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Home Away from Home

Interim housing can provide peace of mind while you choose your new home

By Scarlet L. Lawrence

It’s all coming together, right? An exciting new job in Atlanta. Just a few questions—where will I live? What part of town is right for me? Should I rent or purchase a home? Will I have to live out of a suitcase until I find a place to live? How will I figure all of this out before my new job starts? With all these questions looming, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Luckily, Atlanta’s wide range of interim housing options can offer great temporary solutions to your housing queries.

Taking advantage of interim housing can not only save you money, but it can also provide you with the time and energy needed to make a housing choice that’s right for you. Simply deciding what part of town you want to live in can be a cumbersome decision, and temporary housing can help buy the time you need to make an informed decision.

So, what exactly is interim housing? Once called “corporate housing,” interim housing units are often termed “corporate apartments” or “turnkey apartments.”

Apartments originally designed for frequent business travelers are now a great option for those in the process of relocating. These apartment homes are filled with all the luxuries of home, such as furniture, linens, cookware, washers and dryers, phone and cable service and utilities. Unlike a hotel, corporate housing provides autonomy for its residents.

“We strive to make it like a home environment,” explains Janet Appling of Post Properties. “We tell people just to bring their clothes and groceries.”
One of the most compelling aspects of interim housing is its cost. Generally, the cost for a 30-day stay is considerably lower in a turnkey apartment than that of a 30-day hotel stay. Equity Corporate housing offers economy units starting at $50 per day.

“The biggest advantage over staying in a hotel is the square footage,” says Randy Hudson with Equity Residential. “You’re staying in a location twice the size with all the conveniences of home. Staying in a hotel for a couple of days isn’t bad, but after a while the walls really start to close in on you.”

Location, length of stay, number of bedrooms and furniture upgrades are determining factors in the cost of your unit and both long-term and short-term rates are available. In addition to its cost effectiveness, the simplicity of the process is another attractive factor.

“The biggest advantage is having more than just one room,” Appling says.

“You can cook your own meals and entertain. It’s wonderful for families to have a full-size apartment.”

Like most Atlantans, everyone is trying to decrease the time spent on that pesky commute. If a location in close proximity to your office is desired, most corporate housing companies can easily meet your needs as they have access to properties across the metro area. According to Hudson, Equity Corporate Housing has access to a large number of apartments in Atlanta and over 200,000 units nationwide.

Whether you are searching for the perfect place to rent or waiting for your new home to be built, interim housing is a great option in the Atlanta area.