Match Day Housing Plan: A Phase-by-Phase Checklist for New Residents and Fellows

An evidence-based way to go from “I matched” to “I have a place to live” without wrecking your bandwidth.

You’ve spent years thinking in terms of rotations, exams, and evidence. You’re used to:

• Structuring chaos with checklists

• Doing research before making a decision

• Managing way too much information on way too little sleep

Housing is just another problem that can be broken into phases, analyzed, and managed. Instead of “I need housing ASAP and everything is on fire,” think:

1. Phase 1 – Orient & Budget

2. Phase 2 – Build Your Housing Team

3. Phase 3 – Shop, Offer, and Negotiate

4. Phase 4 – Close, Move, and Settle In

Same brain you use for studying and clinical reasoning. Different topic. At the end, I’ll show you how to download the full Match Day Housing Checklist and connect with a verified lender/realtor network that actually understands residents and fellows.

Phase 1 – Orient & Budget

Clinical question: Where should I live, and what can I safely afford on resident income? Think of this like the “history and physical” of your housing plan. No interventions yet. Just understanding the situation.

Understand your new city like a case you’re presenting

You wouldn’t walk into rounds without at least skimming the chart. Don’t walk into a new city blind. Focus on:

• Sites of care: Main hospital vs satellite clinics, where you’ll actually be reporting.

• Commute reality: What does 10–20 minutes look like at shift-change traffic, not just on a quiet Sunday?

• Safety and 24/7 access: Well-lit streets, reliable parking, late-night food and pharmacy access—especially when you’re post-call and running on fumes.

• Lifestyle baseline:

  • Do you want walkable and noisy-but-alive?

  • Or quiet, parking-friendly, and easier for sleep on off days?

Checklist – City orientation:

• Map a realistic 10–20 minute commute radius around your primary hospital

• Identify 2–3 neighborhoods that fit how you actually live, not just how social media lives

• Look up typical rent and home prices in those neighborhoods

Decide your initial hypothesis: rent, buy, or stay deliberately undecided

You don’t need a final plan on day one. You need a working hypothesis, the way you carry a differential. You might be:

• Rent-first:

  • Short program (1–2 years)

  • High likelihood of leaving after training

  • Low appetite for dealing with repairs or a sale while on nights

• Ready-to-buy:

  • You’ll likely be in the area 3–7+ years (residency + fellowship + maybe attending)

  • You want stability, a sense of ownership, and predictable payments

• Flexible/stepwise:

  • Rent 6–12 months, learn the city, then buy once you’re oriented

Checklist – Direction:

• Choose a lean: rent now, buy now, or intentionally rent-then-buy

• Align with partner/family on what “home” has to provide over the next 3–5 years (space, schools, pets, commute, etc.)

Build a training-level budget (not your “future attending” fantasy)

In medicine, you don’t treat based on an idealized patient—you treat the one in front of you. Same thing here. Your budget should be based on:

• Actual PGY or fellowship income

• Realistic student loan status (in deferment, IDR, or standard payment)

• Current fixed expenses (car, insurance, childcare, etc.)

Rule of thumb: many residents feel healthiest when total housing cost (rent or mortgage + taxes + insurance + HOA if any) is around 25–35% of take-home income, not gross. Checklist – Budget:

• Estimate post-tax monthly income from your contract

• List fixed monthly expenses (loans, car, insurance, childcare, etc.)

• Set a housing budget range, not a single magic number (e.g., “$1,800–$2,300/month feels safe”)

Phase 2 – Build Your Housing Team

Clinical question: Who are the consultants I need, and what can they tell me? This is your “consults and labs” phase. You’re getting data from specialists, not trying to do everything alone.

Call a physician-focused lender (not just any loan officer)

Your situation is not a standard W-2 borrower case:

• You have a future-dated contract, not pay stubs.

• You may have high student debt, but good long-term earning power.

• You may not have a big down payment.

A physician mortgage lender exists for this exact profile. What they should help you understand:

• Can they use your residency/fellowship contract as valid income documentation?

• How do they treat your student loans—actual payment, a reduced amount, or a percentage of the balance?

• What down payment options are on the table (0%, 3%, 5%+ with no PMI)?

• What’s your realistic maximum purchase price and monthly payment at different price points?

This is like reviewing lab results and imaging: it doesn’t decide everything, but it informs your next steps. Checklist – Lender:

• Gather documents: match letter, contract, ID, basic bank statements

• Book a 20–30 minute call with a physician mortgage lender

• Get a written or emailed summary of:

  • Max purchase price

  • Monthly payment at different price points

  • Estimated cash needed to close

Reality check: is buying appropriate right now?

Now you integrate data with your original hypothesis. You may realize:

• Buying is well within your comfort zone

• Buying is technically possible but would put you in the financial equivalent of an ICU bed—too tight for comfort

• Buying is not appropriate right now, and renting is the safer, more rational choice

Any of those is a successful outcome, because you’ve replaced guesswork with information. Checklist – Decision adjustment:

• Compare lender numbers to your budget range from Phase 1

• Update your working plan:

  • Yes, I’m moving forward with buying if we find the right place

  • No, I’m renting and reassessing in 6–18 months

Add a realtor who “gets” training life

If buying is still on the table, your next “consult” is a realtor with real experience guiding physicians. You want someone who:

• Has helped residents and fellows before

• Knows which neighborhoods work for call schedules, limited sleep, and odd hours

• Understands physician mortgage programs and timing (not all agents do)

Questions to ask:

• What neighborhoods fit my budget, commute, and lifestyle?

• What’s realistic in my price range now, not in theory?

• How competitive is the market—do we need to move fast, or can we negotiate and be picky?

Checklist – Realtor:

• Interview 1–2 agents with a clear track record working with physicians

• Share your start date and preferred closing range (e.g., 30–60 days before)

• Ask for 5–10 example listings at your price point to calibrate your expectations

Phase 3 – Shop, Offer, and Negotiate

Clinical question: Given the data and options, which specific “treatment plan” (home) makes the most sense? Now you’re in decision territory. Not guessing—applying what you’ve learned.

Narrow your search like you narrow a differential

You’re not trying to see every house. You’re trying to find the ones that match your criteria. Dial in:

• Neighborhoods: Choose your top 1–3 based on commute, safety, and feel.

• Property type:

  • Condo (low maintenance, HOA fees, shared walls)

  • Townhome

  • Single-family (more autonomy, more responsibility)

Use three filters on every property:

1. Commute and schedule: Does this work with nights, early shifts, post-call life?

2. Financial fit: Does the total monthly cost land inside your comfort range?

3. Cognitive load: Do you realistically have time/energy for big projects or constant repairs?

Checklist – Search focus:

• Select your top 1–3 neighborhoods based on actual data, not just vibes

• Decide your preferred property type (or rank them)

• Refine your criteria with your realtor after reviewing example listings

Tour and evaluate systematically

When you study, you don’t just “feel” your way through content—you use frameworks. Do the same with house tours. For each property, quickly rate (1–5):

• Commute/logistics

• Layout and livability

• Condition

• Parking and safety

This keeps you from falling in love with the kitchen and ignoring the 40-minute commute and sketchy parking. Checklist – Touring:

• Use a simple scoring sheet during each tour (even in your phone notes)

• Debrief briefly after each showing while it’s fresh

• Confirm top contenders with both your partner (if applicable) and your lender (quick payment check)

Write offers and negotiate with support

An offer is like choosing a treatment plan—you weigh risks, benefits, and alternatives. Your realtor will guide you on:

• Offer price relative to list price and market conditions

• Contingencies: inspection, appraisal, financing

• Timelines that sync with your move and your lender’s process

Your lender should confirm:

• The closing date works with your contract and underwriting timeline

• Your cash to close is realistic and ready

Checklist – Offers:

• Have your lender review dates and numbers before signing a purchase contract

• Include contingencies unless you’re fully aware of the risks of waiving them

• Be ready emotionally to negotiate or walk away if something major comes up

Phase 4 – Close, Move, and Settle In

Clinical question: How do I execute this plan smoothly while starting residency? This is the discharge and follow-up phase—finishing the plan and setting yourself up to function.

Inspections, appraisal, and final underwriting

Here’s what’s happening in the background:

• Inspection:

  • You get a detailed report. With your realtor, you decide:

    • Ask for repairs

    • Ask for a credit

    • Walk away if it’s truly unsafe or unmanageable

• Appraisal:

  • Lender confirms the property value supports the loan. If it comes in low, there may be renegotiation or adjustments.

• Underwriting:

  • They finalize your approval using your contract, credit, and financial profile.

  • A physician-experienced lender won’t panic about “no pay stubs yet”—they know how to work with your future-dated contract.

Checklist – Final approval:

• Complete inspection and choose how to respond based on findings

• Provide any last documents quickly to underwriting

• Get a clear, written cash-to-close number and wiring instructions

Plan the move like you plan for exams

Moving during the transition to residency is like taking Step 1 while on a tough rotation—you want as few surprises as possible. Align:

• Closing date with orientation and first rotation

• Move-in date with any existing lease end

• Time off (if possible) around moving days

Set up:

• Utilities and internet so you’re not doing notes on a phone hotspot for a week

• Basic safety: locks, smoke detectors, maybe a simple security setup

• A short “first 7 days” list: what must be functional to survive your first call month

Checklist – Move and settle:

• Confirm closing date/time works with your schedule

• Schedule movers or a truck as soon as closing is firm

• Create a first-week-in-home checklist: change locks, check detectors, find breakers, locate main water shutoff, etc.

What If You Rent Instead?

These phases still apply almost exactly:

• Phase 1: Same city research and budget work.

• Phase 2: Still worth talking to a physician lender so you know what buying could look like later.

• Phase 3: You’re touring rentals and negotiating lease terms instead of submitting purchase offers.

• Phase 4: Your “closing” is signing the lease and planning your move.

Renting is not “failing to launch.” It’s one evidence-based option that may be completely appropriate during training.

Next Step: Get the Full Checklist & a Verified Team

If you’d rather not build all of this from scratch between night shifts: Download the Match Day Housing Checklist + plug into our verified lender/realtor network. You’ll get:

• A printable, phase-by-phase checklist you can treat like a mini-rotation guide

• Space to plug in your own program, dates, and numbers

• Introductions to physician-focused lenders and realtors who already understand:

  • Resident and fellow contracts

  • Student loan complexity

  • Academic medical center markets and call schedules

You’ve already proven you can manage complex information and high-stakes decisions. Housing is one more area where a structured, evidence-based plan will pay off—now and when you’re ready for your next move as an attending.