Whether you’re renting an apartment in Baltimore or saving for your first house in Tacoma, WA, sharing a house or apartment with roommates is a great way to mitigate living costs. However, choosing the wrong roommates can make you question if the savings are worth the headache. To prevent a dreadful situation, keep these tips in mind when choosing a roommate.
1. Find someone similar to yourself
Keep in mind that you’re going to spend a lot of time with your roommate, so make sure you choose a roommate who you’ll get along with.
“The best tip for selecting a roommate to share a place with is to find the closest version of you,” says Michael Jefferson of Allsource Property Management. “Yes, opposites attract in intimate relationships, but usually break down when it comes to living together. You know yourself very well. If you’re not tidy, it probably won’t work living with a tidy person. If you’re the tidy one, a messy person won’t do either.”
2. Consider whether you could be friends with a potential roommate
While you don’t necessarily have to be best friends with your roommate to make the arrangement work, it certainly helps if you get along well with them. Meeting someone and learning more about them can provide important insight when choosing a roommate.
“Over the years, we have found that it is important to do something with your potential roommate, like grab a coffee or go for a run together,” says Benjamin Porter of Roomie, an app that helps people find roommates. “This will allow you time to get to know them on a more personal level, as well as allow you to look out for red flags that they might be hiding from their digital profile.”
3. Find someone you’re excited to come home to
Lifestyle medicine expert Rebecca Deutsch of the American Board of Lifestyle Medicine emphasizes the importance of a positive social connection when choosing a roommate.
“When selecting a roommate, find someone you are excited to come home…