Now that you've moved into your apartment, you realize that you can't make ends meet on your own. When you embark on the hunt for the perfect roommate, you may dream about how cohabitating with others will make you lifelong friends. You'll want to start embarking on the challenging journey of finding the best roommate for you. By following these three tips, you can help to make sure that you are on the search for a trustworthy roommate that is well-suited to sharing your living space.
Before you put an ad out in the paper or online, ask around in social circle to see if any of your friends is looking for a change of address. You may be surprised to learn that a good friend, who you already know and trust, is also in a similar circumstance as you and would be interested in becoming your roommate. This would make the easiest transition, because you two are already acquainted. Make sure to consider the friends that you know you could coexist and share living quarters with in a peaceful, harmonious way. Be honest with yourself up front in order to avoid ruining a friendship if things were to go south.
When you are meeting a stranger to determine roommate compatibility, you want to schedule a meeting for coffee or drinks in order to take the time to get to know them before making a final decision. Interviewing potential roommate options is critical in choosing the right match for your personality and determining accountability. Be sure to ask them questions pertaining to their personality, like their interests, hobbies, likes, and dislikes. This will help determine if you two will be able to get along. You will also want to ask about their financial situation, like their job status and their future goals. This will help to determine if they are good for the money that you will be splitting. Asking about other aspects of their life, like their family and friends, will also help you get to know what type of community in which they typically interact.
Once you decide on a roommate, whether it's a stranger or a friend, you want to sit down with paperwork and put everything into writing. Be sure to include all financial aspects of your arrangement, such as your utility bills, rent, and other living expenses. Determine some ground rules of maintaining peace and structure in your apartment. Writing these down will help both you to be accountable for your actions and also establish clear living expectations at the beginning of your arrangement. These expectations will then be clear and easier to follow once you actually begin living together.
Choosing a roommate is no easy task. You are picking someone who will live closely to you, share common space, and also help to make financial decisions. When you are looking for apartments to rent in Wilmington, NC, you'll want to look at Oasis at Riverlights Apartments. Contact us today to hear about our apartment availability and floorplan options.