So, you’re on your own, paying the rent, and electricity bill, and taking care of your own expenses. This means you are away from home for your studies or work. What next? You either take accommodation on a single-sharing basis or share your room/house with one or more roommates. Are you thinking about finding a suitable roommate? Choosing the right roommate can be hard sometimes so, it’s necessary to find the appropriate match. How do you find the best roommate? You must look at roommate compatibility factors such as clean habits, good manners, friendly attitude, and someone who is financially stable and can give good company during weekends.
Best Practices for Finding a Roommate
Why is it so hard to find a roommate? Each individual has different cleanliness standards, social preferences, and noise tolerance levels. Hence, it takes time to find the best roommate whose lifestyle aligns with yours. A few of the roommate search strategies are listed below.
1. Start Looking Early
A bad roommate can make your life more stressful. So, it’s crucial to look for a roommate who is friendly and approachable. You need to start your search as soon as you realize you need a roommate to avoid last-minute confusion.
2. Ask Your Friends and Colleagues
One effective roommate search methods is by asking people you know. Let your friends and colleagues know that you are seeking a roommate. You can also ask them for smart ideas to find a roommate safely. Consider friends with people who have the same interests as you.
3. Meet Directly
Never agree to live together without meeting the person directly. Make sure that person doesn’t look unfriendly or unsafe. You can meet up in a coffee shop or a neutral space and talk about your expectations. It allows you to know more about each other before sharing your room with them.
4. Use Social Media
There are several creative things you can do online which includes finding a new roommate too. Social media platforms such as Facebook, Reddit, Craigslist, and Roomie Match are some of the ideal places you can advertise for roommates. All these sites allow you to create a profile, and find a roommate that meets your needs. You can message people looking for new rooms or apartments directly. Besides, remember to take necessary precautions with anyone you meet online.
5. Learn Your Roommate’s Lifestyle
Looking at the lifestyles such as clean habits, patience, friendliness, and hygiene are roommate criterias for a good match. You can ask about other people’s living habits and talk about your positive lifestyle. In some instances, leisure activities and hobbies can be a big issue.
6. Do a Background Check
If you have not known someone for a long time, it’s good to double-check their background to know if they are safe. It is easy to run a background check like criminal issues and a basic credit check with their previous landlord.
7. Get the Finances in Order
Covering the cost together is another factor that needs to be considered for effective roommate hunting. You must know about the income of your roommate and make sure they can pay the bill at the correct time. Also, make sure their work is permanent instead of a temporary job.
How to Make the Best Roommates?
When you are searching for people who are interested in sharing the room with you, try to understand their lifestyle and financial situation. The roommate selection process tips you must know are listed below.
Also read, the best tips to make a small room look bigger.
Now, you have an idea of how to choose a roommate who is both compatible and reliable. Having a roommate with all the above factors is essential for a trouble-free experience.
