Moving to a new city is stressful enough, but trying to find a new roommate on top of that? Cue the panic. While finding the perfect person to live with can be daunting, it doesn’t have to be impossible. Below are our six top tips for finding a roommate – and hopefully, a life-long friend – for your new digs!
1. Do your research
Before you even begin the great roommate search, take a long look at your new city’s housing prices, the best neighborhoods to live in, and find out as much as you can about the local scene. Having an idea of where you want to live and what the budget looks like will guarantee that you and the new roomie are on the same page about location and pricing, and will help you narrow down potential roommates who may have a different idea of where they’d like to be.
2. Turn to social media
Use Facebook, Instagram, Twitter – any outlet you can! Ask if anyone knows of someone who’s looking for a roommate in your new town; not only will you be surprised at how many people know of someone, but you can also then ask that person for a character reference. Knowing that your potential roommate is really messy or a loud night owl before you sign the lease is definitely a plus.
3. Use the internet
There are tons of roommate-matching sites – https://www.roomiematch.com/ is just one of them, but it is our favorite. Not only does it do a great job of getting rid of all fake or spammy accounts, but it also has you fill out a loooong survey to help match you with people that have similar styles of living.
4. Use that Alma Mater
If you graduated recently, try reaching out to your school’s alumni network or Facebook page to connect with people looking for roommates – even if the city you’re moving to isn’t the same as your college town, people may know of someone in your area. And just like with Facebook, even if you don’t know a potential roommate personally, chances are a friend from school will, and can give you the lowdown on their personality and living style.
5. Talk about it
Bring up your roommate search in conversation – to your friends, the people in your yoga class, your family during get-togethers – whenever you can! Even if they don’t know of someone off the top of their head, they’ll know to be on the lookout for you – and having 10 people helping to find you a roommate increases your chances of finding one that much more!
6. Don’t panic
If you haven’t found a roommate that you feel really good about, don’t settle! You can always rent a temporary place through Craigslist’s “temporary” section, or even try an Airbnb sublease or extended stay. The most important part of having a roommate is making sure you feel safe and comfortable in your home – and that’s worth the wait!
Once you’ve found your perfect roommate, remember to do a background check, discuss who pays what bills, and make sure you’re on the same page regarding cleanliness, parties, and having people over. And remember to go out and explore your new city with your new roomie once you’re all moved in!