Finding Short-Term Housing Between Selling and Buying

When my husband and I built our home in 2006, I counted on the builder’s timeline and moved to Texas based on that schedule. The house wasn’t ready. We ended up living in a hotel room with a child, a dog, and three cats, and my husband and I were both running our businesses out of that same room for over three months. The vulnerability of our position cost me a lot of negotiating power with the builder. Every time I asked for a change, they dragged their feet, and every delay meant more time in the hotel. I ended up accepting things in my new home that I never would have accepted otherwise, just to get out of there.

That experience stuck with me. The gap between homes is one of the most stressful parts of a move, whether your home sold faster than expected, your new home is still being built, or you want to finish updates before you move in. You may need somewhere to live for a few months, and most apartment leases are written for a full year.

So I looked into it for my clients. I reached out to more than a dozen apartment communities in our area to see who offers leases shorter than a year. The good news is that short-term options do exist. You just have to know where to look and what to ask.

Start with the leasing office, not the website

Most apartment websites advertise 12-month pricing, and many don’t mention shorter terms at all. That doesn’t mean they aren’t available. Call or email the leasing office directly and ask what lease lengths they are currently offering.

How quickly a community responds tells you something too. If they’re slow to answer a simple question before you sign, that may be how they handle maintenance requests after you move in.

Questions worth asking

When you reach a leasing office, these questions will save you time:

• What is the shortest lease you offer, and how does the monthly rent change with the term?
• Is short-term availability limited to certain units or floor plans?
• Can the lease be extended month to month if my closing or construction date slips, and if so, what is the rate for extending?
• What is your pet policy, including breed or weight limits, deposits, and monthly pet rent?
• Do you offer furnished units, or work with a furniture rental company?
• What fees are due at move-in, and what is the notice period to move out?

Get the answers in writing before you commit. Policies and pricing change often, sometimes week to week.

Expect to pay more for flexibility

Shorter leases almost always cost more per month than a standard 12-month lease. The community is taking on more turnover and more vacancy risk. Every time a unit turns over, there’s a move-out and a move-in, which means more cleaning, more prep, and more chances for damage to the unit. That cost gets built into the rent. Compare the total cost of the stay, not just the monthly number. A slightly longer lease at a lower rate can sometimes cost less overall, and it gives you a cushion if your new home isn’t ready on time.

Think about your furniture

If your belongings are going into storage, a furnished apartment can make the transition much easier. Some communities offer furnished units, and others partner with furniture rental companies. Ask about both, and compare that cost to moving your own furniture twice.

This is also where the work you do before you list pays off twice. If you have already packed what you don’t need into labeled bins, you know exactly what has to go into storage and what has to come with you.

Build in extra time

New construction dates move. Closings get pushed. If you’re building, choose a lease term that runs a little past your expected completion date, or confirm that you can extend month to month. It’s far less stressful than scrambling for a place to stay at the last minute. My guide to buying new construction covers the rest of what to watch for on a builder contract.

A little planning goes a long way

The gap between homes doesn’t have to be a crisis. Start calling early, ask the right questions, and get everything in writing.

If you’re planning a move in the area, I’m happy to help.