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How to Find a Compatible Roommate
Andy Hunziker • July 28, 2017
Finding the perfect apartment to rent is just half the battle of apartment hunting. Just as important, is finding the right person to be your roommate. Choosing who to share a living space with is a big decision. Even couples who have been dating for years are still apprehensive to room together, because they want to make certain that they can share a place and still tolerate each other by the end of the lease, and it can be even more daunting if your new roommate is someone you just met.
Here are a couple suggestions of steps you can take to ensure that you find the right roommate for you!
Room With Someone You Already Know
Whether it is a close friend or just an acquaintance, rooming with someone you are familiar with is a good starting point in the roommate search. Maybe you met someone you really clicked with during the first semester in the dorms, or maybe you’ve been in a club with someone for years. Personal interactions or referrals from mutual friends validate the reputation of the person in question and decide if you should consider them as an option. Other people decide to live with a sibling, their best friend or their sorority sister or fraternity brother. Oftentimes asking one of these close friends or family members is easier and less stressful than finding someone who you don’t know.
Use Roommate Matching Apps
If you plan on trying to move in with someone new, consider using a roommate matching site like roommates.com
that let you look at different roommate listings in your area. There are also good apps like roomiematch
that require you to fill out a questionnaire about what your expectations and needs are, and the app then has real people review the profiles and determine who is a good match for you.
It helps that you have things in common before moving in with someone. This will help out in the first several weeks of living together to be able to hang out and get to know each other.
Start Searching Ahead of Time
Having to room with someone you don’t like or don’t know very well out of desperation of needing a second person to pay the rent is not an ideal situation. Be proactive and give yourself ample time to search for the right person and make a decision you can be confident in.
The best time to start looking for an apartment in Ames is during winter break or right at the beginning of the second semester. By the time you start looking, you should probably already know who you want to live with. This way, you can schedule apartment tours together and make the decision together.
Be Honest About What You're Looking For
Are you a person who enjoys waking up early in the morning to drink some coffee and read a book before you get your day started? Or are you a person who stays up till the early morning hours binge watching The Office and sleeping in the next day? Maybe you’re the type of person who needs to keep their living space nice and tidy, or you’re a person who doesn’t mind their room being messy.
Make sure you find someone who is like you in these aspects so there will not be any personality conflicts. Be upfront with your expectations and make sure your future roommate has similar personality traits so that three months into living with each other, there will not be any surprises.
Go For a "Test Drive"
Just like you wouldn’t buy a car having never tested it before, or move into an apartment you’ve never walked through, set aside time to meet with a potential roommate in person to see if you connect well. They may sound good on paper, but spending time with them will allow you to see if this is a relationship you can get excited about, or if you feel like it won’t work out.
Hunziker Property Management Ames
Now that you know how to find the right roommate for you, the next step will be to find a place to call home. Browse our listings
to find your new apartment today!
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