Finding a roommate to share your Allentown apartment can be a difficult task, but one of the key strategies on your search is to meet the potential roommate in person and interview them. They in turn may do the same. I discovered through experience some interesting questions that you should include on your questionnaire and thought I’d share.
image: Cafe by Stockholm Syndrome
As protocol for the meet up, make sure you decide on a public place to have the interview, especially if this is a stranger responding to your ad for a roommate. Make it a comfortable place, where you can have a coffee or tea and get to know each other. Avoid bars and liquor. You want to have a clear head and a clear atmosphere. Also, I suggest you meet during the day if possible, on a weekend perhaps if you both work full time, or during a lunch hour.
Open your meeting with a nice greeting, and a handshake. First impressions? Take notes in your mind when you can. Your first impression will take you far. Trust them. An immediate bad feeling can be telling you something. When you sit down, don’t be afraid to bring out your list and take notes. This is your place you want to share after all. You will want to find someone truly compatible to make life easier, not more stressful. With that said, here are the questions:
- Have you shared an apartment with someone before?
- Was the person you roomed with a relative, girlfriend or boyfriend, co-worker, or friend?
- Why did you decide to move out?
- Was there any problem with your previous roommate?
- Do you have a full time job?
- What are you work hours?
- Do you do any work at home? How often?
- Do you smoke?
- Do you use recreational drugs or alcohol?
- Are you in a serious relationship? Will your boyfriend or girlfriend be staying over and how often?
- Do you have a special diet that you follow, vegetarian, diabetic, vegan, or any other?
- Are you religious? Does your religious principles effect you daily living and how so?
- Do you consider yourself a neat person or carefree and sloppy?
- Will you be will to do a share of the chores to maintain a neat and clean apartment?
- Will you share the cost of cleaning products for the apartment?
- Are you willing to work out and divide the cost of a grocery list each week?
- Do you have any pets? If so, what kind?
- Friends? How many?
- Will your friends visit a lot, and do you like to throw parties for your friends? (This isn’t a bad thing, as long as the two of you are in agreement!)
- Do you watch much television? What do you watch? How often?
- What time do you usually go to bed, and what time do you get up?
- Are you a musician? What instrument do you play? How often do you practice?
- Are you willing to co-sign a lease?
- Are you willing to sign a roommate agreement?
- Are you able to supply references from previous roommates, employer, or previous landlord?
Asking any of these questions will open a dialogue with your new acquaintance and will help you get a feel of what the person is like. Keep in mind that this list is designed for an interview with someone you’ve never met before. If the person you’re meeting is an acquaintance, adjust the questioning accordingly….or perhaps not! It’s up to you, but do take the time to get to know a person before jumping in to sharing your Allentown apartment.
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