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One in five renters report having fallen behind on their rent during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some research has found that as many as 52 percent of millennials moved back home with their parents in July of 2020 – the height of the shutdown for many states. Meanwhile, almost 30 percent of Americans have no emergency savings. No matter your living situation, whether you’re a renter, homeowner, or couch crasher, keeping a roof over your head is probably your priciest monthly expense, and it’s an expense you can’t do without. You can sell your car. You can stop dining out. You can give up regular hair appointments. But you can’t just not have a place to live. And, you can’t change your living circumstances as easily as you can change the way you, say, grocery shop. There is one way to cut back on rent quickly, though: get a roommate. But that can come with some drawbacks.
Your home is your sanctuary. It’s the one place where you can control the vibe. The moment you have someone else move in, you give up some of that control. And, given the terms of the lease, you might be stuck with someone for a while, whether you like them or not. Remember that anybody can seem great in a short interview. You have to ask the proper questions to know what you’re getting yourself into. Here are the right questions to ask a potential roommate.
Do you have a significant other?
Keep in mind that sometimes, when you take on a roommate, you’re also taking on their partner – you just don’t know it yet. But if someone is in the phase of their relationship when they’re having a lot of sleepovers with a partner, you may have a part-time third roommate on your hands who isn’t paying rent. And you didn’t sign up for a third party staying over, several nights a week, using your water and power, and taking up room on the couch. So find out all you can about this important information. If you’re considering taking on someone with a serious partner, lay down some ground rules in advance about how often there can be overnight visitors.
