Deciding to live with roommates offers countless benefits, from saving money and splitting chores to having everyday companions who make life much less lonely. Having a roommate is particularly beneficial for those who are relocating to a new city, as it offers the opportunity to not only get to know your roommate but their group of friends as well—making the experience far easier to navigate and adjust to.
Additionally, having a roommate (or several roommates) offers the opportunity to live in a much larger and more expensive apartment than you may be able to afford on your own, providing a broader range of living opportunities.
Roommates also provide a built-in friendship network at home. Had a hard day at work and need to vent? Roommates are usually there to listen and help navigate life’s stresses. Plus, a roommate can help with buying furniture, splitting utilities, and cleaning the apartment, and more.
Read on to learn how you can safely find roommates who are compatible with your lifestyle:
1. Use a Roommate Finding App or Website
The internet has made finding roommates much easier than it has ever been before, thanks to apps and websites such as Roomi, Roommates.com, Diggz, and more. Try out these apps when looking for compatible and trustworthy roommates:
- Roomi: Roomi is a great place to start when looking for prospective roommates. It allows you to set up a profile shown to other users on the app who are looking for roommates. You can share information about your age, which area you are hoping to live in, and other details about your living style. From there, you can peruse prospective roommates’ profiles and send them messages inquiring about their living preferences. Roomi also offers every user the option to complete a background check and verify their identity to help put you at ease and ensure that you are speaking to a trusted individual. After completing both the background check and identity verification, a badge will be displayed on your profile, which increases your chances of matching with a potential roommate. After finding a group of roommate applicants who seem compatible and trustworthy, set up a time to meet for coffee or in some other public area so that you can get to know them and learn more about their personality face-to-face (adhering to safe social distancing, of course).
- Roommates.com: Safe, secure, and free to sign up, Roommates.com launched in 2011, making it one of the oldest roommate finding websites available. Their Perfect Match® system offers several compatible roommate options based on the mutual criteria you provide on your profile, making it even easier to find roommates who share your interests and living standards. Roommates.com has a fraud detection tool to help ensure you are only communicating with credible individuals through the platform, but it is also advised to meet the potential roommate ahead of time before agreeing to live with them to ensure you’re on the same page.
- Circle: Circle is an app that is ideal for those looking for roommates who have been screened ahead of time. Circle verifies users based on their driver’s license and performs a background check, further ensuring that you are only interacting with verified users who don’t have a questionable history.
- Diggz – Using A.I. and human-vetted profiles, Diggz keeps scammers out and helps real people connect safely through their in-app messaging platform. The platform connects potential roommates that share mutual interests and helps refine the options by eliminating those who don’t meet your criteria.
2. Post on Social Media
Try to join local roommate-finding groups on Facebook and post a Facebook status letting your network know that you’re in the market for a roommate. Try to provide as many details as you can in the status including move-in date, the area you would like to live in, budget range, and any other applicable information. Do the same on Twitter, Instagram, and any other social media platforms you use regularly to get the word out. You may be surprised by the number of inquiries you get from your extended network! This method also makes the vetting process easier when finding trustworthy individuals as you will most likely connect with individuals who are an extension of your friend network.
3. Reach Out to Your Alumni Network
Whether you’re a recent grad or you’ve been out of college for several years, your alumni association is a great place to find potential roommates. Going this route is ideal because you will already have one major aspect of your lives in common (college) and may have friends in common or have participated in the same groups and activities as students. Many alumni associations have a website, email list, or Facebook group you can use to connect with prospects.
4. Questions to Ask When Vetting Roommates
When finding compatible and trustworthy roommates, it’s important to ask several questions—especially during this era of COVID-19. For starters, ensure that your prospective roommate shares the same safety values you do, including any or all of the following:
- Does your roommate currently have the COVID-19 vaccine or plan to get it when it is available to them?
- Have you previously had COVID-19 or been exposed?
- Do you work from home or will you begin going into the office soon?
- Do you adhere to social distancing and try to keep your friend circle small?
- Are you comfortable with adhering to a regular cleaning schedule?
Key Takeaways about Finding Roommates
One of the best perks of having a roommate is the opportunity to live in a much nicer and much larger apartment than you would be able to afford if you were living alone. Draper and Kramer has several two- and three-bedroom apartments that are ideal for roommates, offering luxurious amenities and plenty of space to spread out. To begin your search for an apartment and explore our spacious properties, visit our website.
