For many people, having roommates is a great way to help manage high living costs in many major metropolitan areas. Living with roommates can be stressful, but many will find it an enjoyable and rewarding experience. Use these four tips to help you navigate renting an apartment with roommates.
Find the Right Roommate
Finding the right person to live with is the most important thing to consider. You are going to want someone that you can trust and rely on to do their part. Often a roommate will be someone you already know, but this is not always the case. Suppose you find yourself considering renting an apartment with a roommate you don’t know prior. In that case, you may want to research them on social media to understand their lifestyle better and have a good conversation with them. Other important considerations when choosing the right roommate for you include the financial obligations of both you and the other person, lifestyle choices, possible schedule conflicts, and how long each of you is planning on living somewhere. You don’t want to share your home with a stranger, so get to know your future roommate if you don’t already!
Make it Official
When you have found the perfect roommate for you, it’s time to sign the lease and make it official. Ensure that everyone living in an apartment signs the lease. It sounds obvious, but it will most definitely save you a headache if your roommate decides they want to get out. Also, determine who will put their name on which accounts. For example, one of you may choose to have the utilities in their name while the other person takes on the internet account and water bill. However, you and your roommate decide to split things up; it is crucial to make sure that everyone involved is on the lease, and everyone has a clear understanding of what accounts they are responsible for.
Open Communication
Keep an open line of communication between you and your roommate. Having a way to communicate openly and respectfully will make some of the more daunting conversations go much smoother. Whether you need to discuss finances or having a guest stay over, it is imperative to keep an open line of communication between you and those you live with.
Set Ground Rules
Setting ground rules right away will help you avoid unnecessary conflicts down the road and begin the lease with a sense of mutual respect between you and your roommate. Some great things to discuss when forming these ground rules are cleaning schedules, having guests over, quiet times, and making sure all the bills are paid on time.
