You may be wondering how difficult it will be to locate the ideal roommate to share your Atlanta rental home with. 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. Following these guidelines will help you locate someone with the habits, values, and personality that will make them the greatest potential roommate for you.
Start early. Giving yourself ample time is the most critical component of choosing a suitable roommate. If you’re in a rush, you’re more likely to make poor judgments that will negatively affect your quality of life. If at all doable, begin looking for a roommate long before you need to move in.
Ask your friends. While living with a friend may not be the best option, you should ask the people you know if they are aware of anyone who is looking for a roommate. Someone you’ve been recommended by a friend, coworker, or family member could be a roommate with whom you’ll get along with really well because you both know and enjoy the same people.
Use social media. Make the most of social media to spread the word about your search for a roommate. You can quickly make articles that explain your circumstances and the type of person you want to meet. You can also use social media to better reach out to people outside of your immediate neighborhood. You might meet your new roommate when they relocate to your town from another location.
Do multiple interviews. Once you’ve received a few applicants, conduct multiple interviews with your best picks. Prepare a list of questions to ask them, and then follow up with the candidates you like the best after your initial round of interviews. Make certain to inquire about their employment situation and earnings. It may be unpleasant, 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. It’s also crucial to know exactly what you won’t put up with in a roommate. These “deal-breakers” are characteristics of this individual that would make living with them intolerable. While everyone’s deal-breakers are unique, recognizing yours makes it easier to screen out those who are not a good fit (and communicate them to your potential roommate). You shouldn’t lose your security deposit just because you got a bad roommate.
Ask for references. It’s always a good idea to request many references from your prospective roommate – and to contact them. If the applicant is unable to provide any names, or if all of their references are family members, these are red flags to be aware of. Ask questions that will help you grasp who the applicant is and how they conduct themselves at home as you chat with each reference. When applying for a rental through RPM Greenway, 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. It’s important to be honest about your expectations and arrangements when interviewing possible roommates. This includes the amount of rent the roommate is expected to pay, the method and date of payment, whether utilities are included and how much they cost, and so on.
Put everything in writing. Finally, any roommate agreement should be written down. A written, signed document will serve as a useful reference for both of you and will also come in handy if any future problems develop. Make your written agreement as explicit and detailed as possible to your particular arrangement. All interested roommates should apply through our website in the case of a landlord-tenant relationship. Otherwise, this might be an instance of an unauthorized tenant, which could result in your leases being terminated.
Are you in the market for a new rental home? Real Property Management Greenway 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.
