Moving to a new city isn’t always easy and while most of you are probably past the age where you'd consider looking for a roommate, this advice can be very helpful for our sons - or daughters as well. They might find you’re in unfamiliar territory and far from your previous home and family, without that high-paying job they thought they would automatically get and while they think they're ready ... there's still so much to learn!
You will also probably have to find a roommate, if not more than one. City living is expensive, and perhaps you can’t afford an apartment or house on your own.
You can often find a roommate if you use one of the following techniques. You might have to use more than one of these options.
Ask Any Friends Who Live In The City Already
If you want tips on safely finding a roommate, we’ve got you covered. You can do it if you stay motivated.
Maybe you already know a few people in your new city. If you have an old friend from high school or college who lives there, ask them if they know about anyone looking for roommates or a new living situation.
They might know a network of people looking to move. Maybe your friend has a lease that’s about to run out, and they’re willing to consider moving in with you.
An old friend can often help you, but even if they don’t know anyone looking for a roommate, they can also act as a support network. Maybe you can even crash on their couch for a few weeks while you continue hunting for the right living situation.
Look On Craigslist
Craigslist has been around for several years, and you can use it for all kinds of things. You might use it to find some affordable furniture or buy some memorabilia. You never know what you’ll find there, but many individuals use it to look for roommates.
You can scour the site every day and try to find the right setup. Maybe you’ll locate an apartment in a neighborhood that works for you and at a price that you can afford.
If you try to find an apartment this way, watch out for scams. Craigslist can work as a valuable apartment-hunting tool, but you’ll also find fraudsters who will try to get cash out of you to place you in an ideal apartment. Then, they’ll vanish with your money.
Ask Around At Your New Job
Maybe you’ve come to a new city, and you don’t have a living situation set up, but you do have a job. Perhaps that position lured you to the city, and you at least have that income on which you can rely while you hunt for an appropriate apartment or house in which you can rent a room.
You might stay on a friend or relative’s couch while you look for the right living situation. In the meantime, try speaking to your coworkers at your new job.
Maybe one of them knows about a living situation if they have a friend or relative looking for a new roommate. You might go see the space for rent on one of your off days. If it works for you, you can snatch it up before someone else moves in.
Use Social Media
Social media provides a new possibility if you’re looking for roommates in the modern era. You couldn’t use it a few years ago, but now, people find roommates on social media platforms all the time.
You might use Snapchat, Instagram, Meta, Twitter, LinkedIn, and all kinds of other social media options. When you do, you can connect with like-minded individuals, and maybe some of them live in your new city.
If you like what they have to say on social media, you might ask some of them if they’re looking for a roommate. Even if they say no, they may know someone who’s looking. The more platforms you use and the more you widen your search, the more likely you can find someone.
Talk to Your Classmates
Maybe you have just moved to a new city for college. If so, you might look for a place off-campus. You should talk to your classmates, especially if you get along with some of them pretty well.
You can ask some of them if they want to go in on an apartment or rent a house with you. Maybe they want to, or they might know someone else who does. Just make sure you like their personality since you’ll have to deal with them a lot.
