What is a roommate and how can I find the ideal roommate?
The term in English is very common for those who are starting university or moving out of their parents' house for the first time. The roomate would be the equivalent of your neighbor in the apartment. With him you will share some spaces in the apartment, such as the kitchen, bathroom and living room.
Who has never watched a classic American college movie, where young people share apartments and houses with other people? Roommates - or roomies, as they are also affectionately nicknamed, are the popular roommates or housemates, very common when you are leaving your parents' house for the first time or renting a room .
Looking for a room to rent ? We have options in República, close to the subway, starting at R$1,250!
In great films or advertisements like this one, roommates are shown as great partners, excellent companions for everyday life! Whether for moments of relaxation or even to help pay the monthly bills for those who cannot afford it alone.
What these movies don't show, however, is all the work that goes into finding the perfect roommate!
We have seen many cases of tenants who face a huge amount of problems with their roommates , which increasingly wears down the coexistence.
victory between them.
Have you ever thought about living in a place with someone you don't identify with? Someone who constantly has friction? Impossible!
A roommate needs to be someone you have an affinity with. Even if you have different tastes and routines, without a minimum of empathy it is impossible to share a space.
That's why we're here to help you avoid making this mistake! In this article, we'll share all the reasons why it's worth having a roommate, where to find one, what to consider when choosing one, and, most importantly, some tips on how to maintain a good relationship.
Before we begin, here are the topics that will be covered:
- What is a roommate?
- Is it worth having a roommate?
- Where to find roommates?
- How to select a roommate?
- Opposite-sex roommate - what are the risks?
- Safety tips for sharing an apartment with a roommate.
Let's go!
What is a roommate?
Roommate is the English term that refers to our roommate. In theory, they are people who will share the same room, but it is also a term often used to refer to people who will share an apartment or house - even if the rooms are different.
m private. But in practice, a roommate is much more than that!
In fact, when we talk about roommates, the term “sharing” is much more appropriate.
This is because a roommate is someone who will share a good part of your day-to-day life. Your routine, work - especially during this social isolation with many people working from home - achievements, difficulties, and much more.
When a tenant wants to have a roommate, they may initially be looking for someone whose main goal is to help them financially with the rent and other bills. But over time, they tend to get closer, get to know each other better, and become increasingly part of each other's lives.
That's why we said at the beginning of the text that a roommate has to be a special person. But be careful, a very common mistake that many people make is choosing a roommate who is close to them. This is not always an ideal decision, and we will explain why.
Is it worth having a roommate?
It depends on each person!
A roommate can be the best decision and companion for some tenants. But for others, it can end up becoming an eternal battleground. We all have different profiles, habits, thoughts and customs that can easily be a reason for arguments in our daily lives.
See some examples of what can happen in practice.
Financially
As we said, having a roommate helps a lot for those who are on a tight budget.
By sharing an apartment, you can split all the bills equally, which can help you save a lot at the end of the month. This is a great benefit, especially if we consider the high monthly expenses we have with internet, cleaning, water and energy bills, and much more.
In some cases, you can even save money to move to a bigger apartment or a better neighborhood, for example. Not to mention that you can save some extra money to take that trip you've always wanted, or simply go to dinner at a dream restaurant !
But be careful: everything needs to be agreed upon between the parties. And most importantly, colleagues must have good financial control over everything that is spent to avoid any surprises.
For those who are moving
A roommate is highly sought after by tenants who are moving for the first time , whether to leave their parents' house or even to a distant place in another city, state or country.
In the first case, the best example we can mention is coliving. These are typical models of shared housing that, in practice, strongly encourage a sense of community among residents.
On our blog, we have a complete text with everything you need to know about coliving. Click and access: Coliving: learn how shared housing works.
In the second case, a roommate can be even more important for your adaptation. Imagine moving to a new region where you don’t know anyone, and where you don’t have any family or close friends. Even though technology allows us to talk to anyone in the world at any time, many people end up feeling lonely for a while.
But a roommate or even a cool group sharing an apartment can be the starting point for meeting other people, receiving recommendations on where to go, the best spots in the city, and the best programs to have fun.
They will be your first friends, and the people with whom you will spend a large part of your day, weekends, trips, and many incredible experiences.
Privacy and individualism
This is a negative side that many people may feel with a roommate.
If you are a person who values your privacy, likes things 100% your way, is more reserved and even individualistic, you may not want to have a roommate. Even though each person has their own room and completely different routines, you will most likely feel that your privacy is being invaded. In these cases, conflicts and disagreements are practically inevitable.
Now, if you are open-minded about meeting new people and sharing some of your space with a roommate, you can have very positive experiences in your day-to-day life.
Support
We all have difficult days, when personal or professional problems get us down. In these moments, a roommate can provide the support we need.
Even if it’s not someone who shares your interests, sometimes a friendly shoulder is all we need. It can be someone who is there for you at all times, which can even strengthen your friendship to an admirable level.
Where to find roommates?
Where do you think you might find the perfect roommate? On the internet? By word of mouth? Among your friends or family?
In all of these cases, you can find your roommate. It will depend on your intentions and goals. Confused? Let’s make it simple!
Search for roommates on online platforms
The internet is the first place many tenants start looking for a roommate. After all, there are several online platforms dedicated to finding a roommate.
Roomgo and Webquarto are great examples for those looking for a roommate for shared apartments. In addition to providing a broad search, they also offer some filters that can help in this choice, such as the desired price, type of apartment (shared apartments, studio apartments, standard), location in the neighborhood and, even, the city where you want to stay.
A great advantage of most of these platforms is that they require registration with a lot of personal information from both parties. From where you study or work, whether you smoke or have children or pets, to your level of organization and whether you are more active or quiet.
This information can help identify each person's profile and choose a roommate with tastes and habits that are closer to yours.
Choose roommates from acquaintances, friends or family
Many people prefer to choose a roommate from among their group of friends or family.
On the one hand, this decision can be very advantageous, since you will already have a close relationship and affinity with the person, and you will know their habits, routines and customs.
But don't be fooled. On the other hand, living with someone you already know may not always be the best option. Many friendships can't withstand the difficulties of everyday life and piles of dirty dishes in the sink. Sometimes the fact that you already know someone can create a lot of expectations and give you a lack of a sense of complicity, but the fact is that a good friend doesn't necessarily have the same habits and in the event of disagreements you can lose both the roommate and the friend!
Find a roommate in your network
Another very common source for looking for a roommate is your network of contacts and social groups that you frequent, such as college or work groups, for example.
In these cases, you can find friends, acquaintances of those friends, who are interested in sharing an apartment. Or perhaps a friend of a friend, a cousin of a colleague, etc. The possibilities are endless.
If you are moving for a specific reason (going to college, studying at a specific prep course, working at a specific company, undergoing treatment at a specific hospital), it may be a good idea to find people who frequent those same places. They may also be interested in living in that location, but don't do so because they don't have a roommate to share an apartment with.
The great benefit of these contact networks is the greater chances of finding a roommate. But remember: if it is someone you do not know, you should remember to talk to the candidate at length to understand a little about their profile and preferences.
Find roommates on social media
Finally, another way to find a roommate is to share on social media. Facebook is still a great ally with its various "classifieds", "students" and "room sharing" groups. Most of the time, these groups are related to some activity (college, school, hospital, company, etc.), which can help you find a roommate who shares your interests.
If you choose this option, you must go to these pages, post an ad for the property you want to rent and inform them that you are looking for a roommate. Then, with the list of all interested parties, you must interview each of them to see who you think you have the most affinity with.
Is it better to have a friendly or a stranger roommate?
Each case has its positive and negative sides. Let's understand better:
Friends
Choosing a roommate who is also a friend can be great because of the closeness and affinity that you have, so you won't have a complete stranger in your home. However, a good friend can't always be a good roommate.
Whether it's because someone didn't wash the dishes, left the kitchen or living room untidy, brought guests over without warning... in some cases, even the strongest friendships can't last with these disagreements.
Therefore, when living with a roommate who is your friend, it is important to maintain good communication above all else! You should be able to talk about the things you like or the things that are bothering you, always making the house rules very clear to everyone.
Don't let friendship be a reason to stop talking about attitudes you don't like or even rules that must be followed, such as paying bills on time and never having someone over without first telling the other person.
Many friendships can be broken because of this. People have different views on different subjects and how things should work. If friendship is the loudest when it comes to setting the rules, if things are always done with tolerance, the end result will not be pretty.
Unknown
Sharing an apartment with a stranger can be a great way to meet new people and make new friends. Not to mention that it can also be easier to enforce the rules and maintain a good and respectful coexistence.
But remember: you need to make sure that you are compatible with your roommate. When choosing to live with a stranger, it becomes even more important to select someone who has similar tastes and habits to yours.
Do you know how to do this?
How to select a roommate?
Choosing a roommate is a very subjective task. It will depend entirely on what you want: a friend or a stranger, someone who has a similar or different routine to yours, and so on.
You won't magically find a good roommate, but you might if you remember a few tips:
Think about the ideal profile
If you are looking for a roommate, then the first step you should take is to think about the ideal profile of your roommate.
Ask yourself: what characteristics do you consider to be very important for you to have a good relationship with your colleague? But don't be fooled into thinking that you will find the perfect person.
No one will have tastes, habits and customs that are 100% the same as yours. But the closer they are, the better your day-to-day life will be and the fewer disagreements there will be.
Do an interview
The interview is the crucial moment in choosing a roommate. It is during this interview that you will need to identify the things you have in common and the things you have different from the candidate. Some questions that can help you are:
- Do you work or study? If so, where?
- What is your routine?
- Are you more of a homebody or a busybody?
- Are you more organized or messy?
- Do you have children?
- What about pets? Are you allergic to any?
- Do you smoke?
- Why do you want to share an apartment?
- Have you ever shared a place before? If so, what was your experience like?
- What would you hate for a roommate to do?
- How will you pay the apartment bills?
Avoid interference from external factors
We have seen many tenants who allow themselves to be influenced by external factors such as the opinions of friends, family, or proximity to the candidate, which interfere in this choice.
As much as selecting a roommate is subjective, it is important that you are not influenced by any of these factors, and are able to make a more “objective” choice based on all the questions we mentioned above.
It is worth emphasizing: much more than being close, a roommate should be a person with whom you identify, especially in relation to household chores, organization and financial commitment. Characteristics that friendship and sympathy alone may not be enough.
Opposite-sex roommate - what are the risks?
Most tenants tend to choose a roommate who is of the same sex. But is living with someone of the opposite sex worse, or does it bring more problems? Not necessarily!
The biggest problem when sharing an apartment with someone of the opposite sex is the loss of privacy. In most cases, men and women have completely different customs and habits in many aspects of their daily lives, which can easily lead to disagreements.
Whether it's for simple reasons, like forgetting to close the bathroom door, or having the habit of leaving underwear hanging in the shower or scattered around the house, imagine the mess this can cause!
But of course, all of this will depend mainly on each person's profile. Having a roommate of the opposite sex does not mean disagreements; you need to be respectful above all else and ensure that you do not invade each other's space.
Both parties should be on the same page about the house rules. Does one of you not like clothes lying around the house? Avoid them! Do you tend to be messy with your belongings? Be careful in common areas! Do you like having friends over? Let them know in advance! These are basic rules for good coexistence, regardless of each person's gender.
Tips for sharing an apartment with a roommate
No one wants to have a roommate with whom they constantly fight and feel uncomfortable, right? So, here are some tips on how to maintain a good relationship with your roommate!
Keep the apartment in order
Keep your space clean and tidy. This is the first big rule for maintaining a good relationship, especially with roommates who are more organized and like things in their proper places.
It doesn't hurt to tidy up something that's messed up, at least in the spaces that you share, such as the living room, kitchen and bathroom. In your bedroom, you can even leave something out of place, after all, it will be your own space.
Respect your roommate's space
Having a roommate doesn't mean you have to share everything. We all need our own space - whether it's for work or relaxation.
Lack of privacy is one of the main reasons for arguments between roommates. Therefore, respect your roommate's space as much as possible.
Be sensible with visitors
Some people have a more lively lifestyle and like to have friends or family over at home, but others don't.
If you have a roommate who is different in this regard, it is important to establish rules about receiving visitors. Let your roommate know in advance, especially if they will be sleeping over at your house, and most importantly, do not make too much noise or make too many late hours.
Inviting friends and family over always helps to relax and have a good laugh, but when sharing your home with a roommate, some limits and rules should be followed to avoid disagreements.
Combine household chores with your roommate
Keeping an apartment tidy is not easy! Washing dishes, clothes, vacuuming and taking out the trash are laborious tasks that can take up a lot of our time.
With a roommate, these tasks can be duplicated! Therefore, dividing household chores should be a clear rule among the residents. A great tip is to set days and times for cleaning the house and who will clean what.
If you think it's better, you can divide the tasks each week. For example, if neither of you likes to clean, agree that each of you will be responsible for this task each week.
Split the bills
Two people living in the same apartment generate higher water, electricity and energy costs. Therefore, your roommate should always split the bills with you and, most importantly, pay the bills before their due date!
If you are in a tight spot one month, talk to your colleague and see if you can make up for it the following month. Everything can be agreed upon with good communication.
Always maintain good communication with your roommate.
There is no way to maintain a good relationship with your roommate without good communication!
If you don't have similar routines, use apps to chat or leave notes around the house if you need to communicate something, such as a message or task that needs to be done. For more sensitive matters, it's always better to talk in person so there are no misunderstandings.
Having open and honest communication with your roommate is the big secret to sharing your apartment harmoniously.
Conclusion
A roommate can be a great companion for your daily life! But remember: finding the ideal roommate requires a lot of work.
When looking for a roommate, you need to remember to analyze all the items we mentioned throughout this text to ensure a good living experience with your colleague.
If you have a roommate, tell us about your experience in the comments! Share this article on social media and continue your visit to our blog .