FAQ: I need a place to rent for a short term – what are my best options?

JOHN RICE ASSOCIATE BROKER | REALTOR

grand rapids real estate

Q: I need a place to rent for a short term – what are my best options? 

A:  Today’s market has created a new scenario not seen a few years ago – the need for a short term rental….Typically this comes up in 2 scenarios:

1. My home is sold – where can I now go temporarily while I find my next home (or while our builder finishes building our new home.)

2. I am relocating to the area and need a place to stay for 30, 60, 90 days while I find a home to purchase, where can I stay?

…..There are some negotiation tactics that can be used to minimize your need for scenario #1 above – however not always…..

Both of these instances create a need for temporary housing.  Now typically the thought is – “John, I get it – I need to get a rental….” However what people don’t often realize is that Grand Rapids is the number 1 ranked rental market in country FOR INVESTORS.  What does that mean for potential renters? It means landlords are not usually willing to negotiate.  It means a very low number of openings and it means tough competition for those open rentals.  It means higher prices and almost no acceptance of short term leases (less than 12 months.)

So now what? Well there is a whole market based on the need for a short term rental; the temporary housing market.  Is it a great solution for the long term? No typically you are paying premium to have flexibility to leave in 2 weeks, 30-120 days etc…However it does beat paying for a hotel room for that amount of time or not having a roof over your head at all.   So if you find yourself in this situation or one of your options may point you in that direction, here are some options to consider:

A few options are:
Extended Stay Hotels.  This options allows you to have full kitchens, furniture and more of a sense of home than the traditional hotel room.  Additionally the hotels do need to charge the short term rental taxes required by the state once you are there for 30+ days – which equals another savings over a hotel.
Staybridge Suites:  http://www.ihg.com/staybridge/hotels/us/en/grand-rapids/grrmi/hoteldetail
Hawthorn Suites: http://www.hawthorn.com/hotels/michigan/grand-rapids/hawthorn-suites-by-wyndham-grand-rapids-mi/hotel-overview
Residence Inn : http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/grrri-residence-inn-grand-rapids-airport/
Homewood: http://homewoodsuites3.hilton.com/en/hotels/michigan/homewood-suites-by-hilton-grand-rapids-GRRMIHW/index.html
Additionally the Amway Grand Plaza offers an all-inclusive option for extended stay needs – visit the link – but you will need to contact them directly for pricing and availability: http://amwaygrand.com/rooms

When searching for housing in the Grand Rapids and greater West Michigan area, these are some great options to consider as a part of the overall plan. As always reach out to me with your questions and together we can craft the best possible strategy and solution.

We would love to hear from you!

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A few words from our clients:
We can’t say enough good things about John. He is an awesome realtor! We bought our home with his help and just recently sold it with his help. He is highly knowledgeable about the Grand Rapids area market and his expertise and professionalism has shown through both times we worked with him...John is a wonderful communicator and a genuine person. His sincerity has been evident in his commitment to making the purchase and sale experience as seamless and informed as possible. We consider ourselves incredibly fortunate to have worked with John and strongly recommend him without reservation!
E&T VanBuskirk
We moved to the Grand Rapids area 11 years ago and John was very patient as we found our first home and made the experience absolutely seamless! When we were ready to sell and buy again we knew to reach out to John. As we remembered and appreciated, John is an absolute professional and was and advocate for our best interests at all times during this wild market. We found great value in our new home and he helped us get top dollar for our sale. Grateful to have him on our side though the whole process. You won’t be disappointed!
Lance W
Purchased and sold with John, he is: Professional, an extremely good communicator, precise, and acted on our behalf 24/7. He kept us up to date on listings for purchase and preparation advice for selling our home. He was knowledgeable about neighborhoods. Photography for sale of our house was impressive. We were appreciative of the guidance regarding making offers, inspections, when to list our home, writing contracts, detailed review and presentation of offers on our home and being realistic about our purchase of new home. Great experience, Great Realtor.
J&G Junod
We have worked with John to sell 1 home and buy 2 homes and he is an incredible realtor! He is professional, prompt with communication, honest and patient. We had quite the list for what we were looking for and John was always available to answer questions and get us in to look at a home. His knowledge and connections in the industry made both the buying and selling process go smoothly. We simply cannot recommend John enough!
Chase and Nicole O
John Rice is hands down one of the best realtors in the Grand Rapids and surrounding areas. We have utilized him as our realtor on two separate occasions, once over 10 years ago, and again over the last several months to buy/sell. He is incredibly knowledgeable and uses his expertise to help guide you in your choices throughout the realty process. He is professional, kind, has impeccable attention to detail, responsive, and clearly loves what he does. Choose John for your realty needs…he is the best of the best!
Amanda W
John helped us sell our house when we moved out of Grand Rapids 3 years ago and recently helped us purchase a new house when we moved back. He is very professional and knowledgeable of the area and market. I would recommend him to anyone looking to buy or sell.
S&K Weber
It was a wonderful experience working with John. His professionalism, honesty, experience, and knowledge of the Grand Rapids market, helped us in multiple ways. John sold our home in one day, was honest about what we could expect from offers, and was spot on. As we progressed toward finding our new home, again, he was extremely knowledgeable about the neighborhoods, home values, and history of the homes. We are more than happy to say, that he helped us find our dream home within our budget! Anything I needed, he was there through emails, texts, or phone calls. He definitely put in a lot of work for us. Without a doubt, I will ask for his assistance again when the time comes. Thank you John!
T&A Lascari
We have worked with John multiple times now, both buying and selling homes. We 100% recommend him and he’ll always be our go-to realtor for any future real estate needs. John is experienced in the industry and well-known and respected. He is extremely professional and knowledgeable, on top of being an all-around nice guy. He is responsive and answered all of our questions along the way. We asked John for several referrals for other services (lender, cleaner, etc.) and we were very happy with all his suggestions. John is honest and will listen to your concerns/opinions. He is never pushy, but gives great advice based on his years of experience. We are so thankful for the guidance we received from John to make our recent home buying and selling experience successful and quick! If you need a realtor, call John.
G&E Webb