The travel nursing industry has exploded in recent years, with over 30,000 travel nurse positions available on any given day in the United States. These highly paid professionals receive housing stipends from their agencies and actively seek fully furnished, well-appointed homes near their hospital assignments.
Unlike traditional long-term rentals that lock you into 12-month leases at market rates, travel nurse housing operates on 13-week (90-day) cycles, allowing you to adjust rents regularly. More importantly, furnished properties near hospitals command a 1.6X premium over unfurnished market rents because:
- Travel nurses have housing stipends that cover premium rents
- They need move-in-ready homes with furniture, WiFi, and utilities included
- Proximity to the hospital is more important than price for most travelers
- Short-term furnished rentals have lower vacancy risk when near major medical centers
DSCR (Debt Service Coverage Ratio) loans are the perfect financing vehicle for this strategy because they rely on the property's income — not your personal W-2 income. As long as the furnished rental income covers the mortgage payment (a DSCR of 1.0+), you qualify.