Finding the Right Roommate DC

Last week our article “Loving Living with Roommates" about renting an apartment with roommates that discussed the benefits as well as certain possible issues of contention of which you should be aware. We plan on revisiting this topic frequently because living with roommates is a large part of the renting experience.

Finding an apartment is just one part of the equation, if you have opted to live with someone else, your apartment search should include finding a roommate that will complement your lifestyle and acquiesce to your needs and expectations. Having a nice little family to come home to at night is great, but it does take some preparatory legwork to make it happen.

When a room becomes available in my apartment, my roommates and I advertise and open house. Renters looking for an apartment will come to check out the apartment, meet the roommates and determine if they would be interested in the room for rent. Open houses allow for the current tenants to meet possible roommates and vice versa.

Sometimes a first impression is not enough, however. Open houses are usually crammed in to people's busy schedules and it is hard to get a sense of how someone will be as a roommate from such a brief meeting. Social network websites such as Facebook and MySpace, which are extremely popular, especially among recent graduates and college students, provides a great resource for you to take a closer look at what life may be like with your new roommate.

To read the whole article, visit MyNewPlace.com.