Roommates are great for a few reasons:

  • It can be fun to live with someone else
  • You don’t have to worry about feeling lonely

But sometimes roommates can be a huge pain… So we’ve put together this list to break down what would make up the ideal shared living situation.

1. Think twice about moving in with your best friend

  • Living with a close friend can bring the worst out of both of you
  • It’s more ideal to live with a stranger or acquaintance
  • You’ll get to keep your old friend
  • Hopefully your roommate can become a new friend
  • However, don’t expect to become “best friends forever” with your new roommate

2. Sharing is caring

  • Be as generous as you can
  • Nobody likes a stingy person
  • It makes more sense to share certain things like detergent or milk
  • That doesn’t mean you have to go as far as sharing toothbrushes
  • Be VERY CLEAR about the things you don’t want to share

3. Dividing responsibilities

  • Your relationship as roommates sets you as equals
  • Both of you should have an equal amount of work to do
  • Try designating rooms for each other to clean up every day
  • Figure out who should take out the trash, pay the bills, etc.
  • If you say you will do something, JUST DO IT

4. Communicate openly

  • Let’s be real: passive-aggressiveness solves NOTHING
  • Get comfortable with talking to each other on a mature level
  • Set down ground rules the day you agree to be roommates
  • Don’t wait for a big blowout – it always ends up being awkward
  • Politely tackle small nuances as they come up

5. Just be nice

  • Try to keep up with a positive environment
  • The last thing you should dread is coming home after work
  • A better relationship makes living together easier
  • Sometimes it’s can be more ideal to confide in a roommate than a friend
  • Go by the golden rule: treat them as you would like to be treated

6. Clean up

  • Neither of you signed up to be the other’s maid
  • It’s understandable to leave a bit of a mess when you’re in a rush
  • Clean up after yourself as soon as you get the chance
  • If one of you cooks dinner that night, the other should clean the dishes
  • It’s hard to keep everything spotless 24/7; agree on a “tidiness minimum”

7. Compatibility

  • Be honest with yourselves and each other about this
  • Opposites don’t attract in this type of situation
  • Some people just aren’t meant to get along, and that’s okay
  • Hang out with your potential roommate in a few social settings beforehand
  • If it just doesn’t make sense, look for somebody else – no hard feelings

8. Keep on top of bills

  • Make sure you are both financially stable before signing a lease
  • Neither of you should be responsible for paying the other person’s bills
  • Set specific dates for bill payments and post them somewhere easily visible (i.e. the fridge)
  • Choose dates that are about a week in advance of the actual due date to provide lee-way if needed
  • Come up with money-saving solutions like conserving energy or ordering Netflix instead of cable

9. Protect each other

  • Lock the doors and windows whenever leaving the house
  • Don’t lend out a spare key to anyone without your roommate’s permission first
  • If you have anybody over, keep an eye on all valuables
  • If your roommate is sick, help them out if you can; If you’re sick, do your best not to get your roommate sick too
  • Address any other safety or health concerns that you have such as food or pet allergies

10. R-E-S-P-E-C-T

  • Remember that you share your living space
  • Don’t have your own friends over all the time
  • Be mindful of any noise you make
  • Give each other all the privacy you both deserve
  • Don’t monopolize the bathroom

Summary

If all these tips are taken into consideration, sharing an apartment should turn out to be pretty easy.

If you’ve already found a roommate and you’re both ready to find your new home in NYC, the next step is usually to choose a neighborhood.

Don’t hesitate to contact us at Platinum Properties at (212) 825-0050 – we’ll be happy to help you with your search.