Making the Right Choice

Whether you're sharing a studio or a large house, your roommate is an important part of your life. Before choosing a roommate, think about the type of relationship you will want with him or her. You may want a roommate who will be a friend. Perhaps you are hoping for someone who will walk the dog when you can't or be your wingman.

On the other hand, you may want someone who won't be around too often and does his or her own thing. Whatever the nature of your desired relationship, keep it in mind during your search so you'll get the results you want.

Speedy Roommate Search

As you begin your quest to find a roommate, you may wonder how long it will take to find a good match. There's no easy answer, as finding the right roommate could take a couple or days or entire weeks. Give yourself some time to find the right roommate and avoid jumping at the first candidate that comes your way.

If you're in a hurry to find a roommate, don't be lazy about responding to inquiries and checking references. Remember, you have a big influence on the success of you search. Handle tasks in a timely manner.

Dealing with Multiples

When looking for or moving in with multiple roommates, there are many things to consider. If you are not already friends with your new roommates, discuss personal likes, dislikes, and boundaries. Another issue that should be discussed before moving in is the division of expenses. This can get sticky when there are more that two people involved. Decide how all household expenses will be divided, including groceries. It can be hard for four people to share one fridge, so make sure you have a game plan!

The Right Roommate Wanted

When you're looking for that perfect "roommate wanted" ad, you may feel as if you will never find it. Many of the ads you find may be full of requirements you don't fit. However, there are plenty of websites to help you find the right place and the right roommate. At roommate finder sites, you can search using your own criteria, to find the right roommate for you.

Be Specific

The Internet offers many resources for roommate matching. There are innumerable websites dedicated to matching you with your ideal roommate. Some roommate finder sites are free and some charge a small fee to users. Many sites provide extensive questionnaires for you to fill out, making it possible for your match to be as specific and close to your criteria as possible.

Don't Give Up

Feel like you'll never find a roommate? Don't give up! Often you can find one without even looking. Aside from your search, just be sociable. You'd be surprised at what can happen. If you're in school, talk to your classmates. If not, talk to anyone you meet and let them know you're in the market for a roommate. Before you know it, you'll meet a likeminded classmate or a friend of a friend who's also looking for a roommate.

New Territory

Do you have questions about having a gay roommate? Don't be shy about getting answers. If you're not sure about having a roommate of a different sexual orientation, do a little research. There are a lot of good resources to help you out on the Internet, and many roommate finder services have live client specialists available to answer any questions.

Be Specific

Roommates.com Tip: If you choose to complete a questionnaire or profile, be very specific. Doing so will heighten your chances of having a successful roommate matching experience.

The Benefits of Multiple Roommates

Roommates.com Tip: If you're looking for multiple roomates, post a query with a roommate finding service and be open to suggestions from potential roommate applicants. Your future roommate might know someone else who is looking for a new living situation.

Things To Think About Before Placing A Roommate Wanted Ad

If you’ve never had roommates before, there are a lot of things to take into consideration. Sometimes inviting your best friend to become your roommate isn’t such a great idea. Your friend may be the life of every party, but as a live-in, he may not be so funny. When you’re sharing a living space with someone, their faults become obvious all too quickly and if that person happens to be a best friend, you could risk damaging your friendship in the long haul. 

So, when it’s time to look for roommates, ask yourself a few things before placing a roommate wanted ad:

1) Do I want someone who is in early riser or someone who stays up until the wee hours of the morning?

2) Will I mind if this person works odd hours and shifts?

3) Will I be able to handle lots of visits from this person’s friends and family?

4) How am I going to set boundaries on privacy?

It’s not that it’s hard to find a roommate, it’s that it’s hard to find someone to share your living space. The nicest person in the world, might not be a good fit for the simple fact that they never pick up after themselves. Nice people can also be slobs! If that doesn’t bother you, maybe something else will. That’s why when it comes time to find a roommate, really ask the questions you need answered before the person moves in.

House Rules For Roommates

The boundaries and expectations you have from a roommate really shouldn't be any different whether your roommates are male, female, or of any specific ethnic background. Just make sure you're clear about your expectations right from the start, from the minute the person steps through the door for that first meeting. The "house rules" can include a number of things including:

1) No overnight guests without notifying the other person first;

2) Last person in at night is responsible for locking doors and turning off lights;

3) No "borrowing" personal items of the other person without asking;

4) No illegal drugs or illegal activity;

5) Divide and respect grocery items (don’t eat all of the other person’s food!);

6) Clean up after yourself, especially in shared spaces like bathrooms and kitchens.

7) Respecting property and furniture to keep it clean and free from damage.

These are just a few rules to consider when a roommate is moving in, but remember, they have to be clear and you have to follow them as well. It works both ways. Roommate matching isn’t always easy, but life is much easier if the person knows and agrees upon the house rules before unpacking. 

Online Roommate Matching Sites - So Easy!

If you decide to investigate various roommate matching services, you’ll probably be surprised at the number of them out there. Finding roommates can be as simple and inexpensive as you want it to be. In fact, you can post a virtual roommate wanted classified at any number of free online roommate matching websites. Some sites allow you to register for a basic membership for free, but charge a registration fee to access more advanced services. Then there are online roommate matching sites that are completely free of charge. It’s not difficult to use, and it’ll get you started on your roommate search. Just remember, when you want to find a roommate online, you’ll be required to post contact information that anyone in the world will be able to see and access. Rather than entering your complete mailing address, narrow it down to something like East London, or West Ontario, to give people a rough idea of where you’re located. Once you speak with the person on the phone, or through email, you can decide then if you want to continue the roommate matching process and actually meet this person. Naturally, you’ll have to give them your address at that point.

 

Sometimes people create a new hotmail account or email account just to handle roommate matching responses. Using your work email is a bad idea, and your home email might be bogged down with the number of responses you get. It really depends on the amount of space you have on your email account.

 

Just remember, there are a lot of people looking for a place to live. Who you take on as a roommate is completely up to you. Using a free online roommate matching service just takes a few clicks of the mouse, a little patience, and some common sense.

 

 

Free Or Fee - Making A Match

Everyone loves to get something free, and online roommate matching is no different. There are many ways to find a roommate, and many online sites to advertise a roommate wanted. Of course, like any savvy consumer, you have to wonder if “free” really means “free.” In some cases, an online matching site to find roommates is completely free, others offer a free basic service up front and then charge for additional services, and some offer a small fee (usually around $20) for a whole range of services including things like:

1) A detailed questionnaire to help you not only find a roommate, but a kindred spirit you could develop a friendship with.

2) Authorization to request credit checks.

3) Will do a background reference check for you.

The roommate services that offer a basic membership with the option of upgrading to a paid membership, allow you to post a free ad on their website, but as soon as you get a match, you need to pay a small fee to contact that person.

And finally, there’s the completely free online roommate matching sites. Think of them like a world-wide bulletin board where you can post your ad for free, and anyone in the world (some welcome responses; some not) can respond. That’s not to say you have to reply to every person who sends a response, but it’s important to know that because it’s completely free, you might be exposed to a greater risk of scams and/or people with weird intentions. Whichever method you choose, just keep a clear head and use your best judgement.

Matching A Roommate Search To Meet Your Needs

The amount of time, effort, and money you put into finding a roommate has a lot to do with your needs. There are a number of different scenarios you could find yourself in, some of them listed below. The following are a few common situations, with suggestions on ways to go about advertising for roommates:

 

Situation #1

 

Retired, single, looking for someone to share the bills and some of the household responsibilities. This person may need someone capable of doing some basic fix-ups around the house, helping with light housekeeping, etc.

 

Roommate Matching Suggestion:

 

Consider registering with a site that offers more than just a Roommate Wanted posting. With many fee-based sites, you can fill out a detailed questionnaire to really hone in on the type of roommate you’re looking for.

 

Situation #2

 

Recently divorced, widowed, or separated. This person might have a room to rent simply to help pay the bills. He/she might not be looking for a friendship per se, but needs someone they can trust in their living space to help with the rent or mortgage payment. 

 

Roommate Matching Suggestion

If time is an issue and you need a roommate as soon as possible, consider using a variety of methods including posting old-fashioned newspaper ads, along with using an online roommate matching site.  

Visit a free online roommate matching site and post your ad. You’ll have to weed through the responses, and make your own decisions on who you want to interview.

 

Whether you’re a student, widow, retired single, or single working professional, how you find a roommate is essentially up to you. If you’re too busy to do some of the background work (references, etc.), find a matching site that does it for you!