Clutch City HB, your premier midterm rental company with over 5 years of experience servicing medical professionals, corporate clients, and those needing medical care. We offer comfortable, luxurious and affordable housing in Houston, near the Texas Medical Center, equipped with modern amenities and high-quality furnishings. Our staff is available 24/7 to assist with any needs or concerns to make your stay stress-free.
We offer various rental apartments and understand the unique needs of those in the medical field. Our services include 24/7 emergency support and flexible rental options for long term stays 30 days and greater. Our goal is to provide a comfortable home away from home for your well-being during your stay in Houston. Book your stay with us today.
We are a midterm rental company that focuses on stays 28 days or greater. Our primary focus target market is the Texas Medical Center in Houston Texas. Our target audience are travel nurses, medical professionals and individuals in need of medical care servicing or being serviced by one of the Texas Medical Center facilities.
With most properties, bringing a pet will require a non-refundable- pet deposit and/or an increase in monthly rent. If you find the perfect property but think the fee is too high, reach out to the landlord and see if they are willing to negotiate. Apartment complexes are less willing to negotiate.
This is especially true with apartments. You may also run into difficulties if you have more than two pets.
If a previous landlord is willing to vouch for you and your pet, a potential landlord may feel a lot more comfortable about opening their property to your pet.
A few photos can give the landlord a better idea of the type and size of your pet and help with clear communication. If they are reluctant about welcoming your pet, a quick visual may tip the scales in your favor. Also, ensure your profile is up to date with your pet’s information as well.
Traveling with your pet can enrich your entire experience and help you ward off any homesickness. Just be sure to search for pet-friendly properties and make sure it is a good fit for everyone involved. You may also want to use services like Rover.com and Wag.com to schedule a dog walker during your long shifts. With the right planning, your pet can be a part of all your adventures.
With our housing partner, Furnished Finder, you book your housing directly with the property owner, which works well because there are no markups to rent or booking fees. Of course, every host does things a little differently, but you should expect to complete a credit check and sign a lease before you move in. Month-to-month leases are the most attractive to a travel nurse because it gives you the flexibility to put in your 30-day notice at any time if you have to. On the reverse end of that scenario, it’s great when you want to extend your contract for another 13 weeks because you should get the first right of refusal to keep the property.
Pay close attention to details like rent, deposit (is it refundable or not), move-in date, pet policy, parking, laundry, cleaning fees, and the time you’re required to give the landlord to vacate (ideally 30 days, sometimes 60 days with apartment complexes). Regarding the notice to vacate, a good habit to get into is to set a calendar item on your phone as a reminder of when to give your landlord notice.
You may not know if you’re staying or moving at that exact moment, but since the lease requires a notice to be provided at a specific time relative to your lease term, make sure it is done. After you provide your notice, follow it up with a conversation with the landlord, as most of the time, they’ll work with you on the timing…they just need to know your plan as soon as you do! Within that time (30 days is common), you can change your mind and decide to stay if the hospital renews your contract.
Compare the lease you get with the initial listing to make sure that it is accurate. Once you sign the lease, that is your agreement with the landlord. Leases protect both parties, so if something isn’t quite right or if you need clarity on a certain section, don’t be afraid to ask for a further explanation before you sign.
Once you sign the lease, that is your agreement with the landlord. Leases protect both parties, so if something isn’t quite right or if you need clarity on a certain section, don’t be afraid to ask for a further explanation before you sign.
Keep good notes and copies for your records. You should also hold onto any text messages and emails between you and the host in case disputes arise in the future.
As you look for your next place to stay, it is important to be aware that online housing scams are real, and you are the only one who can protect yourself from them. Although scams may be more prevalent on platforms like Craigslist, Zillow, or Roomster, they can happen anywhere, so you should always be on the lookout for red flags that could signal trouble. Here are a few tips that you can employ to avoid online housing scams.
While we work hard to protect users from scammers, there are additional steps you can take to ensure that you are connecting with reputable landlords who have your best interest in mind.
If you come across a beautiful, spacious home in a high-cost city that rents for well below the majority of properties in the same market, you may have come across a scam.
There are secure ways to make payments that are both traceable and refundable. Wiring funds means that the same protections won’t be in place. A legitimate landlord will be interested in creating a clear paper trail for both parties involved.
While the occasional typo is understandable, if you are having trouble reading their emails or it is clear they are communicating with you from another country, be sure to report the listing and continue your search.
A scammer will be full of excuses for why they can’t meet you at the property. For most landlords, renting their property is a business they take seriously. That means they will be more than happy to meet with you and do their own due diligence to make sure they are renting to the right candidates.
If something seems off, don’t feel bad about being suspicious or asking for proof of ownership. Keep in mind there’s always a story with a scammer, so don’t buy it. Just ghost them. There are plenty of other listings that are worth your time and attention.
It creates an environment of anxiety and fear, which they thrive on. Don’t fall into the thought process of “I don’t want to lose this property, so I’d better hurry up and send this guy a deposit.” That is what they want. That is how they make their money. Consider staying in a hotel for a week when you first get into town.
Professional HousingSometimes they’ll even use modern payment systems like Zelle or Venmo, so make sure that the person you’re speaking to is really the property owner.
It’s up to you to protect yourself, but Furnished Finder can help. They will provide travelers with a free “Owner Verification Report” no matter what platform they used to find housing.
There may be instances where the hospital offers to extend your contract. If you are happy with your work situation and feel like you are gaining great professional experience while also making a positive impact, this could be a great opportunity to continue your work and get to know the city even better. This is also the perfect time to reexamine your housing situation. If you are content with your accommodations, you can contact the landlord and ask about staying on longer. However, if you would like to move closer to work or try out a different neighborhood, you can easily make the move. (Don’t forget to provide the proper notice to vacate to your landlord).
Extending your contract also gives you the opportunity to explore more of the city and surrounding areas. If 13 weeks didn’t seem like enough and there are still parks, attractions, restaurants, and other locations you haven’t been able to visit, staying a few more months could be a great option.
If you are a landlord interested in renting to travel nurses and wondering what you can do to cater to their needs, here is a good place to start. While individuals may be looking for specific amenities, in general, travel nurses have the same set of priorities. By understanding your audience, you can attract more travel nurse tenants.
Your tenants will probably be traveling to a new city all by themselves and may not know your area very well. They want to feel secure by choosing a safe place in a safe neighborhood. You can attract travel nurses by adding a security system, installing a fence and gate, and taking other precautions to secure the home. If you’re offering a room, you’ll want to specify if the room has a key lock and if other travelers will be living there. Be sure to prominently advertise these features in your listing because they can be big selling points. In addition, if you are close to a police or fire station, this may be worth mentioning.
While some housing stipends may cover the cost of housing, please be aware that a lot of them may not because they rarely account for high-cost cities. The main point in bringing this up is to clear up the false impression that travel nurses have big fat stipends – they don’t. Travel nurses are budget travelers. If you want to rent to traveling healthcare professionals, your rent needs to be fair, and your deposit needs to be affordable. The amount you choose for a deposit can help or hurt you because if it’s too high, they’ll simply find a more affordable place to stay. Furnished Finder recommends that hosts set deposits to be about 1/3 of rent. It is up to the landlords to set their own rent and deposit.
While some housing stipends may cover the cost of housing, please be aware that a lot of them may not because they rarely account for high-cost cities. The main point in bringing this up is to clear up the false impression that travel nurses have big fat stipends – they don’t. Travel nurses are budget travelers. If you want to rent to traveling healthcare professionals, your rent needs to be fair, and your deposit needs to be affordable. The amount you choose for a deposit can help or hurt you because if it’s too high, they’ll simply find a more affordable place to stay. Furnished Finder recommends that hosts set deposits to be about 1/3 of rent. It is up to the landlords to set their own rent and deposit.
If you’re a property owner who would like to start hosting travel nurses in your property and want to get an idea of the demand in your area, or you want to figure out how to price your property, search the map to get an idea of rents in your area.
Travel nurses want to get the most for their money and find a property that checks most of their boxes. Be sure to offer competitive pricing and make it clear what they are getting for their rent. They may be willing to spend towards the upper limit of their budget if you can make the case for your property over others in your area.
Travel nurses want a home away from home and all the conveniences that come with that. Offering high-speed WiFi is an absolute must, as well as already having all the utilities up and running. They are always moving about the country and have more choices than ever, so your property should be totally move-in ready. Once they come home after a long shift at the hospital, they want to relax, make something to eat, stream their favorite Netflix show, and get some peaceful sleep.
A lot of travel nurses enjoy the comfort and companionship that comes with traveling with their pets, and many landlords choose to accommodate them. If you allow pets, your property listing will be more distinct, and you may get more inquiries from potential tenants! It’s not uncommon to charge a non-refundable pet cleaning fee to help offset your costs.
Travel nurses don’t want to waste too much time commuting to and from work or running errands, like visiting the grocery store. If you are located close to hospitals, shopping, coffee shops, restaurants, and other conveniences, your property will be a standout. Proximity to public transportation can be another plus. Not every travel nurse wants to deal with bringing a car on assignment. If there is a bus stop a couple of blocks from your property, make sure to include this in your listing.
Having a designated parking spot can be a huge selling point, especially in big cities. You don’t want your tenants to have to spend time circling the block trying to find a spot that isn’t too far from the rental…especially at night. On-site laundry can also be a deal maker. After a long day at the hospital, travel nurses aren’t going to want to spend their free time hauling clothes to and from the laundromat.
Having a strong track record and plenty of positive reviews from past tenants will put you at the top of the list. Just one bad review can leave you with a property that is empty for months at a time. Don’t hesitate to politely ask tenants for reviews and work to build up a strong online reputation.
If you can provide all these things to travel nurses, you will be well on your way to becoming a popular landlord. However, there are some additional steps you can take to really win over your tenants and provide a superior housing experience. Some steps include:
No one wants to feel like they are living out of their suitcase, especially for 13 weeks at a time. A spacious dresser and a personal closet can go a long way.