Seattle, the crown jewel of the Pacific Northwest, is a city with lots of short-term housing opportunities. According to local realtor Ryan Halset, “Our economy was not hit as hard as other areas during the economic downturn, and companies such as Microsoft and Amazon have continued to hire. Temporary housing is a consistent need for people moving to the area… you’ll find that the cost of temporary housing is typically more than (that of) permanent, but it can be a great option while you learn about the unique neighborhoods of Seattle.” So, we’ve put together a handy primer on finding short-term housing in the Seattle area — Washington State’s cultural epicenter.

Start your search by checking out Moveline’s own guide for new Seattle residents. The first section, with its profiles of the city’s neighborhoods, will give you a head start. Two other great sources for orienting you to the city from afar are Trover.com and COEverywhere.com. Trover, the brainchild of Seattle resident Jason Karas, let’s you see photos of what people who live in Seattle like best — coffee shops, galleries, and all kinds of cool places to go, while COEverywhere connects you to the social activity going on in the location of your choice, linking to tweets, Facebook posts, photos, Groupon deals, and more for any neighborhood you click on the site’s map.
To get a feel for what the real estate market is like in Seattle, check out Curbed.

Now that you’re acclimated, there’s nothing better than word of mouth and personal references from friends, relatives or colleagues when you’re looking for short-term accommodation. Failing that, though, you’ve got plenty of alternatives.

The old stand-bys

You probably already know about Craigslist and Airbnb; indeed, both sites are good starting points for your search. A recent check of those sites came up with a furnished studio with a kitchenette one block from the Space Needle for $1695 on Craigslist, and a hilltop condo with one bedroom in the Queen Anne neighborhood for $2575 per month on Airbnb.

Sublets

Plenty of national sites exist to help you find temporary housing in cities like Seattle Oodle, Hotpads and Ebay classifieds, to name a few — but don’t overlook the local sources, which can help you find hidden gems. Sea to Sky Rentals got its start when the founder decided to sublet an apartment in her own home and recognized it was something that others would want to do, too. Two other locally owned and operated sites are Short-Term Suites, promising postings twice a day, and Seattle Furnished Suites, where a 550-square-foot one bedroom in the “hip & nerdy” Ballard neighborhood was listed for $1395 per month.

Uloop is an ideal source for sublets located near colleges and university campuses — just search by the name of the school you want to be near. And although Live Lovely is primarily for longer term rentals, you can try “month-to-month,” “short-term” or “corporate housing” in the site’s search feature and see what pops up in your range.

Roommates

If you’re okay with sharing space with someone else, try Roomster, Roommates.com and Roomie Match. Roomster has a category called “entire property search” as well if sharing isn’t your thing. On it we recently found a 1 bedroom, one bath with parking included for $750 per month. (And if you need tips on getting along with roommates, we’ve got you covered.)

Corporate housing

There’s no shortage of corporate housing companies with properties to offer in Seattle. This option is typically the most expensive since the accommodations are usually in high-end buildings that offer lots of come-hither amenities like gyms and swimming pools and, in the case of Synergy, even special arrangements for those furry friends on four legs.

If you aren’t bargain hunting and want a one-stop shopping experience, check out the Seattle listings on Aboda, Oakwood, Bridgestreet or Execustay. An Oakwood listing for a one bedroom in a highrise located where Belltown meets Downtown is $176 per night. Monthly rates are available for what promises to be a “vertical neighborhood” with everything you need right in the building, including a movie and game room.

Vacation Rentals

Lots of sites can connect you with a space that the owner wants to rent for a day, a week, a month or longer. Airbnb is exactly that kind of site, and its competitors include Vrbo, Flipkey and HomeAway.

A local vacation rental site, Seattle City Rentals, may have a few nice choices as well; a recent search showed an apartment in a building with five one-bedroom apartments ($650 to 975 per week depending on season) and a stand-alone cottage next door with a bedroom, space for an office and a secluded back patio ($750-$1200 per week).

No matter what route you choose, you’re bound to find something that suits you. Whether you’re moving to Seattle for a short-term stay or a longer haul and just need temporary housing while you get your footing, there’s a home out there with your name on it. And once you find it, let Moveline help you get there. We’ll compare prices on your behalf, get you connected with the right moving services, and have your back every step of the way. Saving money, time, and stress is definitely the way to go, so give us a shout and let us help you get a move on.