Anyone who needs housing for a month, a semester, or a few months knows the difficulty: traditional rentals require a guarantor, a long contract, and lots of paperwork. Hotels are too expensive for long stays. And searching multiple websites at the same time is exhausting.

There are intermediate options that solve this problem. The question is what to evaluate before deciding.

The medium-term rental market is still relatively unknown in Brazil. Most people are familiar with traditional rentals or Airbnb, but are unaware of a third option: platforms specializing in stays of 30 days or more, with furniture included and no red tape.

This lack of information leads to common mistakes:

The first step is to understand that there is a product category made specifically for this scenario.

Before finalizing any option, consider these criteria:

This makes sense when the stay is long (over 1 year) and you already know the city well. The advantages are the lower monthly price and stability. The limitations are the rigid contract, the requirement for a guarantor, and the lack of furniture in most cases. For those who need flexibility, this option is usually the least suitable.

Ideal for stays of a few days or a few weeks. The experience is simple and the booking process is quick. However, the monthly cost is significantly higher than on medium-term platforms. For a full month, the price may make it an unfeasible option, especially in European cities or Brazilian capitals.

They function like metasearch engines: they gather offers from various sources onto a single screen. They are geared towards stays of 1 month or more, with furnished apartments, flexible contracts, and no guarantor required. The entire process is online, with no need for an in-person visit. The monthly cost falls between Airbnb and traditional rentals, offering a clear value proposition for those who need speed and security.

It may offer lower prices, but it comes with risks: less legal security, lack of formal support, and enormous variation in property quality. Recommended only when there is a high degree of trust in the other party.

The choice of platform also depends on where you're going. There's no single solution that works equally well in all markets.

In European cities like Lisbon, Berlin, and Milan, the supply on medium-term rental platforms is large and well-established. Competition among advertisers tends to drive down prices and increase the quality of available properties. This is where this type of platform delivers the best results.

In São Paulo and other Brazilian capitals, the medium-term rental market is growing, but it's still smaller. The supply exists, especially in central neighborhoods, but it's lower than in European destinations. It's worth searching with flexible dates to find more options.

In smaller cities or less common destinations, the platform may have few listings. In these cases, subletting between individuals or contacting local real estate agencies directly may be the most practical option.

Knowing the profile of your destination before choosing a platform avoids frustration during the search process.

Searching for temporary housing without a clear method can quickly become confusing. Some simple practices can help make the process more streamlined:

This process usually takes between 2 and 5 days when done carefully. Rushing the decision is one of the most common mistakes, especially when deadline pressure is high.

The best temporary housing option isn't the same for everyone. It depends on the length of stay, the destination, the available budget, and how much bureaucracy you're willing to deal with. Knowing the available alternatives already resolves a good part of the uncertainty.

Platforms like Nestpick emerged precisely to facilitate this comparison. It's worth exploring the options available for your destination before making any decision.