Get Affordable Housing in the USA as an Immigrant
Finding cheap temporary housing is a critical initial step in the process of settling down for immigrants arriving in the United States of America.
While Airbnb is a popular choice, several other options can provide cost-effective solutions for your temporary housing needs. Temporary rentals can be found on platforms such as Airbnb, HomeAway, VRBO, TripAdvisor, Homestay, and Booking.
Short-term lease apartments are frequently furnished and much easier to find.
If you still need to wait for your delivered items to arrive and/or want to take your time finding the ideal permanent housing for your needs, you may want to choose this option.
In this comprehensive article, we will explore some of the most viable options available, ensuring you have all the information you need to make an informed decision.
Where to Get Affordable Housing in the USA as an Immigrant
Here are some options to consider when getting temporary housing in the USA as an immigrant, aside from Airbnb.
1. Zillow
Zillow is one of the leading property websites in the United States, catering to both buyers and renters looking for homes, flats, and commercial properties.
Established in 2006, Zillow offers the most robust suite of tools for buyers, sellers, landlords, renters, agents, and other home professionals. Zillow’s power and flexibility make it the best overall real estate website in the States.
Benefits of Using Zillow
- Largest database of over 135 million properties
- Extensive criteria-sorting
- Links to get pre-qualified financing
- Volumes of “how-to” guides about home buying and selling
- Suite of mobile apps so you can do your research anywhere
Estimated Price of Housing on Zillow
The cost of rent on the Zillow platform differs considerably depending on the location, type of property, and other factors. In big cities like New York, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., and San Francisco, the rent prices are considerably high.
To get the best housing deal, sign up on the platform and use the filter on the Zillow website to get affordable housing as an immigrant in the United States.
2. Realtor.com
Another best platform to get affordable housing in the United States is Realtor.Com. Affiliated with the National Association of Realtors, this platform uses MLS listings, which are sourced from around 580 regional databases and are considered the gold standard for quality listing.
For this reason, if you’re just moving into the United States and need a place to rent affordable property, Realtor.com should be your pick.
Benefits of Using Realtor.Com
- Database includes 99% of all MLS-listed properties
- Easy to search all listed homes in a school district
- Links to pre-qualified financing and financial calculators for buyers
- Robust “find a realtor” feature
Estimated Price of Housing on Realtor.Com
The cost of rent on the Realtor.Com platform differs considerably depending on the location, type of property, and other factors. In big cities like New York, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., and San Francisco, the rent prices are considerably high.
To get the best housing deal, sign up on the platform and use the filter on the Realtor.com website to get affordable housing as an immigrant in the United States. With realtor.com, you can get an apartment with rent specials, pet-friendly rentals, rentals with in-unit laundry, etc.
3. Trulia
Trulia’s website and mobile app are the best when it comes to hunting for affordable housing solutions. Since the majority of home buyers and renters do so much of their searching using their mobile devices, the fact that Trulia’s app is powerful, simple, and easy to use makes it our choice for the best mobile app for renting an apartment in the United States.
Benefits of Using Trulia
- Hearty “local info” available on website and app
- Personalized alerts for your criteria
- Links to get pre-qualified financing and financial calculators in the app
- Fine-tune your geographic search by drawing a loop with your finger on the map
- Real estate guides and information
Estimated Price of Housing on Trulia
Just like every other real estate listing platform, the cost of renting a property on Trulia differs considerably depending on the location, type of property, and other factors. In big cities like New York, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., and San Francisco, the rent prices are considerably high.
To get the best housing deal, sign up on the platform and use the filter on the Trulia website or app to get affordable housing as an immigrant in the United States. With Trulia, you can get an apartment with rent specials, pet-friendly rentals, rentals with in-unit laundry, etc.
4. Foreclosure.com
This platform is one of the best websites to seek rental properties in the United States. This website aggregates data from thousands of different sources all over the country. It also has the best mix of search criteria, sorting, quantity of listings, and perhaps most importantly, with this complex process, education.
Benefits of Using Foreclosure.com
- How-to articles, law information, glossary, and checklists
- More than 1.8 million listings nationwide
- Lots of options for search criteria
- Document Center with links for title search and other required forms
Estimated Price of Housing on Foreclosure.com
Just like every other real estate listing platform, the cost of renting a property on Foreclosure.com differs considerably depending on the location, type of property, and other factors. In big cities like New York, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., and San Francisco, the rent prices are considerably high.
To get the best housing deal, sign up on the platform and use the filter on the Foreclosure.Com website to get affordable housing as an immigrant in the United States. With forclusure.com, you can get an apartment with rent specials, pet-friendly rentals, rentals with in-unit laundry, etc.
5. Apartments.com
Apartment.com is one of the best websites for renting. This platform offers renters information about the surrounding community and tips on improving their rental experience.
Their property listing may show pictures, 3D tours, floor plans, availability dates, current rent specials, and added expenses such as parking or pet fees, if applicable. You also get renter reviews, lease length options, and info on nearby shops, restaurants, gyms, banks, etc
Benefits of Using Apartment.com
- Not just apartments; houses, condos, and townhouses, too
- Large library of easy-to-digest articles for every phase of the renting experience
- Mobile app with search and built-in contact feature
- Search by more than just geography
Estimated Price of Housing on Apartment.com
The cost of renting a property on Apartment.com differs considerably depending on the location, type of property, and other factors. In big cities like New York, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., and San Francisco, the rent prices are considerably high.
To get the best housing deal, sign up on the platform and use the filter on the Apartment.Com website to get affordable housing as an immigrant in the United States. With Apartment.com, you can get an apartment with rent specials, pet-friendly rentals, rentals with in-unit laundry, etc.
How to Choose the Best Real Estate Website?
You can choose the best real estate websites based on these factors:
- Maximum Exposure: Find a website that will give maximum exposure to your property. This could also include MLS listing, social media sharing and customizable yard signs.
- Strong Technology: Websites with robust technology can make selling or buying a house faster and more efficient. Look for features like virtual tours, high-quality photos, and user-friendly interfaces.
- Responsive Customer Service: Having good customer service can make your real estate transaction go smoothly. Find a website that offers prompt and helpful customer service.
Conclusion
Finding affordable housing in the USA as an immigrant is achievable with careful research and consideration of various options.
Shared accommodation, hostels, serviced apartments, university accommodations, short-term rental websites, extended stay hotels, local classified ads, non-profit organizations, and negotiation strategies are all valuable tools in your quest for affordable housing.
Keep in mind that your choice should align with your budget, needs, and preferences. By exploring these alternatives and staying open to negotiation, you can find suitable and cost-effective temporary housing while you settle into your new life in the United States of America.