Long-Term Housing Options

Unless you slide down hills of gold coins like Scrooge McDuck, paying for a hotel long-term while traveling abroad isn’t an option. Fortunately, there are many alternatives to living in a hotel, and most long-term housing options will offer a more satisfying, authentic experience in your host country. Whether you’re staying for a week, a month, a year or an undetermined amount of time, finding long-term housing abroad is much like finding housing anywhere, but there are a few time-tested steps to finding ideal accommodations.

The Internet. Of course, the Internet. Only, it is important to be cognizant of a few things. The Internet is a great place to start, whether it’s Craigslist or local online publications. However, the Internet is the world’s breeding ground for scammers, thieves and all-around unsavory people. So, sending money — even (especially) a deposit — is never a good idea. The truth is a deposit isn’t due until the day you move-in, so sending money, in almost all cases, via the Internet is unwarranted.

There are exceptions, and many countries do offer monthly rentals through credible organizations. For instance, Thailand’s Mr.RoomFinder is a credible source, along with other real estate organizations worldwide. AirBnB also comes to mind. It’s just important to be extra prudent when searching the Internet for long-term accommodations abroad, especially when dealing with an individual.

A major drawback for finding long-term housing abroad solely through the Internet is your inability to actually see the place or the surrounding area. From experience, jumping headfirst into an apartment sight unseen can be troublesome. If the Internet is a good jumping-off point, then going to the place, without concrete commitments, is the next practical step.

The ideal two-step for finding the apartment abroad is mapping out potential apartments and areas you’re interested in via Internet, then visiting the area with other short-term arrangements for a few days. This allows you to actually scope out apartment possibilities and areas. The money you spend on a hotel or hostel will be well worth it. Also, checking local publications, coffee shop bulletin boards and asking locals while searching may save you a lot of money. Many times, Internet prices don’t reflect actual local prices.

Remember, long-term housing is just that, long-term, so due diligence is key for comfort, affordability and safety.