Are you looking for a short term lease?

Especially in the Northern Virginia and DC area, work contracts can vary from a month or two to a few years. Sometimes while relocating for only a few weeks or months, renters have a hard time finding a place to live.

My best recommendation is trying to sublease a place, or go to an apartment building. Going through a Realtor helps you find places in condominium buildings, where each unit is individually owned. Many condominium buildings have strict restrictions on leasing periods, which usually are a minimum of a year. Even if the owner wanted to rent out their place for 2 or 3 months, the building itself will not permit it. This is just to minimize turnover, and have a steady stream of tenants. But youre not completely out of luck, some buildings do allow shorter leases, such as Clarendon 1021 which allows a minimum of 6 months.

Apartment buildings are ideal for short term leases. The building is owned by one company, and can do leases of various lengths. One thing to watch out for though, is the shorter the lease, the more expensive the rent. But, if you are only going to be in the area for a few months, this is your best option. Also, many apartment buildings have the option of being furnished. This is also ideal so people don't have to bring their own furniture for only a few months. Although this sounds like a terrific deal, watch out. Many apartment buildings charge steep one time "move in" and "amenities" fees, regardless of how long you stay, sometimes amounting to $600+.

Another option is subleasing. The best way to find these places are through websites like craigslist.