Rent and mortgages are becoming more expensive. Depending on where you live, living alone will become less feasible. You may also decide to live in a specific area due to the proximity to your job. In a situation like this, moving in with roommates will help save cost. You can reduce some of your expenses while still living in your desired area.
Whether you are moving in with roommates out of financial necessity or you want to have a new experience, sharing your space with someone can be an excellent idea. However, before moving with roommates, there are certain things you need to do. Compatibility and trust are going to be crucial when you are choosing who you live and share your space with. Continue reading to discover certain things to do when moving in with roommates.
Contact Your Friends First
When looking for someone to move in with, start by reaching out to your network of friends. You can contact family members or friends through email or Facebook post. Inform them that you are looking for a new roommate to move in with. Ensure that you provide adequate details about the type of person you prefer to live with as well as when you need your new roommate. Also, tell them to tell their other friends that need a place to stay.
Place an Ad
In case you are not able to get a roommate after reaching out to your network of friends, you can put out an ad. Place an ad on Facebook, Craigslist, or a local neighborhood message board. Some information you should include in your ad are your description, where you live, the home’s rent, the amount you expect the roommate to pay, and so forth.
What’s more, you can also include pertinent details about your needs or expectations. This can include non-drinker, non-smoker, freelancer, or someone that works the same amount of hours as you. This way, only people that meet these requirements will contact you. Thus, saving you the time it takes to interview or talk to potential roommates.
Create Time for Screening Calls
Dedicate adequate amount of time to evaluate each candidate better. Carefully go through your messages and emails. Create a list of potential roommates. Create a time to speak with them or discuss over the phone. Speaking with your potential roommates over the phone will help you know them a little better.
What’s more, you can use this opportunity to ask them additional questions. For instance, you can ask about where they currently live, where they work, what they like to do on weekends, likes, dislikes, neatness policy, and so forth. You can also ask them what they expect from their roommates.
Meet Your Prospective Roommates
By now, the screening calls must have given you a better idea of who you expect to meet in person. You can set up a one-on-one meeting with your potential roommates. A local restaurant, coffee shop, or park can be a good place to meet. This offers you a great opportunity to discuss at length and get to know each other better.
After your one-on-one meeting, you should have a better idea of whom you feel comfortable and safe living with. This will go a long way in helping you make informed decisions about the right roommates to move in with. For extra assurance, you can ask the person for both personal and professional references. This will also help you get a full picture of your potential roommate.
Get To Know Each Other
After making your decision, set aside some time to spend with your new roommate. This can be as simple as a casual breakfast to going out together for a coffee, drink, or walk. The idea is to spend quality time together, knowing and getting familiar with each other. The more time you spend with your new roommate, the more you know about them before the day of your move.
Discuss Bills, Cleaning, Chores, and Other Activities
Bills are never a fun topic to discuss. However, when moving in with roommates, discussing about payment of utilities and other bills is essential. You and your roommate need to figure this out before you move in. Ensure that everyone is clear on whether you are sharing the cost on all utilities and bills.
In addition, discuss how you intend to split the costs of household items and essentials. This include cleaning supplies, toilet paper, paper towels, rags, iron, ironing board, trash bags, laundry detergent, stain remover, fabric softener, bleach, broom, dustpan, and so forth.
Likewise, you can discuss how you intend to organize the cleaning and communal items. Talk about the items that are off-limits to each person. Other things to discuss including organizing get-togethers or group meetings at the house, work schedules, guests sleeping over, general wake-up times, and so forth. Discussing all these before moving with roommates will help avoid uncomfortable situation after moving in.
Create a Roommate Contract
Furthermore, you need to make your living together formal. After discussing your bill payment system and other things, draft everything down on paper. Ensure that both parties – you and your roommate – sign it. This might seem cold. However, it’s for the best interest of everyone. Stating everything clearly right from the start will help each roommate know their responsibility and how costs will be shared.
Look For A Place Together
With everything all set and agreed, the only thing left is to look for a new place, if you don’t yet have one. Finding your new home or apartment together is fun. Create a short-list of criteria for your new place. Include the house rent cost and the number of rooms you need. Visit a few apartments together. Choose the apartment you are both happy with.
There you have it! Above are some things to do when moving in with roommates. Moving with roommates is both fun and challenging. Hence, as you get to familiarize with your new roommate, it is essential to be as prepared as possible. By following the insightful tips provided above, you can avoid mistakes and prevent regrets when moving with roommates.
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