Tips for Living with Roommates
Most of us have experienced it. Whether it was in our college days or our first years on our own, the passive aggressive wrath of a roommate gone bad can be an extremely difficult thing to deal with. What started as a great plan to split the bills ended up a petty system of leaving notes on each other’s doors to take out the trash or an all-caps labeling of your shelf of the refrigerator warning all trespassers not to steal your sodas.
However, with the current economy and rent not getting any cheaper, the prospect of taking on a roommate is still a very popular route. In case you’re new to having roommates or just forgot what a disaster it can be, consider these tips before you enter into something that might be destined for failure.
Unless it’s already proven to work, try not to room with an existing friend. Nothing can kill a good friendship like trying to live with that person. The reasons you enjoy hanging out with this person may not translate into good roommate qualities. For this reason rooming with someone you know well enough to be comfortable with, but are still on a level of respect you might have for a stranger seems to have better results. Both parties respect each other’s privacy and without much existing knowledge of the other person, you may not be as tempted to push their boundaries.
With this being said, do your homework. We all do a little Facebook stalking these days. Make sure nothing raises any immediate red flags before you go signing a lease with this person, which brings up another point. If you can help it, try to find a roommate situation where you and one other person are both moving into a new place. This way no one roommate is dominant because they may have been the original tenant, and to the same token, by only having one roommate you take out the possibility of two roommates ganging up on the odd man out.
Lastly, be up-front about cleaning schedules, when the rent is to be paid, how the thermostat is to be handled in the summer and winter, and when having people over for parties or gatherings is acceptable. It’s a combination of all the tips above and these firm ground rules that make for successful roommate relationships.
This post was provided by Jensen Group, specializing in apartments in Ames, IA and surrounding areas.
However, with the current economy and rent not getting any cheaper, the prospect of taking on a roommate is still a very popular route. In case you’re new to having roommates or just forgot what a disaster it can be, consider these tips before you enter into something that might be destined for failure.
Unless it’s already proven to work, try not to room with an existing friend. Nothing can kill a good friendship like trying to live with that person. The reasons you enjoy hanging out with this person may not translate into good roommate qualities. For this reason rooming with someone you know well enough to be comfortable with, but are still on a level of respect you might have for a stranger seems to have better results. Both parties respect each other’s privacy and without much existing knowledge of the other person, you may not be as tempted to push their boundaries.
With this being said, do your homework. We all do a little Facebook stalking these days. Make sure nothing raises any immediate red flags before you go signing a lease with this person, which brings up another point. If you can help it, try to find a roommate situation where you and one other person are both moving into a new place. This way no one roommate is dominant because they may have been the original tenant, and to the same token, by only having one roommate you take out the possibility of two roommates ganging up on the odd man out.
Lastly, be up-front about cleaning schedules, when the rent is to be paid, how the thermostat is to be handled in the summer and winter, and when having people over for parties or gatherings is acceptable. It’s a combination of all the tips above and these firm ground rules that make for successful roommate relationships.
This post was provided by Jensen Group, specializing in apartments in Ames, IA and surrounding areas.
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