Shared housing can be a great option if you’re looking for affordable and flexible housing solutions. Despite how conveniently shared housing is, it doesn’t come without its own unique challenges. One of the most difficult things about shared housing is finding the right housemate. This is easier said than done as there are a slew of different things that you need to do to find a good housemate. You’ll want to be thorough when doing this as living with someone that’s incompatible with you and the living arrangements will cause a lot of problems for you down the line.
To help you out with this, we thought it would be useful to put together a short article on how to connect with a good housemate. If this is something that you’re interested in learning more about, read on for our beginner’s guide to finding the right housemate.
Determine Your Needs and Deal Breakers
The first thing you’ll want to do is to determine your needs and your deal breakers. By establishing these two things, you’ll be able to accurately sift through potential housemates. When it comes to your needs, make sure that they are reasonable as you may have a hard time locating a good housemate if your standards are too high. When it comes to your dealbreakers make sure that they are really things that you absolutely can’t live with. The last thing you want is to have a list of deal breakers that are composed of minor annoyances. Sharing a house with someone is all about compromise, so it’s best to keep an open mind.
Get the Word Out
Once you know what you’re looking for, it’s time to get the word out. Make sure to maximize your network so that you can reach as many people as possible. Looking for a housemate within your network is also preferred as it’ll likely be someone you know or an acquaintance of an acquaintance. You’ll also want to utilize the internet and social media as these are the most effective ways to find potential housemates.
Talk to Potential Housemates
Once you’ve found potential housemates, it’s time to sit down and talk to them. This is crucial as this will allow you to have a better feel of the kind of person they are. When it comes to talking to potential housemates, be sure to ask relevant questions that will help you decide whether or not they’ll be good to live with. You should ask questions about what they are looking for in terms of housing and why they are looking for shared housing solutions.
Ask for References
Lastly, you’ll want to make sure to ask them for references. While we aren’t saying you can’t trust them, it’s best to be thorough when it comes to choosing a housemate as you’ll be spending a lot of time with them. For the best results, try to find someone with references that speak highly of them and their character.
Conclusion
We hope this article proves to be useful when it comes to helping you find the right housemate. While living with someone you barely know may seem odd, this shouldn’t be too much of a problem as long as you pick a good housemate. Be sure to keep all of the information we’ve listed above in mind so you can find the right housemate for you.
If you’re looking for shared housing in Sacramento, then you’ve come to the right place. We here at Stayhaven Homes are dedicated to helping our clients by providing them with inclusive and affordable housing. We provide a wide variety of special needs housing options for adult men and women. For more information on what we can do for you, visit our website today!