5 Practical Tips: How to Find Roommates in Boston, MA
Moving to a new city can be exciting and overwhelming all at once. On top of packing up your belongings and finding a new place to live, you may also need to find a roommate or two, which isn’t always easy. However, knowing where to look and how to connect with potential candidates can make the process easier. Today, we’ll discuss when to find a roommate, how to find roommates in Boston and tips for communicating with potential roommates.
Contents of This Article:
- Deciding Whether or Not You Need a Roommate
- How to Find Roommates in Boston
- Communicating With Potential Roommates
- Find the Perfect Rental Property in Boston
Deciding Whether or Not You Need a Roommate
Some people want a roommate, while others need one to help split rent payments and other bills. As one of the top property management companies in Boston, we understand that depending on where you live, the cost of living can make it hard to afford a rental on your own. If you’re unsure whether or not you need a roommate, here are a few key signs.
- Personal Finances- Whether you want a roommate or not, you need to be able to afford your rent. Evaluating your income and monthly expenses is essential to determine if you can afford rent independently. If you can’t, you may want to consider finding a roommate or two.
- Your Lifestyle- Consider whether you prefer living alone or if you enjoy the company of others. After all, there are pros and cons to both options. With roommates, there’s the potential for new friendships and support systems. However, you have to share common areas, so you don’t have full control over your home.
- Housing Options- Before finding roommates, you’ll want to compare the availability and affordability of different housing options. Look for rentals you can afford independently, and review options that may require roommates. Then, you can decide which option best suits your lifestyle, budget, and housing needs.
If you need help with any part of the rental process, Boston property management companies like Bay Property Management Group can help!
How to Find Roommates in Boston
The process of finding a roommate that’s trustworthy and compatible with you and your lifestyle can be stressful. After all, there are plenty of rental scams, and choosing the wrong roommate can lead to conflicts and discomfort. So, what’s the best way to find reliable candidates? Here are five tips on how to find roommates in Boston, MA.
- Utilize Online Platforms
- Join Local Facebook Groups
- Attend Networking Events
- Ask Friends or Family
- Use Professional Services
Utilize Online Platforms
Renters can use several online platforms to find potential roommates. For instance, Roommates.com, Roomster, and Roomi allow users to make profiles and search for potential roommates in Boston. You can also use sites like Craigslist or Facebook to connect with renters nearby. However, it’s important to be extremely careful when communicating with strangers, especially over the internet.
Join Local Facebook Groups
Another way to find roommates in Boston is by joining Facebook groups. You can search for groups specifically for housing and roommate searches in Boston, allowing you to connect with other renters in the area. Some groups include “Boston Apartments, Roommates, & Sublets,” “Boston Roommates,” or “Boston Apartment and Housing.”
Attend Networking Events
While it may be out of your comfort zone, meeting people face-to-face can be a reliable way to find a roommate. So, look for networking events in the Boston area. Note that these events are typically organized by real estate agencies or community organizations. However, you can also join meetup groups in Boston through sites like Meetup.com.
Bonus tip: if you attend college in Boston, you may be able to find a roommate by attending campus events!
Ask Friends or Family
Personal recommendations can be some of the best (and most trustworthy). So, contact friends, family, or colleagues and let them know you’re looking for a roommate in Boston! You can also try posting on your personal social media accounts to spread the word among your network. From there, you may just find that a friend of a friend is also looking for a roommate.
Use Professional Services
If all else fails or you need help finding a roommate, you can always use professional roommate matching services. Some property management companies in Boston offer roommate placement services and often have a pool of applicants that may match your criteria. Contact your local property management company today if you need help finding a potential roommate or rental property!
Communicating With Potential Roommates
Once you’ve found some potential candidates, keeping yourself safe while communicating with them is important, especially if you’ve met them over the internet. So, as you connect with them, it’s important to get to know them better, set your standards, and establish ground rules for everyone to follow.
- Look for Red Flags
- Set Standards
- Establish Ground Rules
Look for Red Flags
Finding roommates to live with is a huge commitment. As such, it’s important to find people that align with your expectations and won’t drive you crazy. That said, some common red flags to look for include the following.
- No Job- If they don’t have a job, how will they pay their portion of the rent and utilities? It’s important to verify that your potential roommates have a stable income and can make rent payments.
- Party Animal- Partying and hanging out with friends can be fun. However, nobody wants to be kept up by loud music or people partying all night. So, ask your potential roommates how they feel about partying and how often they do it.
- Disrespectful- Living with someone who doesn’t respect your space or belongings can be extremely taxing. Usually, you can tell right away who will respect you and who won’t, and it’s important to weed out the bad candidates.
- Bad Habits- Living with someone who smokes, drinks, or does drugs can be extremely challenging. If you’d prefer a sober or non-smoking roommate, make your preferences clear from the start.
- Hygiene Issues- Good hygiene is crucial, especially if you’re sharing your home with other people. As such, it’s best to find someone who’s on the same page as you regarding cleanliness.
Set Standards
Setting standards is crucial to maintaining peace within the household. Each roommate will likely have standards they’d like everyone to adhere to. For instance, you can start with privacy boundaries, shared spaces, cleaning schedules, and noise levels.
The bathroom, kitchen, and living room are common areas you share with your roommates. So, make it clear what you expect from them regarding decor, furniture, and personal belongings. To keep everyone on track, create a cleaning schedule or hold everyone responsible for their messes.
Finally, noise can be a major issue between roommates. So, make sure you verbalize your expectations for noise and that everyone is on the same page about respecting each other’s quiet time.
Establish Ground Rules
While compromise is important when living with others, there are some ground rules you may want to keep firm. For instance, if rent is due on the 1st of every month, make sure everyone pays their portion on time, whether that’s on the 1st or beforehand.
You may also want to create a guest policy, especially if you don’t want unexpected guests in your home. So, you may set a rule that roommates should notify each other if they plan on having guests over to avoid awkward situations.
Ultimately, communication is key when living with roommates. A lack of communication can create misunderstandings that turn into conflict, which nobody wants to deal with.
Find the Perfect Rental Property in Boston
Learning how to find roommates in Boston doesn’t have to be difficult. However, research and due diligence are required to help you find your ideal roommate and living situation. After all, you want to keep yourself safe while communicating with potential candidates and set reasonable standards for your roommates to ensure everyone is happy.
If you need help finding a rental property in Boston, contact Bay Property Management Group. Our team of property managers can help you find your ideal home today. Additionally, if you’re a rental property owner and need help facilitating communication with tenants, fulfilling maintenance requests, and collecting rent payments, we’re here to help. Contact BMG today to see how we can help you on your rental journey.