Earlier this week, we gave you lots of info and questions you should ask when looking for the right roommate. Here's part two of our list...
First Roommate Interview - Trust your gut instincts during that initial roommate interview. If something seems a little off about the person and/or you just plain don't think you like them so much, trust yourself. The initial interview is "best behavior" time. If you're less than thrilled to be spending time with them now, you'll likely be much MUCH less than thrilled later.
Why Do They Want to Find a Roommate Now? - Try to find out why a potential new roommate is looking at this time. It could give you some insight into compatibility. Is this their first flail into the adult (not living with mom and/or dad at home) world? Did they not get along with their last roommate? Could they not pay their bills? Why, why, and why?
What Kind of Roommate Will YOU Be? - Be honest when describing yourself to a potential roommate. Are you really tidy? No, for real.
Find a Roommate Time-Frame - Leaving it to the last minute to find a roommate means you'll: A) Panic and B) Settle for less. But you procrastinators out there probably knew that already, didn't you? More time to be choosy ahead of time almost always means less hassle later.
Roommate Comings and Goings - Do you like to come and go on a whim, even frequently during the wee hours? Or will you freak out if you hear your front door opening at 3 a.m.? Definitely questions to ask when looking for a roommate, a lack of compatibility here will be sorely missed.
The Absentee Roommate - Sometimes someone seems more appealing as a potential roommate because they say they'll be spending little time at your shared abode, maybe they have a lover in whose home they spend much time, maybe a job that requires frequent travel, maybe studying elsewhere several hours a day . . . whatever. But don't ignore other roommate-related considerations just based on the appeal of a possibly "absentee" roommate. Make sure expectations regarding bill-paying are clear from the start, and non-alterable unless all parties cheerfully agree.
Your Roommate's Pets - If you live in a household with pets, you will probably be asked to take care of them at some point. Even if owned by one person that sincerely intends to be entirely responsible for their care, personal emergencies and illness happen to everyone from time to time. And all pets create at least a few messes here and there.
Roommates and Sleeping - If you like to go to bed early and are a light sleeper, don't live with a night owl, unless you're comfortable using earplugs. Similarly, if you know you like to be noisy late at night, you'd best find a roommate not so busy at the crack of what-in-the-world-are-they-doing-this-early unless they swear they sleep heavily.
My Roommate Was Here . . . and Here . . . - Some folks leave little trails of evidence detailing all their activites behind them wherever they go, others are compulsively tidy. Figure out who you are and find a roommate in the same general area of the continuum. Messies can sometimes pacify the tidy by confining their mess to their roommate, but folks that are extremely different in this regard are bound to bug the hell out of each other. However, don't make the mistake of assuming you'll be in Roommate Nirvana if you're both total slobs. Eventually someone will have to clean up, or the roaches and/or the Health Department will make you wish you had.
Your Budget - Don't overextend yourself in terms of what you can pay for rent, bills, etc. You might want to live in the nicest place you could possibly afford, but in the end, the stress of trying to afford something not in your budget will be more stressful than life in a more modest residence. Even if you think you have it all covered, allow some wiggle room. Do you really want to live like a monk? Also, unplanned and/or accidental additional expenses happen to everyone. Don't stretch to the limit, allow a bit of play (figuratively and literally).
Roommates and Kids - Your lifestyle check on any new roommate will need to be more thorough if you plan to have kids over regularly, yours or anyone else's, even if you're not the custodial parent. Similarly, expect more restrictions on your lifestyle if you opt for a roommate with regular kid visitors.
Who Will Be Visiting your Roommate? - How many, how often? Parties? Significant others sleeping over regularly but not contributing to the bills? Family members dropping by? Even if your roommate and yourself get along just fine, what sort of friends will she/he have over regularly? What if the visitors need to use your bathroom/shower regularly? OK vs. not? How often? All important questions to ask when looking for a roommate. Even if you think you don't care, fair warning is always more agreeable.
Length of Roommate Relationship - Is the situation month-to-month, or is there a lease with a defined term? If month-to-month, what amount of notice is considered adequate? What if someone absolutely has to move out early? Despite best intentions, these things can happen, better discussed in advance than during the heat of an emergency-esque moment. Are there any financial penalties for early termination on your lease? Who is responsible for finding the roommate's replacement? There are pros and cons here . . . if the person moving is responsible, they absorb more of the hassle, but the remaining roommate(s) will have to live with their choice. Also, if the moving away roommate is moving due to a personal emergency, they might not have the time to find a roommate replacement. There are no right and wrong answers here, but again, discussing in advance, making sure the situation sounds like something you can live with, and having a plan is a better way to go to keep things civil in a time of probable stress.
Good luck finding that roommate that best suits you and your needs!
Friday, November 12, 2010
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Wanted: The Perfect Roommate Part 1
"I want the perfect roommate." It's an easy thing to say, but when it comes to searching for that person who meets all your needs and requirements, do they exist?
You have every right to enjoy yourself in your "home", but so does your roommate. Conflict happens when your idea about what enjoyment consists of doesn't coincide with theirs. In the next couple days, we'll give you a checklist of things to keep in mind as you search for your perfect roommate.
You can find a roommate in a rushed or ill-informed way, and hope you'd stumbled upon the right one by chance, or you can avoid the need to pack your stuff and/or look for a new roommate frequently by being more clever about it upfront. Find a roommate with whom you share some degree of lifestyle compatibility. Opposites may attract in some romantic situations, but a lack of lifestyle compatibility is only a recipe for disaster in a roommate situation.
Roommate Realism - Be realistic in that no roommate situation is going to be perfect, a few conflicts will arise. On the other hand, some things are going to be non-negotiable for you if you plan on living a certain lifestyle. Do NOT compromise anything you know is important to you, but DO compromise on the stuff that isn't.
Friends Becoming Roommates - Unfortunately, one major tidbit of advice we'd care to share is that the qualities you might find important or desirable in a fun friend may NOT be the same ones you ultimately will require in a roommate. Friendships have been destroyed over a failure to recognize this at the outset. You may party like a Wild Thing with your friends on the weekends or during the week away from home, but require your homebase to be a more peaceful sanctuary when you actually are there. That same friend you thought was such a riot during your last pubcrawl you may find less hysterical if he/she brings the party home on a night you were trying to study or get to sleep early. Or, conversely, if you want to whimsically bring home whoever/whenever, a roommate who regularly leads a more conservative lifestyle is going to cramp yours. The best roommate relationships are primarily structured as roommate relationships.
Conflict Resolution Skills - One of the most important questions to ask when looking for a roommate . . . what happened the last few times they had an interpersonal conflict . . . what they did, what they said, how that worked out?? See, thing is, in any interpersonal situation (including roommates), given enough time, conflicts will arise.
Throw Stereotypes out the window - As almost anyone who has had multiple and demographically diverse roommates will tell you, not all women are tidy, and not all young men are loud. Or vice versa. If what you want is clean and quiet, ask about those things specifically. If you think picking someone on the basis of age or gender or some other demographic detail is necessarily going to guarantee any particular roommate-related adjective for you by default, you're likely in for a rude awakening.
Credit - Some may request a credit report on any new roommate. If you want to be the early bird that gets the worm and plan to look at a lot of places, requesting one for yourself in advance could put you at the head of the pack for a choice situation. If it's good, it will be an interpersonal selling point, perhaps helping you get in good with the landlord if that's required as well. If there are negatives on your report, be prepared to explain the what and why.
"Morality" and your Roommate - It's best to find a roommate that is somewhat similar to yourself on those issues by sharing before moving in together. Get it out in the open before you discover it with horror after signing a lease and moving your stuff.
How Many Bedrooms per Roommate? - Sharing a bedroom with your roommate is really NOT best. Yes, you'd save even more money. But the downside is substantial, that being you will have nowhere in the dwelling to go that's all for you and you alone.
There are more things that you should add to your checklist when searching for your perfect roommate. We'll continue this list later this week :)
You have every right to enjoy yourself in your "home", but so does your roommate. Conflict happens when your idea about what enjoyment consists of doesn't coincide with theirs. In the next couple days, we'll give you a checklist of things to keep in mind as you search for your perfect roommate.
You can find a roommate in a rushed or ill-informed way, and hope you'd stumbled upon the right one by chance, or you can avoid the need to pack your stuff and/or look for a new roommate frequently by being more clever about it upfront. Find a roommate with whom you share some degree of lifestyle compatibility. Opposites may attract in some romantic situations, but a lack of lifestyle compatibility is only a recipe for disaster in a roommate situation.
Roommate Realism - Be realistic in that no roommate situation is going to be perfect, a few conflicts will arise. On the other hand, some things are going to be non-negotiable for you if you plan on living a certain lifestyle. Do NOT compromise anything you know is important to you, but DO compromise on the stuff that isn't.
Friends Becoming Roommates - Unfortunately, one major tidbit of advice we'd care to share is that the qualities you might find important or desirable in a fun friend may NOT be the same ones you ultimately will require in a roommate. Friendships have been destroyed over a failure to recognize this at the outset. You may party like a Wild Thing with your friends on the weekends or during the week away from home, but require your homebase to be a more peaceful sanctuary when you actually are there. That same friend you thought was such a riot during your last pubcrawl you may find less hysterical if he/she brings the party home on a night you were trying to study or get to sleep early. Or, conversely, if you want to whimsically bring home whoever/whenever, a roommate who regularly leads a more conservative lifestyle is going to cramp yours. The best roommate relationships are primarily structured as roommate relationships.
Conflict Resolution Skills - One of the most important questions to ask when looking for a roommate . . . what happened the last few times they had an interpersonal conflict . . . what they did, what they said, how that worked out?? See, thing is, in any interpersonal situation (including roommates), given enough time, conflicts will arise.
Throw Stereotypes out the window - As almost anyone who has had multiple and demographically diverse roommates will tell you, not all women are tidy, and not all young men are loud. Or vice versa. If what you want is clean and quiet, ask about those things specifically. If you think picking someone on the basis of age or gender or some other demographic detail is necessarily going to guarantee any particular roommate-related adjective for you by default, you're likely in for a rude awakening.
Credit - Some may request a credit report on any new roommate. If you want to be the early bird that gets the worm and plan to look at a lot of places, requesting one for yourself in advance could put you at the head of the pack for a choice situation. If it's good, it will be an interpersonal selling point, perhaps helping you get in good with the landlord if that's required as well. If there are negatives on your report, be prepared to explain the what and why.
"Morality" and your Roommate - It's best to find a roommate that is somewhat similar to yourself on those issues by sharing before moving in together. Get it out in the open before you discover it with horror after signing a lease and moving your stuff.
How Many Bedrooms per Roommate? - Sharing a bedroom with your roommate is really NOT best. Yes, you'd save even more money. But the downside is substantial, that being you will have nowhere in the dwelling to go that's all for you and you alone.
There are more things that you should add to your checklist when searching for your perfect roommate. We'll continue this list later this week :)
Thursday, November 4, 2010
College Students: Apartment Hunting?
College life - classes, parties, and tons of new experiences.
The last headache you need right now is trouble with your roommate, landlord, or any other apartment-related turmoil.
If you're looking for a new "pad", AKA place to temporarily live, there are a few things to keep in mind before you begin that apartment hunt:
Who do you want to live with? Sure, your best friend is awesome to hang out with, but is she really going to hold up the deal? And even if she does, is it really the best idea to spend 24/7 with your BFF? When considering roommates, make sure you consider how you will live with someone and not just how you feel about that someone. There is a very big difference and knowing that could make or break your friendship.
Where do you want to be? Location is the most important factor in real estate, so really think about where you want to be. Do you want to be close to class or close to your boyfriend? These are questions that only you can answer, but you should think your preferred location through before you get swept away by the in-house washer and dryer in an apartment on the wrong side of campus.
What do you need? So, yeah, a washer and dryer in your apartment would be the bomb.com, but do you need it? Is it worth sacrificing extra closet space? What about bathrooms? And living space? Make sure to sit down with your potential roommates and make a very clear list of what it is you want and need. This will keep you on track so you don’t end up spending extra on flashy stuff (like a fancy kitchen) when what you really need is ample parking.
How much are you willing to spend? Sure, you can be a block from class, have your own bathroom, and park a foot from your door, but it’ll cost you. It’s important to assess pricing and know all the costs associated: electricity, parking, water, cable… A house may have cheap rent, but that price can skyrocket when you take everything else into account.
When does your current lease end? In many college towns leases run from August through the following July. Unfortunately, dates aren’t always uniform, so make sure to keep this in mind. You don’t want to be kicked out July 28th with nowhere to go ‘til August 1st, or be stuck paying rent all summer when you won’t even be on campus.
Hopefully these questions will help you find that perfect place to live...for now.
The last headache you need right now is trouble with your roommate, landlord, or any other apartment-related turmoil.
If you're looking for a new "pad", AKA place to temporarily live, there are a few things to keep in mind before you begin that apartment hunt:
Who do you want to live with? Sure, your best friend is awesome to hang out with, but is she really going to hold up the deal? And even if she does, is it really the best idea to spend 24/7 with your BFF? When considering roommates, make sure you consider how you will live with someone and not just how you feel about that someone. There is a very big difference and knowing that could make or break your friendship.
Where do you want to be? Location is the most important factor in real estate, so really think about where you want to be. Do you want to be close to class or close to your boyfriend? These are questions that only you can answer, but you should think your preferred location through before you get swept away by the in-house washer and dryer in an apartment on the wrong side of campus.
What do you need? So, yeah, a washer and dryer in your apartment would be the bomb.com, but do you need it? Is it worth sacrificing extra closet space? What about bathrooms? And living space? Make sure to sit down with your potential roommates and make a very clear list of what it is you want and need. This will keep you on track so you don’t end up spending extra on flashy stuff (like a fancy kitchen) when what you really need is ample parking.
How much are you willing to spend? Sure, you can be a block from class, have your own bathroom, and park a foot from your door, but it’ll cost you. It’s important to assess pricing and know all the costs associated: electricity, parking, water, cable… A house may have cheap rent, but that price can skyrocket when you take everything else into account.
When does your current lease end? In many college towns leases run from August through the following July. Unfortunately, dates aren’t always uniform, so make sure to keep this in mind. You don’t want to be kicked out July 28th with nowhere to go ‘til August 1st, or be stuck paying rent all summer when you won’t even be on campus.
Hopefully these questions will help you find that perfect place to live...for now.
Friday, October 29, 2010
What to do this weekend? We're feeling a little spooky!
Looking for some fun this Halloween weekend? You're in luck, there are tons of things to do. Here are some of the haunted houses in Western New York, guaranteed to scare the ____ out of you!
Final Fear
Dark Raven Manor and Scare at the Fair have combined their frightful ingenuity to come up with five haunted houses that will be open to the brave public through the 31st. If you're interested in a few different horrific adventures, head to Final Fear at The Fairgrounds in Hamburg. For more information, go to www.yourfinalfear.com.
Frightworld
America's Screampark hosts its own famous five haunted houses until November 14th. You can get a Frightpass for $30 to get the VIP pass that lets you skip through the lines or pay only $23 for a ticket that will allow you into all five creepy houses, in line with everybody else. Check out www.hauntedbuffalo.com for more details.
House of Horrors & Haunted Catacombs
Fight your way through the psycho killers and zombies in these houses and Catacombs until November 1. You can get one of those no-wait passes to go ahead of the anxious crowds in line for $25 or just a general admission ticket for $20. You can find out more info at www.houseofhorrorsbuffalo.com.
Lockport Haunted Cave
This fight tour on foot lasts an hour and ten minutes and travels right beside the early 1800's Hydraulic Race Power Tunnel that runs underground and the Erie Canal. Open until October 30th for $11 for the walking tour, but if you're brave enough, you can pay $16 to do the underground boat ride in addition to the walking tour. They recommend you make a reservation and head to Lockporthauntedcave.com for more info.
Monday, October 25, 2010
Welcome to 2 Find Your Apartment! Who are we?
2FindYourApartment.com is a site where you will find the latest rentals and apartments in Western New York. We are the sister site to 2 Find Your Home, the little sister actually. Whether you are a college student, an empty-nester looking to downsize, or anyone else who is looking for a rental property, we are here to serve! In addition to the latest "For Rent" listings posted by the community, you will also find an updated listing of apartment complexes in our area.
This blog will not only keep you updated on the latest events going on in Western New York, we will have a variety of tidbits and news that you can use.
This blog is interactive! If you have a question about 2FYA, can not find something you want on 2FindYourApartment.com, or if you just want to say hello - post a comment here.
Do not forget about our print insert, included as part of 2 Find Your Home each Friday.
Remember, 2 Find Your Home is the only print publication with 7 days of open houses.
This blog will not only keep you updated on the latest events going on in Western New York, we will have a variety of tidbits and news that you can use.
This blog is interactive! If you have a question about 2FYA, can not find something you want on 2FindYourApartment.com, or if you just want to say hello - post a comment here.
Do not forget about our print insert, included as part of 2 Find Your Home each Friday.
Remember, 2 Find Your Home is the only print publication with 7 days of open houses.
Feel free to post a comment!
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