If you’re looking for a roommate to share your rental home in Winston-Salem, you may be thinking about how difficult it will be to get the appropriate person. After all, a roommate has the potential to make or break your home life. However, there are steps you may take to aid in your search for a compatible roommate. By following these recommendations, you can select a roommate whose habits, values, and personality all add up to be the ideal match for you.
Start early. Giving oneself ample time is the most critical aspect of selecting a suitable roommate. If you’re in a rush, you’re more likely to make poor choices that will negatively affect your quality of life. If at all feasible, begin looking for a roommate far before you require one.
Ask your friends. While sharing a place with a friend may not make sense, you should ask people you know if they know anyone searching for a roommate. Someone you’ve been recommended by a friend, coworker, or family member may be a roommate with whom you’ll get along nicely because you know and enjoy the same people.
Use social media. Leverage the power of social media to spread the word about your search for a roommate. You can quickly create posts describing your circumstance and the type of person you seek. Social media can also help you reach out to people outside of your immediate neighborhood. It’s possible that you’ll meet your new roommate when they relocate to your town from another city.
Do multiple interviews. Once you’ve narrowed down your list of candidates, make sure to interview them multiple times. Prepare a list of questions to ask them, and then follow up with the ones you liked most after your first round of interviews. See to it that you ask about their employment situation and earnings. It may feel embarrassing, but you must be aware of these facts. This will allow you to gain a deeper understanding of each applicant and how well they could fulfill your requirements.
Know your deal-breakers. Additionally, it’s critical to grasp exactly what you will not tolerate in a roommate. These are the “deal-breakers” that would make living with this individual miserable. While everyone’s deal-breakers are different, recognizing yours will help you quickly eliminate those who aren’t a good fit (and communicate them to your potential roommate). Nobody wants to give up their security deposit due to a bad roommate.
Ask for references. It’s always a good idea to request multiple references from your prospective roommate — and to follow up with them. If the applicant is unable to provide any names or if all of their references are family members, these could be red flags. As you speak with each reference, ask questions that will help you gain a better understanding of the applicant’s character and how they behave at home. When applying for a rental through Real Property Management of the Triad, we check landlord references to see if there have been any previous tenant issues. This is part of our standard screening process.
Be upfront about costs and expectations. When interviewing prospective roommates, it is important to be honest about your expectations and living conditions. This covers the amount of rent the roommate is responsible for, how and when payments are due, whether utilities are included in the rent, how much they cost, and so on.
Put everything in writing. Finally, any roommate agreement must be written down. A written, signed document will serve as a useful reference for both of you in the future, as well as in the event of any disagreements. Make your written agreement as explicit and detailed as possible to your particular arrangement. All interested roommates should apply through our website in the event of a landlord-tenant relationship. Otherwise, you may have an unauthorized tenant, which could result in your contracts being terminated.
Are you in the market for a new rental home? Real Property Management of the Triad has an inventory of great listings that update regularly. Contact us or browse available properties online.
We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the Nation. See Equal Housing Opportunity Statement for more information.
