Rooming. (College Post)

After going through a crazy house hunt myself, as well as seeing my roommates scurry around like chickens without a head trying to figure out housing, I think its safe to say that house hunting is anything but fun and games. So where does the coin flip from happy and excited to hectic and painful? Heres a few reminders when looking for a new place to call home.

When Looking:
1. Know what you want
    If you don't know what you want than how do you expect your roommates to know? Make sure you know what you want before telling someone else you will live with them next year. 

2. Be Flexible
    Okay, you've figured out what you want, but you aren't find a Martha Stewart home a stones throw away from your campus... BE FLEXIBLE! Evaluate what you think is more important: price, location, size, and then compare with your roommates. Between you all being a little more flexible it should open up a few more properties in your area.

3. Communicate
    If you don't like something, say it! If you are going to be living with people for a year you should have enough of a bond to at least say your likes and dislikes of a property. On the other hand, if you future roomie is telling you their likes and dislikes, just listen and take them into consideration! No need to get into a huff over it. Also- if you are talking to separate people about possibly living together next year, make sure they know! No one likes to be left in the dark or taken by surprise when they have been doing their best to find a place for everyone!

4. Room with a good ROOMMATE, not just a good FRIEND
     This advice was given to me by an older friend of mine and is probably some of the best advice I have gotten in college so far. You may love your bestie but living with someone is a totally different story! You and your roommates don't have to be best friends to live together, you may just be compatible! Trust me, if its a good enough friend, rooming together is too big of a risk to take to realize you can't live their same life style!

5.Keep it Casual, yet Professional.
     Yes, you are excited to be living with your friends for a year with no rules and your own place to call home, but don't forget that there are still obligations that you guys have to each other. Make sure to write out a little something that just has some house rules down in writing (even if you never plan to look at it again), including the rare case that one roommate should move out, how their share of the finances would be handled (would you have to pay more for the empty room? or would they have to either keep paying their share till they found a new person to live there) 

All things are to be considered in the house hunt! I know it can get tricky so just remember to take a deep breath, relax, and stay focused. Everything will work out in the end!