Looking for a perfect roommate is a challenging process that involves significant time and diligent efforts. However, living with a roommate has its own benefits, which is why approximately 32 percent of the American population lived in shared housing, according to The Atlantic.
Living with a roommate helps you save tons of money by splitting the rent especially in big cities like San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles, etc. and also saves you time by you sharing household chores with them. The other often overlooked benefits are companionship and safe living as compared to staying alone.
Follow these 9 simple tips to find your perfect roommate:
1. Advertise roommate need
Today there are plenty of online roommate finders but when it comes to trust, speed and safety, Americans have consistently reviewed and rated Cirtru as the Most Trusted Roommate Finder. The entire process from advertising your room for rent to living with that perfect roommate is seamless.
In your Cirtru listing, make sure that you provide maximum details like your lifestyle, your personal habits, your requirements, your expectations, your dietary preferences, your pet policy and anything else to the extent you believe would attract roommates with best qualities.
Also, include details about the size of the rental room in your house you are renting out, the amenities available, and your opinion of the neighborhood.
2. Ask friends for leads
Check with your friends and family and request them for leads related to your roommate search. Since they know you personally and they know your lifestyle and your habits, they might be able to direct you to someone more well-suited with your nature.
A critical factor is to segregate the qualities you look for in a friend versus those you look for in a roommate because they’re pretty different. You might come across someone who’s fun and loves to party, but that doesn’t make them a great roommate.
On the other hand, if you’re an extrovert and encounter someone who’s passive aggressive, there’s likely to be friction.
3. Meet in person
It is very important that you meet your potential roommate in person and get to know them before deciding to move in. Meet them at a busy location like a Starbucks and talk to them about splitting the rent, dividing household chores, your lifestyle preferences, and whatever else that is important to you.
Once you are comfortable with the initial conversation, you can then invite them to show the rental room and the common spaces.
Having a friend or a relative with you during the showing would not only add to your safety but also help you get their perspective on your potential roommate.
4. Ask right questions
The in-person meeting can also be used as an opportunity to interview people who’ve shown an interest in living with you. Make a list of relevant questions, some of which have been listed here for your convenience. You can add more as you see fit.
- What do you like to do on the weekends?
- What’s your usual bedtime?
- How often do you have friends over?
- What’s your workday routine?
- Are you in a relationship?
- What do you want in a roommate?
- How long do you plan to stay?
- How will you pay for rent?
- How often do you drink at home?
5. Know their cleaning habits
Sharing household responsibilities is a tricky business and the reason why there are conflicts between roommates. Therefore, to avoid future instances, find out more about their take on keeping a place clean.
Once you realize whether they’re neat or messy, let them know about your habits as candidly as possible, both good and bad. They deserve to learn as much about you as you do about them.
6. Ensure they can pay the rent
During your conversation with your would-be roommate, get them to share information about their paycheck without being offensive and also set up a monthly budget with them. Learn about whether they have a stable job and a steady income.
Your goal is to make sure that they can afford to pay the rent and utilities on time. You don’t want to get into a situation where you end up lending them money every month to cover their expenses. If not, it’s not worth pursuing any further because the onus of the rent and utilities might fall on you in a matter of a few months, worsening the situation.
7. Ask for references
You should ask your potential roommate for the latest references of previous landlords and roommates. Get their contact information and call them up to check whether they were well-behaved tenants who paid their rent on time.
8. Do a background check
Assuming you’ll be dealing with a stranger, it’s advisable to be safe than sorry.
Let the potential roommate know that you’d like to conduct a background check and soft credit check that will not affect their credit score. If they refuse for the checks, that means a red flag is hiding in disguise and it’s not worth wasting your time anymore.
Move on to the next candidate.
9. Get a written agreement
The process of ensuring that everything’s in black and white can’t be stressed enough.
Once you discuss and reach an agreement concerning financial commitments, including rent and utilities, discuss topics such as inviting friends over, having parties, doing chores, and so on, and whatever you decide, pen them down.
The concept of a roommate agreement might seem tedious or even silly, but it will keep many issues at bay when you start living together.
Conclusion
Living with a roommate will give you a sense of joy and security, provided you select the right person and set expectations with them well beforehand. Follow this simple guide diligently to find your perfect roommate!
