Roommate website: Anybody used them?

[PenforPrez]

So yesterday, to make myself feel more hopeful, I perused some roommate websites. Thought I could test the water and see what was out there. The rents were about what I had figured, so I'm making some figures based on that.

I tried one website, roomiematch.com. Works sort of like eHarmony, only without religious pretense. ;) They match you up on all sorts of criteria. So I filled out a profile, and now I'm swamped with matches. I don't have time to look at all of them. Maybe somebody will like me and I could borrow some money and move. :idea:

Has anybody tried anything like this? Did it work? Or am I just asking for trouble?

Paul

[vxmike]

I used roomfind.com several years ago and found two roommates that way. One was a great roommate and the other wasn't very good at paying rent, but I ended up sleeping with her so I got some benefit at least.

Roommates you don't know are always risky...I've had anywhere from great to poor experiences from various sources.

[PenforPrez]

Roommates you don't know are always risky...I've had anywhere from great to poor experiences from various sources.

But it would be the same risk if you answered a newspaper ad or a flyer, no?

[cache]

I live in a big house, actually more like a ranch, with like 5-6 other people, and whenever we need a roommate, I put ads up on:

craigslist
roommates.com
roommateclick.com
ezrentlist.com
easyroommate.com

I always get the most responses from craigslist, because it is the only one where it is free for both people...but I get a lot from ezrentlist, too.

It is a toss up on the people you get. Just make sure you specify whether you are looking for a roommate to strictly share rent, or to be "friends." Some roommates expect to be part of a "household" while others want nothing to do with anyone.

I usually like to hang out with someone first, and I have a list of questions, such as:
Guns? Drugs? Other weapons? Criminal record? Job? Overnight visitors? Party? Cleanliness level? Noise level?

Plus, make sure your ad displays your personality and mood, otherwise you will get more people that you don't get along with. My ads usually start with this:
Hi! We have an empty room, and had to decide between a pool table and a roommate. All the pool tables we talked to couldn't afford the security deposit, so now we are looking for a roommate.

[PenforPrez]

I live in a big house, actually more like a ranch, with like 5-6 other people

Offhand, does this have anything to do with religious cults, drugs, Santorians or Scientologists?? :p


It is a toss up on the people you get. Just make sure you specify whether you are looking for a roommate to strictly share rent, or to be "friends." Some roommates expect to be part of a "household" while others want nothing to do with anyone.

Yeah, I'd like a roomie that's going to be a pal, at least. Somebody to kick gags around with, you know?

Guns?

No.

Drugs?

Only Claritin.

Other weapons?

Do my hands count?

Criminal record?

I'm a Democrat; I'm in enough trouble already. :p

Job?

I go to this place about seven to eight hours a day and receive a check every two weeks for it. Does that qualify??

Overnight visitors?

Sadly, no.

Party?

I already told you, I'm a Democrat!

Cleanliness level?

I only smell after about two days. ;)

Noise level?

Only a problem if I eat beans. :evil:

Paul

[cache]

Offhand, does this have anything to do with religious cults, drugs, Santorians or Scientologists?? :p
Paul

Of course. Actually, it is more like a fight club, but I can't really talk about it.:D

[PenforPrez]

Of course. Actually, it is more like a fight club, but I can't really talk about it.:D

"The first rule is: You do not talk about the house. . . ."

"The second rule is: YOU DO NOT TALK ABOUT THE HOUSE!"

Paul

[sundaycomics]

Meet them in person first and you should get a sense of whether they're a decent person or not.

[Cole]

I've found all of my roommates on craigslist. I was also using a service called roomster for awhile, but it never panned out.

just make sure you're really clear about what you can and can't live with, and don't be afraid to be straight up about it when you meet the person. Make sure you talk about everything from sleeping habits to whether either of you uses any kind of illegal substances, etc.

[PenforPrez]

I'm just wondering if maybe I shouldn't just answer ads for roommates and talk to some potential roomies despite not being where I want to be. I'd have no cash, and if I found a place to live, I'd have to quit my job in order to move. No cash, no job, and not a lot of confidence. Sounds like a very dangerous, high stakes game.

Of course, I need to take a risk to make some sort of drastic move. Maybe it's not such a bad idea after all.

Paul

[sundaycomics]

I'd have no cash, and if I found a place to live, I'd have to quit my job in order to move. No cash, no job, and not a lot of confidence.

The lack of money and job is going to make it hard to find a roommate who will be willing to take you in. Trust me - when I first moved to Philly I was looking for a job but made it clear on craigslist that I've never missed paying a bill and was ready to work at Staples if necessary. I only got one response and ended up living in a crappy place with weird roommates.

Luckily I was on a month-to-month lease, got a job within a month and was able to quit Staples and move. But I wouldn't count on luck like that.

[PenforPrez]

The lack of money and job is going to make it hard to find a roommate who will be willing to take you in. Trust me - when I first moved to Philly I was looking for a job but made it clear on craigslist that I've never missed paying a bill and was ready to work at Staples if necessary. I only got one response and ended up living in a crappy place with weird roommates.

I don't doubt that at all. I'd really be in a corner if I made it work. Then again, I'm really in a corner now. I simply have to choose where to fight back from. :idea:

Luckily I was on a month-to-month lease, got a job within a month and was able to quit Staples and move. But I wouldn't count on luck like that.

I WOULD be the weird roommate.

"Dude, what's that you're listening to?"
"It's Merle Haggard. . . ."
"Who??"

"What's that you're eating?"
"It's a bowl of ham and beans. I made a whole pot if you want some."
"Sounds disgusting!"

:p

Paul

[cache]

I enjoy getting random roommates, just because of the perspective - good or bad. And if you do it randomly, you are selecting from the general population, which deviates a lot more than prime time TV wants you to believe it does.

Let's see....

...there was the guy who tried to commit suicide 10 feet away from me(in the next room)

...there was the guy who put tape down the middle of the bathroom shelves, so that we had clearly defined lines of where it was acceptable to put my stuff

...there were the girls who threw everything away after using it once - most notably plates and silverware.

...the couple who tried to convince me that the box in their bedroom with ultraviolet lights and a watering timer was actually a security box for bicycles.

and the piece de resistance:
...the single GUY who hung his lingerie in the bathroom


...always an adventure:D

[PenforPrez]

I enjoy getting random roommates, just because of the perspective - good or bad. And if you do it randomly, you are selecting from the general population, which deviates a lot more than prime time TV wants you to believe it does.

Let's see....

...there was the guy who tried to commit suicide 10 feet away from me(in the next room)

...there was the guy who put tape down the middle of the bathroom shelves, so that we had clearly defined lines of where it was acceptable to put my stuff

...there were the girls who threw everything away after using it once - most notably plates and silverware.

...the couple who tried to convince me that the box in their bedroom with ultraviolet lights and a watering timer was actually a security box for bicycles.

and the piece de resistance:
...the single GUY who hung his lingerie in the bathroom


...always an adventure:D

I'm nothing like THAT! I think I'd be pretty easy to get along with, I just have different tastes.

I'm excited about the possibility of living with somebody different. Would be an interesting challenge. That and getting out on my own would perk me up, I think. :)

Paul

[wordsmith]

I don't mind random roommates, either, because I have a high tolerance for oddness, barring oddness that is scary and serial killer-like.

My oddest roommate to live with was the hippie Greenspeace guy who wanted to keep a composting bin in our spare bathroom (we had no yard). We also referred to him as The Monk, for his spartan living habits. But he was a super nice, smart, interesting guy, too. He's the only person I've ever lived with where I have absolutely no idea what happened to him, lost track totally. Everybody else, even if I don't keep in touch, I do know their whereabouts. Him, no. Maybe he'll come on QLC and let me know where he is!

[cache]

Since I live in a big house, there is always an empty room. I think there are 3 of us that have been there for more than a year. A lot of people seem to come and go. This one guy who was only here for like 2 months told us at the beginning of October he was leaving at the end of the month, and then one day he was just gone. Left his security deposit and everything. Who knows.

[grneyedmustang]

I had a roommate that I met through roommateclick.com. We got along pretty well.

The only advice I would give is to establish all rules from the beginning (overnight company, dishes, common living areas, "quiet hours", etc). This will make things a lot easier once you begin living together.

Good luck!!!

[wordsmith]

Since I live in a big house, there is always an empty room. I think there are 3 of us that have been there for more than a year. A lot of people seem to come and go. This one guy who was only here for like 2 months told us at the beginning of October he was leaving at the end of the month, and then one day he was just gone. Left his security deposit and everything. Who knows.

I think the difference is that in all my housing situations, there's been some element of community at play, rather than strict space-sharing. Different strokes for different folks, but if I've got to have roommates, I prefer the former. Some definitely prefer the latter.

[cache]

I think the difference is that in all my housing situations, there's been some element of community at play, rather than strict space-sharing. Different strokes for different folks, but if I've got to have roommates, I prefer the former. Some definitely prefer the latter.

yeah, I;ve been though both, and it really doesn't matter to me. Right now, everyone in the house is pretty good friends, so it works well...except for washing dishes within a certain time period...argh!

[shimma]

I tried one website, roomiematch.com. Works sort of like eHarmony, only without religious pretense. ;)

uhh... everyone I met on eHarmony wanted to sleep with me. Not so attractive in a roommate. I want to say I used roommates.com and had good luck. I didn't like the people I met on CL as much.

[PenforPrez]

uhh... everyone I met on eHarmony wanted to sleep with me.

I had a thought there, but I'm not touching it. :heehee:

I guess what I really need to decide to right now is if I want to try to find a job in St. Louis BEFORE I move, or take the bigger risk of moving before securing a job that pays enough to support myself in that situation.

Or do I have it wrong, as I always seem to?

Paul

[GoogleGirl]

I had a thought there, but I'm not touching it. :heehee:

I guess what I really need to decide to right now is if I want to try to find a job in St. Louis BEFORE I move, or take the bigger risk of moving before securing a job that pays enough to support myself in that situation.

Or do I have it wrong, as I always seem to?

Paul

I'm sorta in the same quandry about that, Paul. I would say try and save some money beforehand, but obviously you have been trying to do that. Is there any way you can go there on a free weekend or something and try a temp agency? That is basically my plan when I move up norht. I'm gonna fly out to wherever I plan to move to and go to a temp agency (I highly doubt I'll be able to get a teaching position out-of-state that easily, so I'm trying to think about how to manage until I do find a teaching position). I've heard not so helpful things about temp agencies, so I'm not even sure that will work for me. Just trying to help ya out a little because I'm in the same situation at the moment.

[arrow]

Temp agencies can help. I find it's best to get a recommendation to one, if you can manage.
Also, they'll often only book you for a week or a few days at first to see how you do (you are a risk, after all). If you perform well, show up on time, etc. etc. they'll feel better about sending you on longer assignments. Those can actually lead to full-time work.
A word of warning, though: they don't give a crap about what you want to do; they just want to place you. I had one place that kept trying to give me jobs less than my pay minimum.

[Syracuse]

So I put an add on craigslist, now today after work I am about to meet two different people who emailed back, should I expect them to be freaks?

[sundaycomics]

So I put an add on craigslist, now today after work I am about to meet two different people who emailed back, should I expect them to be freaks?

Were they?

And to clarify, I have a pretty good tolerance for roommates too. That place in Philly I was talking about, I lived with a girl who literally left her room twice in a month (don't ask me when she did things like shower and eat). She was definitely the weirdest one I've ever lived with.

[Syracuse]

Were they?

And to clarify, I have a pretty good tolerance for roommates too. That place in Philly I was talking about, I lived with a girl who literally left her room twice in a month (don't ask me when she did things like shower and eat). She was definitely the weirdest one I've ever lived with.
They didn't even show up, so I guess that means yes. Maybe that's the point of roommate websites, if they sign up for that they'd actually show up to meet you, for a start?

[PenforPrez]

I didn't realize something when I was doing my figures on moving out. I failed to realize that with how much I'm going to St. Louis right now to do things, that I would save a bundle in gas in that area by moving there. :idea: I'd keep on doing those things, I just wouldn't be driving an hour plus to get there. :)

I figure the savings at around $150 a month. I could also cancel my Internet and second phone line here, and that's factored into the $150. Considering I was looking for a roommate situation in the $400 to $500/month range, that's a long way there. :)

Paul

[canela]

This is going to be my first foray into the land of roommate hunting :eek: I think I'm on all of these right now, and am not having much luck. It was so much easier when I could afford to live alone! *headdesk*