means it’s now easy to live somewhere new for one, two, three months or more without needing to stay in a hotel or commit to a long-term lease. Look for options on furnished mid-term rental sites like Blueground or Anyplace, on vacation rental sites, at extended-stay hotels, or in local community sublet groups.

How do I find a place to rent in a new city?

In the process of moving to a new city, it’s helpful to commit to a short-term rental first so you can take your time looking for a more permanent place. First, set a budget for housing and identify which neighborhoods make sense for your commute. Then search short-term rental platforms like Blueground, Landing, or Airbnb to find a suitable spot for your landing pad—being sure to vet the listings if renting from an open marketplace or local landlord or tenant.