Here, in the United States, we’re a mobile bunch. In fact, a study from Gallup found people in the United States are moving around more than those in other countries. About a quarter of U.S. adults reported moving within the country in the past five years. (That compares to about 9 percent in the European Union, according to the report).
We’re pursuing new careers. We’re crossing the country for college. (And, last year was a banner year for international student enrollment, with more than 1 million foreign students coming to the United States to pursue degrees). We’re moving from one-bedroom apartments to two-bedroom starter homes to four-bedroom growing family residences.
What we’re getting at here? We’re not comfortable with the status quo. We’re moving, growing and transitioning. Recognizing just how mobile we are (the Census Bureau says Americans move about 11 times in their lives), we’re providing our top temporary housing solutions.
The best temporary housing for students
The company: Roomdock
Here’s the deal. There’s a lot of housing scams out there, many of them targeting college students who start their housing search in their home country or hometown, which could be hundreds or even thousands of miles away from the campus they’ll be attending. Enter Roomdock, a safe and secure way for college students to rent rooms and find roommates. The company was founded by Smith Tanny, who is a former international student himself. Roomdock has measures in place to keep out scammers and connect students to legitimate housing, whether that’s for a semester or for four (or five) years while you’re earning a bachelor’s degree. Plus, the company will arrange for temporary housing for you if there’s any gaps between when you arrive in town and when your lease starts.
Why you’ll love it: Roomdock goes the extra mile to show the company cares about the students and tenants it works with. They help ease the transition with a full suite of concierge services, including furniture rental, airport pickup, short-term rentals and a welcome kit that comes with a sleeping bag, towel and shower curtain that come in handy if your place is unfurnished and you need a few days to get it set up. The company isn’t just another roommate-matching service. “We really care about our students, and that’s what sets us apart,” Tanny says.
The best temporary housing for employees
The company: Corporate Housing Associates
Temporary housing for work-related situations can vary. Perhaps, you’re working on a short-term contract requiring you to relocate to a new city for a month or two. Or, maybe you took an out-of-state transfer with your company and you’re re-locating your family, but not quite ready to purchase a new home or sign a year-long lease without knowing anything about the surrounding neighborhoods. Here’s where Corporate Housing Associates comes to the rescue. The company will help you feel welcome in your new home town.
Why you’ll love it: Corporate Housing Associates, or CHA for short, has plenty of options to tailor to your unique housing needs. In its housing stock are furnished and unfurnished 1, 2 or 3 bedroom accommodations that will be a short commute to your workplace or to the school district where you’ve enrolled your children. The furnished options are turnkey, meaning you’ll have everything that you need to live comfortably, such as furniture, housewares as well as utilities, including electric, water, gas, local phone, Wi-Fi and basic cable. The unfurnished accommodations include utilities, too, because this company gets that you don’t need to be wasting time waiting for technicians to come out during those lengthy “service windows.” Plus, there are the little extras you might find, like a pasta kit to easily put together dinner and some sweet treats, says Dianna Siaba, marketing director. “After a long day, we want people to step into a place that makes them feel special,” she says.
The best temporary housing for traveling abroad
The company: Airbnb
If you’ve gone all that way to see a new country or region, we’re willing to bet you want to be out exploring rather than staying holed up in a chain hotel. We’ll even go double or nothing here: You probably don’t want to blow all of your money on lodging, but rather spend it on experiences and the local fare, right?
You’ve got several options when you’re traveling abroad. If you’re doing it on the cheap, you can stay at hostels. Or, you can do something like World Wide Opportunities on Farms (or Wwoof) where you work on a farm in exchange for room and board. But AirBnB offers a happy middle ground for those who want an affordable and comfortable stay.
Why you’ll love it: Depending on the country, rates can be as low as $50 a night. Plus, you’ve got the added bonus of meeting new people in a new country and many hosts are happy to lend their travel tips. Plus, you can slumber in some cool places, like eco-lodges or treehouses.
The best temporary housing for emergencies
The company: Extended Stay
There’s all kinds of situations in which you might need temporary housing for a few days or week. Flooding in your home (ugh!) or the end of your lease doesn’t neatly align with the start of your next one. Or, perhaps you’ve got family coming into town for an extended period of time, but you don’t have enough rooms in your home to accommodate your guests.
Why you’ll love it: Extended Stay has 700-some hotels around the country, including pet-friendly accommodations. So, if you’re out of your home, you can still keep your family together, fur babies included. You can also get discounts for longer stays.
The best storage company for temporary housing
The company: Closetbox
Why you’ll love it:Whether you’re taking a gap year to explore another pocket of the world or temporarily renting an apartment while your dream home is being built, Closetbox is here to store your belongings. We know your stuff is important, but you’re not tethered to it as you’re making moves. While you’re handling business, we’ll come pick up your belongings and even create an inventory system for them. When you land at life’s next stop, we’ll bring back your belongings so you can get settled in, without, you know, settling.
