If you’re looking for a roommate to share your Spokane Valley rental home with, you might be thinking about how difficult it will be. After all, a roommate will greatly impact your home life, for better or worse. However, there are several things you can do to aid in your search for a roommate with whom you get along. 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 enough time is the most critical aspect of choosing a fantastic roommate. When you’re in a rush, you’re more likely to make poor judgments that will negatively affect your quality of life. If feasible, begin looking for a roommate well in advance of the time when you will need someone to move in.
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 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 create postings describing your position and the type of person you’re seeking. 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 move 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. See to it that you ask about their employment situation and earnings. It may be uncomfortable, but you must be aware of these facts. This will enable you to gain a better understanding of who each applicant is and how well they measure up to your requirements.
Know your deal-breakers. Additionally, it’s critical to grasp exactly what you will not tolerate 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 allows you to more easily sift out candidates 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. Ask questions that will help you grasp who the applicant is and how they act at home when you chat with each reference. When applying for a rental through RPM Spokane County, we would contact previous landlords to find out about their previous tenant’s behavior. This is part of our screening procedure.
Be upfront about costs and expectations. It’s important to be honest about your expectations and arrangements when interviewing possible roommates. This covers the amount of rent the roommate is responsible for, how and when payments are due, whether or not utilities are included, how much they cost, and so on.
Put everything in writing. Finally, any roommate arrangement must be documented. A written, signed document will serve as a useful reference for both of you; it will also serve as a useful reference in the event of future disagreements. Make your written agreement as clear and exact as possible to your particular agreement. All interested roommates should apply through our website in the event 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 Spokane County 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.
