What Are You Looking For In A Roommate
Roommates… They’re people, and they come with benefits and baggage. Of course, you do too. That means you have some mental prep work before you decide to take on someone in particular.
If you’re thinking about getting a roommate, you first need to look at why you want one. There are three primary reasons: financial help, physical help, and company. Are one or more of those your motivation? (BTW: Those are essentially the same reasons someone will want to be a roommate.)
After you clearly know why you want one, your next question will be, “What are you looking for in a roommate?” What would qualify someone to share your home? What will you not tolerate? And what’s negotiable?
What Are You Looking For In A Roommate
Just as your reason for wanting a roommate is personal, so are the reasons you’ll pick one person over another. There are several valid reasons, but here is a list of some standard ones. (You may want a background check to verify the answers for some of these.)
- Do they have a police record?
- Does the candidate have a history of sound financial responsibility?
- Do they appear to be clean? (Interpret that in any way applicable.)
- Do they have their source of transportation? (Are you amiable to being that source if they don’t??)
- How do they feel about sharing household responsibilities – both inside and out? (Present them with a list of your expectations.)
- When it comes to sharing, do you and a roommate need to maintain your own stashes of food? Or is “If it’s here, it’s available” acceptable to both of you?
- What about shared spaces? Do you want your roommate to run of all the common areas? Or stick to his own space? How social do you want the two of you to be?
- Can your roommate have company? What about overnight company?
- Will you want “quiet hours?”
- As odd as it might seem, ask what really tics them off. (After all, you don’t want to house someone who continually gives off angry vibes about you.)
You’ll want to be as thorough as possible when interviewing potential roommates. You should also document all issues and any consequences for violation in a properly processed lease.
Conclusion
Taking on a roommate is not necessarily a simple matter. For a greater or lesser duration, you’re melding two lives, and you, as the lessor, will want to do everything you can to ensure it will go smoothly. You need a clear answer to the question, “What are you looking for in a roommate?”