Apartments in Johnson City, Kingsport, Bristol,Tri-City, TN

Choosing a Roommate

Nothing is worse than having a hard day of work or school and coming home to find another set of issues. Picking the right roommate can prevent unnecessary stress in your life, and can be a great experience if you and your roommate get along well.

The golden rule of choosing a roommate is to remember that good friends do not always make the best roommates. Many more factors that friendship go into sharing a living space with someone. Some key points to think about when selecting your next roommate:

How do they live?

Are they morning people or night owls, and how does that compare with you?

Does your prospective roommate enjoying going out frequently or staying home?

Does he or she watch a lot of TV?

Are they tidy or messy?

Are they loud or quiet?

If given the chance to visit your candidate in their current living space, do so and take note of the space’s appearance. It may tell you a lot about their cleaning habits (or lack thereof).

After figuring out how compatible you are, it is also a good idea to do a criminal background check or even request a credit report on your new roommate. Once everything is sorted out and you have made your decision, put responsibilities as clearly as possible in writing, so there aren’t too many gray areas. It’s better to be clear up front than to run into disputes later on.

If you’re having trouble finding people to interview for the roommate position, many websites offer free roommate finding services that match people based on schedules, age, and interests. It may be a good idea especially if you’re new to an area.