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31 answers
Mostly four things: what the 29-night minimum really means, what a quote actually contains, what is standard in every MidStays home versus what varies by property, and who to call when something breaks on day 40. Those questions are answered below, grouped so the relevant section is easy to find.
Where an answer depends on the specific home rather than on a MidStays rule, that is said plainly instead of smoothed over. Deposits, pet rules, utilities, cleaning during a stay, and accessibility features are all set per property, and the listing is the source of truth.
Every MidStays home requires at least 29 nights. That floor is site-wide and does not move, in any destination or any season. Homes on MidStays are equipped for living rather than visiting, which is why each one has a full kitchen, a washer and dryer inside the home, and real bedrooms. Stays of one to eleven months are the range MidStays is built for.
Search the destination and dates needed, open a home, and request those dates. A written quote comes back with the rent for that exact stay plus any deposits, fees, and taxes set by the property. After a short application and a signed rental agreement, arrival and entry details are sent before travel. Calling MidStays at (866) 700-5552 also works if the dates are still moving.
As early as the dates are known. Desert winter months in Arizona and the California low desert fill first, because November through April draws repeat residents who often hold the same home from one year to the next. Mountain summers and coastal late summer tighten next. Flexibility of even a week on the start date opens up noticeably more homes.
The listing photos are the home. Before a MidStays home goes live, a local property manager inspects it against the listing room by room, and photos are re-shot when the home changes. An in-person walkthrough before arrival depends on the property and whether it is currently occupied, so raise that with the local manager during the request rather than assuming.
No. The 29-night minimum applies to every home on MidStays, with no exception and no shorter tier. Anyone needing a handful of nights is better served elsewhere, and saying so up front saves a wasted search. MidStays inventory, pricing, rental agreements, and support are all built around stays of one to eleven months.
Every MidStays home is fully furnished throughout, with a living room, a dining space, and real bedrooms with real beds. Each one has a full kitchen with a full-size range, refrigerator, dishwasher, cookware, dishes, utensils and coffee; a washer and dryer inside the home; linens, towels and starter household essentials; wifi; and parking as configured at that property. Every home is professionally cleaned before arrival.
Yes. A full kitchen is a standard on every MidStays home rather than an upgrade: a full-size range, a refrigerator, a dishwasher, plus cookware, dishes, utensils and coffee. That standard exists because someone staying 90 days cooks most meals at home. A kitchenette with two burners and a bar fridge does not qualify as a MidStays kitchen.
Yes. In-home laundry is a standard on MidStays: a washer and dryer inside the home, not a shared machine down a hallway and not a coin-operated room in a basement. A local property manager confirms both are working during the pre-arrival inspection. Laundry is one of the clearest practical differences between a MidStays home and an extended-stay hotel.
Rates depend on the destination, the home, the season, and the length of stay, so MidStays quotes per home and per date range rather than publishing one figure. Desert winter months cost more than desert summer months. How a quote is built — rent, then property-set deposits, fees and taxes — is spelled out on the pricing page.
Utilities and any applicable fees are shown on each home's listing and in your quote before you book. Treatment varies from property to property, so the listing for the specific home is the source of truth rather than a site-wide rule. Read the utilities line before signing, and ask the local property manager if the arrangement for that home is unclear.
Deposits are set by each property rather than by MidStays, and appear in the quote before anything is signed. A security deposit is common on a stay of a month or more, and a pet deposit or pet fee may apply where pets are allowed. The rental agreement states the amount, when it is due, and the conditions for return.
The local property manager for that home, whose direct contact arrives with the entry details before travel. A dishwasher that stops draining on a Sunday, a dead garage remote, an air conditioner struggling in August: the local manager handles those and can be at the property. Not a call center in another time zone reading from a script.
Entry instructions arrive before travel, along with the address, parking details, and wifi information. Access does not depend on a front desk being staffed, which matters for a night-shift start, a delayed flight, or a nine-hour drive that ends at 11pm. A local property manager confirms during inspection that the entry method actually opens the door.
Every MidStays home is professionally cleaned before arrival. Whether cleaning recurs during a stay depends on the property and on what the rental agreement sets out — some homes include periodic cleaning, others leave day-to-day upkeep to the resident. Check the listing and the agreement for the specific home, and arrange additional cleaning through the local property manager if wanted.
Extensions are common and often expected — 13-week healthcare contracts get renewed to 26 weeks, projects slip, closings get delayed. Tell the local property manager as soon as the possibility appears, because the home may already be committed to someone else for the following month. When the same home is open, the extension is added to the existing rental agreement.
An early departure is governed by the rental agreement signed for that home, which sets out notice requirements and what portion of the term remains payable. A stay of 29 nights or more is a tenancy, so ending early is not the same as cancelling a hotel reservation. Contact the local property manager immediately, because early notice usually creates more options.
Yes, and repeat stays are the norm in the desert destinations. Snowbird season runs November through April, and residents who liked a home frequently arrange the following winter before leaving. The way to secure a repeat is to raise it with the local property manager during the current stay rather than starting a fresh search in September.
Some MidStays homes accept pets and some do not, because that decision belongs to each property. Pet-friendly status is stated on the listing, along with any limits on number, size, or breed. Where pets are welcome, a pet deposit or pet fee is common and appears in the quote before anything is signed. The pet policy page covers the details.
Multiple pets are possible at some properties and capped at others, so the limit is a per-home fact rather than a MidStays rule. Say how many animals are coming, and what kind, when requesting dates. A household with two dogs and a cat narrows the list considerably, and finding that out during the request beats finding out at signing.
Where a home accepts pets, a pet fee, a pet deposit, or both are common, set by the property rather than by MidStays. Any such amount appears in the quote and in the rental agreement before signing, so nothing about pets turns up later as a surprise line item. Exact amounts vary by home and are stated on the listing.
Yes. Because a stay of 29 nights or more is a tenancy rather than a nightly reservation, MidStays homes use a short application ahead of the rental agreement. Requirements are set per property and can include identity verification and background or credit screening. What a given home requires is explained during the request, not revealed at the final step.
Cancellation terms come from the rental agreement for the specific home and from the point at which the cancellation happens, rather than from one blanket site-wide rule. Terms before signing differ from terms after signing, and from terms after a stay has already started. The cancellation policy page sets out the framework, and the signed agreement is the binding version.
Accessibility features vary by property, since MidStays homes are real houses and condos rather than units in one standardized building. Single-level layouts, step-free entries, wider doorways, and walk-in showers exist in some homes and not in others, and only what a listing states can be relied on. Describe the specific requirement when requesting dates, and read the accessibility page.
Short answers here, long ones there. Read what is included in every MidStays home, how MidStays pricing works, and the application and rental agreement process before requesting dates.
Once a stay is booked, the practical pages are arriving and settling in and how to extend your stay. The rules live on rental policies, the pet policy, the cancellation policy, and accessibility.
Still deciding where to go? Compare all 17 Arizona and California destinations, or talk to a real person at MidStays.
No. Linens, towels, and starter household essentials come with every MidStays home, along with cookware, dishes and utensils in the kitchen. Most people arrive with two suitcases and nothing else. Starter essentials are exactly that, a starting supply, so plan on a first grocery run for consumables during the opening week of the stay.
Standards are the same everywhere: furnishings, a full kitchen, in-home laundry, linens, wifi, and a pre-arrival inspection by a local manager. What varies by property is everything else — a pool, a garage, covered parking, a fenced yard, a dedicated home office, a single-level layout, gated community access, and pet rules. Each listing states what that specific home offers.
Payment follows the schedule written into the rental agreement for that home, which usually means an initial payment to confirm the stay and then payments across the term rather than one lump sum for eleven months. Exact timing varies by property and is stated in the agreement before signing, alongside the deposit amounts and the total.
Longer blocks often price better per month than shorter ones, because a home held for five continuous months is worth more to a property than five separate arrivals. Rates are set per property, so the way to find out is to request the actual dates and compare real quotes. Mention it directly if the stay could stretch — a longer term may change the number.
Wifi is a standard on every MidStays home and is confirmed working during the pre-arrival inspection. Actual speed varies by property and by the local provider, so anyone on daily video calls should ask the local property manager about the connection at that specific home before signing. A dedicated desk or work space is a per-home feature, listed where present.
Occupancy limits and visitor rules are set per property and stated in the rental agreement, so the number of people named on the agreement is the number the home is approved for. Family joining for part of a longer stay is usually workable, but clear it with the local property manager first rather than after arrival. The rental policies page has the general framework.
Check-out expectations sit in the rental agreement for the home and get confirmed by the local property manager toward the end of the term: typically removing belongings, taking out trash, running the dishwasher, returning keys and remotes, and leaving the home broadly as found. Normal wear across three or eleven months of living is expected and is not deducted from a deposit.
Assume no unless a listing says otherwise. Smoking restrictions are set per property and stated on the listing and in the rental agreement, and indoor smoking, including vaping, is restricted at MidStays homes. Some properties extend the restriction to patios, balconies, and shared outdoor space. A violation on a multi-month stay typically triggers a remediation charge, so read the agreement.