These days, finding a good roommate is almost as hard as finding your soulmate! But don’t despair — with good communication, clear expectations, and a little bit of intuition, you too can find your perfect roommate.
Use this step-by-step guide to write your roommate wanted ad that gets you the most suitable matches.
1. State your purpose.
Whether you’re posting your roommate wanted ad in social media or on your local coffee shop’s bulletin board — it’s important to headline your ad with a purpose. Are you looking for a roommate to tour apartments with? Do you already have an apartment and just need someone to split the rent with? Do you have a preference for roommates of a certain gender or lifestyle?
Figure out what you’re looking for and what you have to offer, and be upfront about it!
Some ideas on how to title your roommate wanted ad include:
- “LOOKING for a (gender/lifestyle) roommate for a (type of apartment) in (Neighborhood/Zip Code/City)”
- “OFFERING a (type of room) in (Neighborhood/Zip Code/City) in a (type of apartment)”
- “LOOKING for a (gender/lifestyle) roommate to tour (type of apartment) in (Neighborhood/Zip Code/City)
2. Provide specifics about the living situation you’re looking for.
Follow your purpose with a subheader that gives prospective roommates more high-level details on your preferences/circumstances. This is a great spot to add a one-liner outlining your budget, preferred lease term, and desired move-in date.
- “For a (#)-month lease starting (Date). Budget: ($).”
- “For a semester-long room share starting next (Month). Estimating about ($) per person, without utilities.”
- “To take over the remainder of my roommate’s lease from (Date) to (Date). Rent per person is around ($) ABP.”
3. Give details about the type of place you’d like to live in!
A roommate ad should be skimmable, so follow your title and subheader with a quick bulleted list covering details of the type of housing you want (or the housing you’re offering if you already have a place and just need someone to move into it with you). Make sure to cover essential points like the ones listed below:
- Community amenities (pool, fitness center, guest parking, business center, etc.)
- Housing layout/sleeping arrangements
- Unit amenities (laundry, A/C, balconies, yards, reserved parking, furnished or unfurnished, etc.)
- Distance to important destinations such as the grocery store, downtown/business district, college buildings, etc.
- Info about public transportation available near the apartment
- Pet-friendliness details
Once you’ve covered the basics of the place you live in (or would like to live in), layer on any additional commentary that may help roommates get a feel for the space. Think about the little things that make a place special, such as natural light, friendly neighbors, and low noise levels.
4. Create an “About Me” section!
The key to finding a great roommate is zeroing in on someone whose lifestyle and priorities align well with yours. But that’s not to say you and your roomie need to be the same person! You should just be on the same page about certain day-to-day things like overnight guests, cleaning routines, pet duties, and financial responsibilities.
Avoid roommate horror stories by disclosing just enough about yourself for people to imagine what it’s like to LIVE with you. Like the prior section, you can fit this “About Me” in an easy-to-read bulleted list, covering the following points:
- Your age and occupation
- What your typical work schedule looks like
- Your hobbies or interests
- How often you have guests over
- Your thoughts about pets (and a little info about your furry friends, if you have any)
- Whether you prefer living in a smoke-free (or alcohol-free) environment
- Info about your cleaning habits
Remember that providing a truthful description of yourself will help weed out any prospective roommates that aren’t a good match, so be honest!
5. Give readers ways to reach you.
Now that you’ve stated your purpose and described yourself and your ideal living situation — it’s time for a call to action! Tell readers what to do if they want to reach out to you and what to expect after they do. For example, you can say something like:
- “If you think you’d be a good fit, please send me an email at (address), so we can schedule a call or meet for coffee.”
- “If you’re interested, please send me a message on Facebook, so we can talk more about living expectations and apartment complexes we’d like to tour.”
- “Please call or text (#) if you have any questions!”
Once you’re done writing your roommate wanted ad, post it to digital or physical forums where you think it might get attention from suitable prospects. Gyms, coffee shops, and roommate-finding groups on Facebook are great places to start. You’ll find a great person to split rent with in no time!
6. Start the roommate-life off on the right foot.
After you’ve found the perfect roommate, start your apartment search online! Find the perfect apartment that meets your criteria, including neighborhood, price, number of rooms, and desired amenities. And if they’re interested in renting furniture for your common area, you can split the cost of a furniture rental lease, so you don’t have to worry about who’s taking what when it’s time to move out!
