I'd suggest AirBnB or even a house sit. There are a couple of reliable web sites that allow people looking for a house sitter with those looking for a free place to stay for anything from a couple of days to a year. Many of them do require you to care for a pet, a garden, or a jungle of houseplants, but it seems a small price to pay to have what are often very nice homes in great areas for nothing out of pocket.