Living with a roommate is a factor that can seriously affect how positive or negative your living experience will be. Even if you stay in the most luxurious of homes, a bad roommate can diminish your level of excitement.
On the other hand, staying with a good roommate ensures that your apartment remains peaceful. That’s why you need to scrutinize whoever you’ll be staying with before you move into one bedroom apartments in downtown Los Angeles with them. To ensure that you choose the very best, you can explore the following tips for interviewing a potential roommate.
Have Your Questions Ready
Before you two meet, you need to get your questions down. If you decide to ask impromptu questions during the interview, there’s a chance you’ll forget the most crucial talking points.
The first thing you need to ask about is their source of income. This is understandable since you don’t want to be living with a roommate involved in shady stuff that can implicate you. You also need to know their income level to ensure that they don’t default on payments.
Next, you’ll have to ask about their daily routine and habits like drinking and partying. This will help you get a sense of the individual’s lifestyle and determine whether you can tolerate their habits.
Also, you’ll have to ask about their cleaning habits. Is your potential roommate a stickler for cleanliness or they don’t mind the shared space looking a little messy? Does the individual prefer cleaning their space or doesn’t mind shared cleaning of the apartment?
Look Out for Non-Verbal Cues
Although the answers given during the interview are paramount, non-verbal cues help you understand your potential roommate better. When discussing with them, observe whether they give off a relaxed or tense demeanor.
You also need to monitor how involved they are during the discussion. A roommate who’s distracted during such an important interview may be difficult to reason with about matters concerning the apartment. The best type of roommate is attentive and open during conversations.
Converse About Boundaries
Right from the interview, you need to start outlining the house rules so that both of you can come to an understanding. First, start with how you’ll split the cleaning responsibilities. Next, you have to discuss the quiet hours so no one gets inconvenienced by the other.
You also have to talk about how you’ll manage shared areas in the apartment like the bathroom, kitchen, and living room. Finally, you both have to discuss whether you’re open to sharing toiletries and electric appliances.
