Finding a decent Roommate?

13 years ago

I'm still in college, my boyfriend just graduated. He was offered a job in our hometown, and it's too good to pass up. So he'll be staying in NJ while I move down to GA to finish my degree. I'm probably going to have to take a roommate in, if I want to live in the section of town I want.

How do I screen roommates?

How do I word adds for the room?

Should I mention my dog and my activities? (I bike, walk, and am an art student, so there's a lot of stuff around)

How do we determine how we split the rent?

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Comments (2)

colleenoz
13 years ago
It's been a while, but some thoughts...
-your college may have some kind of student assistance service that helps with finding roommates or accepts advertisements for students looking for them
-do interview potential roommates to get a feel for their vibe
-do mention your dog so those with allergies or dislikes won't waste both of your time
-do mention your art at least so those who would be bothered by art materials (I am sensitive to the presence of solvents etc) won't waste both of your time
-rent is generally split 50-50 as are utilities unless there is some huge imbalance in the amenities each enjoys- for instance if one occupies a large bedroom with ensuite bathroom while the other has a small bedroom and uses the public bathroom. Some address this imbalance by trading rooms every six months
-if you have both names on the lease each is liable for rent in case of default, but if only one name is on the lease s/he is solely responsible for all costs if the other defaults; OTOH if both are on the lease and it doesn't work out it's harder for one or the other to leave.
janellelk
13 years ago
Finding a decent roommate can be a very tricky thing.. Definitely draw up some sort of contract.

Here is a link that might be useful: minneapolis apartments