I constructed her this list of tips based on my own experience. 2013 will be a year of contributing useful information to the web hopefully, and not just spewing my awkward drama around.
Here we go:
For starters- this is the kind of ad I look for:
$800 Large room with lots of light in cozy Prospect Heights apartment (Brooklyn) (map)
Date: 2012-04-19, 3:39PM EDT
Reply to: fqbqz-2967619928@hous.craigsli
We have a room open for May 1 in our three-bedroom Prospect Heights apartment!
The room is large and has big windows and a wood floor. Rent is $800, and utilities usually run about $50/month. The apartment is located on Vanderbilt Avenue between Bergen St. and St. Marks. It is close to the 2,3 and B,Q and C trains. There is a lovely living room, a large kitchen, very big for New York bathroom, and lots of light.
We are two women in our mid-twenties, not home much but like to keep the house a warm and inviting space for when we're there.
Our lease is up September 1 so we'd like someone to stay at least until then. There is an option to renew the lease if we want to at that point.
Vanderbilt Ave at St. Marks (google map) (yahoo map)
- Location: Brooklyn
- it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests
1. Lead with things about yourself and your living preferences. You should definitely mention if you work from home, meaning you will be around a lot. (This could be a dealbreaker, as most people like having a roommate with a life. However, I would also mention if you travel extensively and what you do. Be realistic about this. If you are an "aspiring actor," don't put that down. Put down what pays your bills, and tell them acting is your ambition). Express your views on pets, smoking, 420 friendliness, and if you are a social, heavy, or non-drinker. Say if you are tidy or whatever and your level of tolerance for other people's messiness (I like to use the term "tidy, but laid back." No one wants to live with the most anal retentive person ever, but no one wants a slob either.)
*Tip on using vague terms like "social drinker" and "420 friendly": You may want to define what you mean. My level of comfort with weed, for example, is occasionally you can do it at parties- twice a month max, and not in the house. I don't like a house the smells like weed and I don't like trying to approach people who are high about anything I want them to remember. My previous roommate had a daily habit that he considered "occasional use." The best bet it to be more conservative. You can always give more liberty than you can take away.
2. Price and location that work for me. Because I live in NY, I look to see if there are trains nearby and I can see how many transfers/ length of time to go to work, which is important to me. For you, you may want to ask
- Is there street parking readily available? Do you have a garage? Is there an additional cost associated with parking?
- Also, because I live in NY, things are often not what they appear to be. Stock photos shown by brokers are often NOT the apartment you are looking to sublet. Be skeptical. If it looks too good to be true, there's a catch somewhere.
- How old are they?
- Do they have steady incomes? (Phrase this better- say something like "what hours do you work?")
- Know a couple of their interests. (Don't have to be the same as yours, but ideally not someone who is an extremist in religious activities or political activism unless they also mention that they don't force their beliefs on others. You want to live with people who would be the LEAST likely to end up on reality televison, in my experience.)
- Find out if they have a squatting significant other and if they have issues with guests. (If you mainly have out of town visitors, figure out if they have any request about how long people stay. You don't want to step on toes.)
4. Are utilities covered? If so, which ones? If not, how much do they cost additional on average?
5. Is this a furnished apartment/ room? How "furnished" is "furnished"? (This would be the time to mention if you have a fully furnished apartment, an inventory of your larger items, and whether or not you are willing to part with anything and if so, what. They may want a new TV for the living room or extra dishes. You never know.)
6. Lease terms and conditions. I always like to know how long the lease is, if there is an option to renew, if they expect me to be on the lease, or if I can just sublet. Also, know what date you can move in. So far I've been lucky with subletting and staying month to month. When moving in with complete strangers, I prefer to stay month to month or sign a short lease (1-3 months) just in case we turn out to be incompatible. You don't want to end up in a place that is uncomfortable for you for an entire year.
And most importantly- just go with what feels right. Start by checking only apartments with PEOPLE who explain a bit about themselves and their apartment and seem community minded and respectful. Then email them back and forth a bit to feel them out. Bring a friend to come see it if you want to, but if you’ve had a phone conversation or skype session to check out the apartment, you may not need a buddy. If it’s just texts, I’d bring someone. You never know who is typing at the other end.
On a personal note: I found the best roommate I've ever had on Craigslist and live with her currently. We've been together for 6 months, and we are both very respectful of each others' space and down to earth. Sometimes Craigslist strangers can turn into great friends!
