Holy cow… you’ve found it. The perfect apartment exists, and there’s a room available. You can even afford the rent! If you live in a hotspot like Denver, Seattle, Dallas, or Nashville, you know how hard it can be to find an affordable room for rent with people you actually like. Now that you’ve found it, how can you get it? We’ll teach you the best way to respond to an ad for a roommate so that your response stands out from the crowd and gets you the result you want.
Use bullet points for the boring stuff.
It’s great to include things like age, hometown, job, and so on in your email or ad response, but let’s be real. It’s probably not all that interesting. Use quick bullet points so the reader can skim the black and white details quickly. The easier you make their job, the nicer they’ll view you!
Mention specific things from the ad.
Show them you read the award-winning roommate ad they spent time crafting by referencing specific things about the ad that caught your eye. If they said they have a massive kitchen, talk about how much you love cooking five-course meals for your roommates. If they mention that the available room comes with a shared bathroom, mention how quick your showers are, or how spotless your current bathroom is! Show them that you read the ad carefully and thoroughly, and you know exactly what the living situation will be like.
Highlight what makes you such a great roommate.
Brag about yourself (without being obnoxious). Your potential roommate(s) will want to choose someone who can reliably pay rent, so tell them where you work and highlight your stellar rental history, if possible. Mention aspects of your personality that will benefit the living situation: are you hilarious, a nurturer, adept at fixing toilets, or extremely resourceful? All of these traits can benefit your future roomies, so mention them!
Avoid the clichés!
Everyone will respond to the ad saying they are “clean” and “fun-loving.” Get creative and avoid these clichés. Instead of saying you’re clean, mention your weekly cleaning routine or tell them your closet is color-coded… they’ll get the picture. If you’re a ton of fun, craft a fun response! Remember, the person reading your ad is probably also reading a dozen others. Make yours stand out by thinking outside the box and avoiding generic descriptors.
Include a photo of yourself.
This tip might be on the edge of your comfort zone. While somewhat superficial, responses with photos tend to get more attention. They put a face to the words the other tenants are reading and you’ll stand out in their memory when choosing applicants to interview. Go the extra mile and include a photo of your current bedroom too! They’ll be able to picture what your room will look like in their apartment.
Be candid, funny, and SPECIFIC!
Instead of saying you enjoy cooking, describe the coolest or yummiest meal you cook. Instead of saying you like hanging out with friends, say exactly where you like to go, shows you binge watch together, card games you play, and so on! Specific details are endearing and memorable, which is exactly what your response should be.
If you’re tired of writing and re-writing the perfect response or having roommates in general, there’s another option. If you can find an affordable studio or one bedroom apartment to rent, you might not need roommates at all! Before you start nailing every roommate interview you go to, try searching for cheap apartments on ApartmentSearch.com. The results just might surprise you!
