So you’ve just moved into the city, or you are simply tired of living alone and need a bit of help with the expenses. You are in one of two positions—either looking to room with an easy flatmate who already has his/her own place, or you are welcoming an invasion from a stranger to help you cut costs.
This article can’t help you find the perfect housemate because such a creature does not exist. However, you can find an easy flatmate, someone with whom you can build a workable relationship and perhaps even enjoy over time. That is much more doable, and after reading this post, you’ll be well on your way to locating that easy flatmate who will chop your expenses in half and make life a little more pleasant at the same time.
Let’s cut to the chase, shall we? Here are four tips for finding an easy flatmate:
- With advertisements for flat sharing skyrocketing due to difficult economic times that force people into sharing living spaces, you need to present your flat in the best possible light to attract the kind of easy flatmate with whom you want to share it.
- Take top-quality photos of your place for the flat sharing website.
- Advertise a desirable lifestyle. Go beyond the standard “1BR, private bath, blah, blah, blah” description and add some zing to your copy: “Ultra-cool urban lifestyle possible due to amazing location of flat near the bar district” etc.
- In your now awesome advert, be sure to give:
- details on price and which bills are included in it.
- the transport links and parking availability near your flat.
- an accurate rental amount. Check rents in your area to ensure that your asking price is in the same region as the standard for your neighborhood.
- Now that the advert’s done its work and potential easy flatmates have come racing in droves, create a profile for your easy flatmate search. Here are some of the categories that you will need to make a call on:
- gender—which are you seeking? How will a female housemate change your lifestyle? A male one?
- age—do you want your housemate to be near your age? Probably. House mates of widely differing ages often have different interests, perspective and, most importantly, living patterns.
- smoking and drinking habits—you’ll need to make a decision on this to either broaden or restrict your search.
- personality—do you want a quiet flatshare, or is an outgoing person your ideal easy flatmate? You might want to think twice before choosing that independent person. When s/he consistently makes his/her own plans, you’ll be left out, and probably alone.
- hobbies and interests—When the music plays, will you like what s/he likes? Do you want someone who leads a healthy lifestyle or will that just make you feel guilty? Do you want a sporty housemate or a gamer? A girly girl or a tomboy?
- material belongings—are you looking for an easy flatmate who can bolster your interior with a lounge set, or do you prefer someone who comes with a bed and a backpack?
- nature of relationship—are you looking for someone to share your flat or for a friend?  What does the term “easy flatmate” mean to you, a genuine friend or simply another human being who shares your flat with minimal problems? How you answer that question will steer you in all interviews you have with potential flatmates.
- Speaking of interviews, a good one will be key to you finding your easy flatmate. After you’ve answered the questions in point 4 to your satisfaction:
- create a few questions to ask your potential housemate
- meet him/her in a public place for this interaction.
- take a friend for a second opinion if possible.
- acquire a list of references before you give the thumbs-up.
Armed with these four tips, you’ll be ready to sail into the sea of prospective flatmates. You’re looking for an easy flatmate, so figure out what s/he will be like before you begin to look. The right ad, the right profile and the right interview will help you to snag that easy flatmate and enjoy years of domestic tranquility in that hip flat that you call home.
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