Before You Choose a Roommate

Most apartments tend to be small, which makes avoiding roommates pretty difficult. There are no large houses where you can hide in one end without any social contact for a few hours. With roommates, you will share many things: the cost of utilities, house supplies, and thin walls that can leak the sound of TVs and music. At the same time, you can grow to become good friends with your roommates. And you'll have someone to watch TV with, cook dinner with and split expenses with.

According to my informal poll, cleanliness is the number one cause of fights between roommates. When housemates have different preferences over how often the dishes should be washed or how cluttered a room can be, tension and conflict are bound to arise. To minimize this, ask yourself honestly how clean you keep your apartment. Or how clean you were growing up. If you're messy or a neat freak, this is not a time to make resolutions. Your roommate may not be patient enough to wait for those changes to occur.

Some of us want to unwind after a long day in front of the TV, soaking their feet. Others expect to socialize with our friends. What do you prefer to do? If the common space is the only place to hang out, such preferences will be felt. If each of you have your own spacious bedrooms, where you can do what you want to your heart's content, then this becomes less of an issue. Ask yourself how important is it to you to have a quiet or social apartment? You may need to find a roommate who shares your preferences or an apartment that can fit all of your needs.

Naturally, if you have a pet or plan to get one, you'll need to let all potential roommates know. But if you don't have a pet, ask yourself whether or not you'd be okay living with an animal and would you share in the responsibilities. Whatever you decide, be sure to let your potential roommate know.

Whether or not you want a roommate, you may have no choice. Roommates make apartments more affordable, because two- or three-bedroom apartments are only slightly more than studios or one-bedrooms. Multiple bedroom apartments are larger than studios of the same price range. And, with a roommate, you could even go up a level to a nicer apartment. Plus, all expenses are shared. Ask yourself the maximum amount you're willing to pay and the ideal amount. You'll need to let your potential roommate know this. Also try to imagine what you want out of an apartment.