Not everyone needs or wants a traditional 12-month apartment lease. Whether you’re in transition between homes, on temporary work assignments, exploring Texas before committing long-term, or need flexibility due to uncertain circumstances, short-term rental options provide housing solutions with month-to-month leases or commitments of 3-6 months instead of full-year obligations.
Short-term rentals are apartment leases with commitments shorter than traditional 12-month terms. Short-term options include month-to-month leases with no fixed end date and 30-day notice to vacate, 3-6 month lease terms providing temporary housing with defined end dates, furnished short-term apartments including furniture and housewares, and corporate housing serving business travelers and relocated employees with flexible terms and full furnishings.
Short-term rentals typically command premium rents compared to annual leases—expect to pay 10-30% more monthly for flexibility. However, this premium provides valuable flexibility when you cannot or prefer not to commit to full-year leases.
Homeowners who sold homes before finding new properties need temporary housing during home searches. Home buyers whose purchases fell through need immediate housing without long-term commitment. Families building homes need temporary housing during construction. Short-term rentals provide housing flexibility during real estate transitions without forcing premature housing decisions or inconvenient living arrangements.
Employees relocating to Texas for new jobs often need immediate housing before understanding neighborhoods and deciding where to settle permanently. Professionals on temporary work assignments of 3-12 months need housing for assignment duration without annual commitments. Contract workers and consultants on project-based work need flexible housing matching project timelines. Short-term rentals allow you to work while exploring communities before committing long-term.
Divorce or separation often requires one party to find immediate temporary housing during transition. Recent graduates starting careers may want flexibility while establishing themselves professionally. People relocating to Texas to explore opportunities before committing permanently benefit from short-term housing. Anyone experiencing major life changes appreciates housing flexibility during uncertain periods.
Snowbirds spending winters in Texas but maintaining primary residences elsewhere need seasonal housing for 4-6 months annually. Business travelers spending extended periods in Texas regularly need temporary home bases. Students in internships or temporary programs need housing for program duration. Short-term rentals accommodate seasonal and part-time residency needs.
People considering moving to Texas want to experience living in the state before purchasing real estate and committing permanently. Short-term rentals allow you to test neighborhoods, experience weather and lifestyle, and ensure Texas fits your expectations before buying homes and committing long-term.
Some apartment communities offer month-to-month lease terms after initial commitments expire or for new residents willing to pay premium rates. Month-to-month leases typically require 30 or 60 days notice to vacate, providing maximum flexibility at the highest cost—often 20-30% above annual lease rates.
Month-to-month leases work well when you need indefinite flexibility, cannot predict when you’ll be ready to move, want the option to relocate with minimal notice, or are waiting for specific housing to become available like new home closings.
Fixed short-term leases of 3-6 months provide temporary housing with defined end dates. These leases cost more than annual terms but less than month-to-month arrangements—typically 10-20% premiums. Fixed short-term leases work well for temporary work assignments with known durations, home construction with estimated completion dates, trial periods exploring Texas before long-term commitment, and transitions with approximate timelines like job searches or home sales.
Furnished apartments include furniture, housewares, linens, and everything needed for immediate occupancy. Furnished short-term rentals typically cost 30-50% more than unfurnished apartments but eliminate furniture purchase, moving, and storage costs. Furnished options work well for temporary assignments where buying furniture doesn’t make sense, relocations where you’re leaving furniture behind temporarily, international relocations where shipping furniture is impractical, and situations where you need immediate housing without setup time.
Extended-stay hotels and serviced apartments provide hotel-like accommodations with kitchens, weekly housekeeping, and utilities included in daily or weekly rates. While more expensive than apartments on per-night basis, extended-stay options work for very short durations under 30 days, provide no-commitment flexibility, include utilities and services in rates, and require no lease applications or deposits.
Short-term flexibility commands premium pricing. If 12-month leases rent for $1,500 monthly, expect month-to-month at $1,800-1,950 monthly, 6-month leases at $1,650-1,800 monthly, 3-month leases at $1,725-1,875 monthly, and furnished short-term at $1,950-2,250+ monthly. Calculate total costs over your expected stay duration when comparing options. Sometimes paying month-to-month premiums for 2-3 months costs less than committing to longer terms you don’t need.
Short-term rentals typically require standard security deposits equal to one month’s rent, application fees of $50-100 per applicant, and sometimes administrative fees. Furnished rentals may require higher deposits protecting furniture. These upfront costs are similar to annual leases, but monthly rent premiums create higher ongoing costs.
Unfurnished short-term apartments typically require tenants to establish and pay utilities separately like annual leases. Furnished apartments and extended-stay options often include utilities in rent, simplifying budgeting but potentially costing more overall. Clarify what’s included when comparing total costs.
Some traditional apartment communities offer short-term lease terms, particularly properties with higher vacancy or during slower leasing seasons. We identify communities offering flexible terms and negotiate shortest possible commitments at best available rates. Not all properties advertise short-term availability—our industry relationships help us identify unadvertised flexibility.
Specialized corporate housing companies provide furnished apartments on flexible terms serving business travelers and relocated employees. These providers maintain inventory of furnished units available for 30 days to 12+ months, include utilities and services in rates, offer flexible lease terms and extensions, and provide concierge services and support.
Extended-stay hotel chains like Extended Stay America, Residence Inn, TownePlace Suites, and Homewood Suites offer apartment-style rooms with kitchens at daily or weekly rates. While expensive for long stays, extended-stay hotels work well for very short durations under 30 days or when you need maximum flexibility without lease commitments.
Websites like Furnished Finder, Airbnb (for stays over 28 days), and VRBO sometimes feature longer-term rentals from individuals offering furnished homes or apartments. These options provide alternatives to traditional apartments but require careful vetting of properties and hosts to ensure legitimate, safe arrangements.
Understand your lease terms thoroughly including exact lease duration and end date, notice required to vacate or extend, renewal or extension options and rates, penalties for early termination if you need to leave sooner than expected, and options to convert to longer-term leases if circumstances change. Some short-term leases automatically convert to month-to-month after initial terms unless you provide notice, while others simply end requiring you to vacate or negotiate extensions.
Decide whether furnished apartments justify premium costs based on your stay duration, furniture ownership status, moving costs and storage fees if keeping furniture elsewhere, and whether buying furniture makes sense for temporary stays. Generally, furnished apartments make financial sense for stays under 6 months, while longer stays may justify unfurnished apartments even with furniture purchase costs.
Since short-term rentals are temporary, you may prioritize different factors than permanent housing including proximity to work minimizing commute during temporary assignments, proximity to your home search area if buying property, access to activities and entertainment maximizing your temporary stay experience, and avoiding long-term commitments to areas you’re still evaluating.
We begin by understanding your short-term housing needs including expected stay duration or approximate timeline, furnished versus unfurnished preferences, budget including acceptance of premium rates for flexibility, location priorities based on work, home search areas, or other factors, must-have amenities and features, and potential to extend if circumstances change.
We identify apartment communities and housing providers offering short-term options including properties with month-to-month availability, communities offering 3-6 month lease terms, corporate housing providers with furnished inventory, extended-stay hotels with competitive weekly or monthly rates, and sublease or alternative housing options when appropriate.
We negotiate on your behalf for shortest possible commitments at best rates, reduced or eliminated premiums for short-term leases when possible, flexibility to extend if your timeline changes, and clarity on all terms, costs, and obligations. Our industry relationships sometimes secure short-term flexibility that properties don’t advertise publicly.
Short-term housing needs often involve urgent timelines. We coordinate rapid application processing, quick move-in scheduling, and expedited processes helping you secure housing fast when you need immediate solutions.
We help clients find short-term rentals throughout Texas including Houston metro with extensive corporate housing and flexible apartment options, Dallas-Fort Worth offering diverse short-term inventory serving business travelers and relocating professionals, Austin with short-term options serving technology workers and temporary residents, San Antonio providing flexible housing near military bases and business districts, and other Texas markets statewide.
Finding short-term rentals requires knowing which communities offer flexibility, understanding cost-benefit tradeoffs of various options, and negotiating favorable terms for temporary situations. We provide specialized short-term rental services including identifying all available short-term housing options, comparing costs and features across alternatives, negotiating shortest commitments at best rates, coordinating rapid application and move-in processes, and providing flexibility guidance helping you choose optimal solutions. Our services are free—housing providers compensate us, so you receive professional short-term housing expertise at no cost.
Need flexible housing in Texas? Contact us to discuss your situation, timeline, and requirements. We’ll identify short-term rental options, explain cost tradeoffs, and help you secure temporary housing providing the flexibility you need during transitions or temporary stays.
Leasing Managers
