Housing for Travel Nurses: VRBO

Finding housing as a travel nurse is one of those things that makes me shudder.  Every time I sign a new contract, in a new city, the most daunting thought to me is, “Where am I going to live?”.  When I first started travel nursing, I was an avid Airbnb user.  However, after less than desirable interactions with their customer service team, and their increase of service fees throughout the years, I decided it was time to make a switch.  Naturally, I switched to VRBO and was much more satisfied with the level of service.  This is a guide to VRBO for travel nurses.

 

If you’re a travel nurse looking for housing, don’t miss:

• The Best Travel Nurse Housing Sites

 

What is VRBO?

Simply put, VRBO (Vacation Rental by Owner) is a website where one can rent someone else’s property around the world.  The company originated in 1995 by David and Lynn Clouse of Colorado.  Believe it or not, VRBO was initially an online bulletin board, but quickly became a game-changer for property owners looking to showcase their vacation homes directly to prospective renters.  Fast forward to 2006, and VRBO joined forces with HomeAway, a vacation rental marketplace, amplifying their impact on the industry.  Then in 2015, Expedia acquired HomeAway (including VRBO), allowing VRBO to expand its global footprint, making it an enticing avenue for travel nurses seeking unique, comfortable, and hassle-free accommodations.

 

Don’t miss…

• Your A-Z Guide to Travel Nursing

 

Where Can I Find a VRBO?

VRBO can be found in 190 countries with over 2 million listings in the United States alone.  I think it’s safe to say no matter where your next assignment is, you’re bound to find a VRBO nearby.

If your next assignment is in one of the following cities, check out my guides where I’ve listed several VRBO properties in each place…

• Austin, TX
• Boston, MA
• Chicago, IL
• Fargo, ND
• Omaha, NE
• San Francisco, CA
• Santa Barbara, CA
• Seattle, WA

 

Tips for Booking a VRBO

As a travel nurse, there are a few things that I do before booking a VRBO to ensure a great stay.  First, when I’m searching for a property (after I’ve put in the city and my dates), I always set my filters to what I need to enjoy my stay.  I like doing this because then I’m not searching through hundreds of properties that I wouldn’t choose to stay in and instead am given a more narrow selection of properties I’d choose.

Second, once I find a place I like, I read almost every single review.  I want to know exactly what to expect when showing up, what the host is like, the strength and weaknesses of the place, etc.  This ensures that not only do I know what to expect, but I can ask very specific questions about the property if needed.  (One time, after reading the reviews on a property, I realized that multiple people had mentioned it was very loud during the day.  That particular assignment I was working night shift so although I loved the property, I realized it wouldn’t be optimal for sleeping during the day and chose a different property instead).

Another tip I have for using VRBO is to ask the host how far their property is from the hospital you’re working at.  Because you won’t get the exact address of the property before booking (for safety reasons), I like to know just how far away the hospital is so that I can decide if I’m okay with the commute.

Lastly, before booking, I like to reach out to the host letting them know I’m a travel nurse and asking them if they have had traveling healthcare professionals stay before/ask more specifics about the property (what’s included in the kitchen, etc).  I also like to ask for a discount if I’m staying for an extended period of time and ask if they can be flexible with the cancellation policy in case my contract were to get cancelled (more on that below).

 

Pro tip:  If you’re having trouble finding a property that you love set your dates for one month at a time instead of the entire length of your contract.  Sure, you’ll have to move, but you’ll be met with infinitely more choices!

 

READY TO BOOK?  BOOK YOUR NEXT TRAVEL NURSE STAY WITH VRBO HERE!

 

Safety Measures in Place

Another reason I like using VRBO is because of the safety measures in place.  I know that when I book a stay, the host and property has already been vetted for me.  Here are some safety measures VRBO has implemented…

• Background checks on hosts
• When paying through the VRBO portal, guaranteed reimbursement if property ends up being fraudulent or payment falls into the wrong hands
• Specialists available to help with re-booking in case of host cancelling last minute
• 24/7 VRBO support during duration of stay
• If you can’t access property or photos were grossly misleading, VRBO will find you new accommodation (as long as its been reported within 12 hours of check-in)

 

 

What if My Contract Gets Cancelled & I don’t Need Housing Anymore?

Aside from finding housing as a travel nurse, another challenge is dealing with your contract getting cancelled earlier.  (By the way, in 7 years of travel nursing, this only happened to me one time).  Of course, if your contract is cancelled early (or before you start), you run the risk of losing tons of money on housing if the landlord won’t refund you.  This is why I like to set expectations with hosts before moving in and ask them if they’ve ever housed a travel nurse before and explain to them how cancellation works.  You should also know that on VRBO you can set a filter, “free cancellation”, which will help if you were to get cancelled.

Unfortunately there isn’t a standard cancellation policy on VRBO as hosts set their own rules.  Make sure to read the guidelines and ask questions before moving in.

 

Why Should Travel Nurses Use VRBO?

There are many reasons VRBO is suited to travel nurses.  Here are some of my favorite reasons…

• Flexibility to choose what you want in a living situation (do you want to live alone, with roommates, etc)
• Fully furnished housing
• Support if anything were to go wrong
• Housing options across a wide range of budgets
• 24/7 support

 

Don’t miss:

• How I Lost $4,600 in a Scam as a Travel Nurse

 

Travel Nurse Essentials

 

 

Pin Me!

Disclosure:  This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to purchase through my link, at no cost to you.  Passports and Preemies is also a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees.