[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/nycgreatmovers.com\/blog\/how-to-pick-the-perfect-roommate-nyc-movers\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/nycgreatmovers.com\/blog\/how-to-pick-the-perfect-roommate-nyc-movers\/","headline":"How to Pick the Perfect Roommate","name":"How to Pick the Perfect Roommate","description":"Living alone can be nice, but for a lot of New Yorkers, it makes fiscal sense to split […]","datePublished":"2019-06-29","dateModified":"2026-06-27","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/nycgreatmovers.com\/blog\/author\/kevin\/#Person","name":"Great Moving (Kevin)","url":"https:\/\/nycgreatmovers.com\/blog\/author\/kevin\/","identifier":5,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/b4997c379c86a878ffe0e2cbc54f56f2298ff0763e895fa10c13c22bfb54a237?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/b4997c379c86a878ffe0e2cbc54f56f2298ff0763e895fa10c13c22bfb54a237?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"NYC Great Movers","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/nycgreatmovers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/nycgreatmovers-logo-20250918.png","url":"https:\/\/nycgreatmovers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/nycgreatmovers-logo-20250918.png","width":600,"height":363}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/nycgreatmovers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/How-to-Pick-the-Perfect-Roommate-NYC-Movers.jpg","url":"https:\/\/nycgreatmovers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/How-to-Pick-the-Perfect-Roommate-NYC-Movers.jpg","height":853,"width":1280},"url":"https:\/\/nycgreatmovers.com\/blog\/how-to-pick-the-perfect-roommate-nyc-movers\/","about":["General"],"wordCount":1279,"keywords":["apartment movers nyc","Blog","blogging","dailylife","Great Moving","lifestyle","lifestyle blog","NYC","nyc daily life","nyc lifestyle","NYC Movers","perfect roommare","Tips","top movers"],"articleBody":"Living alone can be nice, but for a lot of New Yorkers, it makes fiscal sense to split the costs of an apartment with a perfect roommate. However, finding a good one can be a difficult process, whether you\u2019re renting out a room or moving into a new NYC location.In NYC, choosing a good roommate is just as important as, if not more important than, finding a good boyfriend or girlfriend. After all, you\u2019re going to be living in close proximity to them and signing a lease together, so you want to make sure that you\u2019ll have similar habits and at least get along.Have a ChecklistIt\u2019s not always easy to find a good match, and while you probably won\u2019t find someone who ticks all the boxes, you want to find someone who hits all the right marks. Roommate Compatibility ChecklistRoommate TraitWhy It MattersCleanliness & OrganizationHelps maintain a peaceful and hygienic living environmentLifestyle & Schedule MatchPrevents conflicts due to noise or opposite routinesGuest & Pet PolicySets boundaries for visitors and animal preferences For best results, create a list of all the required traits you want from a roommate. Important things include:Level of cleanliness \u2013 are you a neat freak? Then you probably want to make sure your roommates are also cleanSchedule \u2013 if you need to get up early in the morning, you probably don\u2019t want a roommate who comes home late at nightPersonality \u2013 you don\u2019t have to be friends with your roommate, but you should be cordial to each other. Generally speaking, you\u2019ll want someone who is mature, responsible, and friendly.Pets \u2013 are you allergic to cats and\/or dogs? Skip any roommates who have them. Extend to all pets if you don\u2019t want to deal with having to potentially take care of your roommates’ fish or hamsters when they\u2019re out on vacation.Guest policy \u2013 chances are you and your roommate will probably have friends and\/or dates over, but if you\u2019re an introvert, you probably don\u2019t want someone who has people over all the time.Drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, etc. \u2013 If you\u2019re a smoker, then make sure your roommate knows that. As well, if you want a non-smoking roommate, chances are you wouldn\u2019t be happy with a chain-smoker. Same thing with people who do drugs and drink a lot. Figure out what your limits are.Noise levels \u2013 if you want a quiet household, you need to make sure your roommates don\u2019t blare their music and TV throughout the day. You should also be wary of musicians, as they\u2019ll often have people over for jam sessions.You can communicate all of these points in your ad, but the majority of people looking for a roommate or a place to stay are probably applying to dozens of listings, so they might not have read your ad. Once you do receive a response, you\u2019ll need to ask the tough questions to ensure both of you are comfortable with the living situation.Look Outside of Your Friend GroupJust because you get along with someone as a friend doesn\u2019t mean you\u2019ll be good roommates. In fact, many friendships have broken down because their personalities and habits simply didn\u2019t work out in living situations. Of course, that doesn\u2019t mean all friends turned roommates are doomed to fail. It just means you need to be extra cautious when making that step. Ask just as many questions as you would to a potential roommate you don\u2019t know. When visiting their current apartment, look around to see if there are any red flags that would lead to a bad living situation like an unkempt apartment, lots of empty booze cans, dishes in the sink, etc. Finding Roommates Beyond Your Friend CircleTipWhy It MattersDon\u2019t assume friends make good roommatesFriendships can fail due to incompatible habits and lifestylesCheck for red flags in their current apartmentMessy spaces, clutter, or poor upkeep can indicate future issuesUse friends-of-friends or online platformsExpands your options while maintaining a basic level of trust You can and should use your friend network to find other people who might be looking for a place to stay. Generally, friends of your friends tend to at least be good people, though you should absolutely still hold interviews to make sure they\u2019re the right fit. And if you don\u2019t find anyone there, use online classifieds and social media.Take Your TimeHopefully, you have some advance notice when it comes to finding a new place or a new roommate. You should try to set aside at least a full month for finding a roommate, but if you don\u2019t have that luxury, at least meet several different people. While the first person might seem perfect, take the time to actually meet the others and spend a day or two making your decision. Timeline for Finding a Roommate (NYC Market)StageRecommended TimeframeNotesStart Your Search30\u201345 days before move-inGives you time to explore listings and compare roommatesSchedule Interviews & Viewings2\u20133 weeks before move-inMeet 3\u20134 candidates before decidingReference & Background Checks1 week before move-inVerify rental history, credit, and reliabilityFinalize Decision & Sign Lease1 week before move-inAgree on terms, rent split, and move-in logisticsCoordinate Move-In DetailsMove-in weekDiscuss furniture, keys, and shared expenses Before making your choice, ask for references from their previous roommates. Obviously, during an interview, a roommate is going to put their best foot forward, and while people won\u2019t necessarily lie to you, it\u2019s always good to hear from someone who currently lives with them. Perhaps they\u2019ll give you more details that your potential roommate might have left out. And don\u2019t stop there. Run a background check on your roommate. It might sound cold, but you want to be aware of things like a criminal record and a poor credit rating.Also, don\u2019t be afraid to email all the candidates and ask follow-up questions for more details. The more information you have, the better your choice will be.Figure out ExpensesBesides rent, you should be upfront about any other costs and how you expect to share it with the roommates. Utility bills should be a given and split evenly, but you should also figure out how you intend to split the costs for household items such as toilet paper, paper towels, cleaning supplies, etc. You could agree to split each bill, or each of you would pay for every other purchase. Whatever the case, you need to come to an understanding of how you intend to split the costs. Roommate Expense BreakdownExpense TypeAvg. Monthly Cost (NYC)Shared %Rent$4,000100%Utilities & Internet$300100%Groceries$50050%Cleaning Supplies$4050% The next big thing is food costs. Some people are okay with splitting food, while others are not. Get a clear understanding of how to handle costs. If your roommate is not okay with splitting, then you might want to get a label maker and mark all of your food. It might sound petty, but if you\u2019ve come to the agreement not to share food costs, you don\u2019t want to spend more money than necessary. If you\u2019re more of a sharer, respect your roommates’ wishes and don\u2019t eat any of their food! That\u2019s a quick way to get into fights. Ultimately, when looking for a roommate, you want to feel comfortable with the person you\u2019ll be sharing your apartment with."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Blog","item":"https:\/\/nycgreatmovers.com\/blog\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"How to Pick the Perfect Roommate","item":"https:\/\/nycgreatmovers.com\/blog\/how-to-pick-the-perfect-roommate-nyc-movers\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]