Having a roommate can make your life easier and more enjoyable…or stressful and uncomfortable. It all comes down to compatibility. Save yourself from the strain of having an unsuitable roommate by checking for compatibility from the get-go. You’ll find essential advice on how to pick a great roommate in the guidelines below.

Start by looking in the right places

The best places to advertise for a roommate are places that reflect your own interests or preferences. By and large, a roommate who your interests is likely to be more compatible with you than someone with whom you have nothing in common.

Think about where you would look if you needed a place to live, and advertise for a roommate in those places. If you tend to be bookish and spend a lot of time in libraries, put up a posting on a library bulletin board. If you frequent cafes where live music is performed, tack an ad up there. Essentially, you want to pinpoint like-minded people.

Be specific in your ad

When you post an ad for a roommate, be as specific in your preferences as possible. The more details you can provide, the more likely you are to get qualified applicants. You also want to get straight to the point about what is or is not acceptable in a roommate.

Here are some of the specifics you should cover in your roommate ad:

• Gender. Clarify whether you’re looking for a male or female roommate. If you’re fine with either, state that as well.
• Smoking. If you’re adamant about having a non-smoking roommate, make this clear to potential applicants by putting it in your ad.
• Age. You may prefer to have someone in the same age group as you. If so, include the range of ages you’d find acceptable.
• Rental terms. If you need a roommate to sign a lease for a specific amount of time, point that out. Be upfront about whether you’re looking for someone who will live with you indefinitely or whether you’re just looking for someone who can commit to a predetermined time frame.

Being specific in your ad for a roommate might make your search take longer, but it’ll also make it easier to find the right match for you.

Interview any potential roommate

When you start getting contacted by people interested in rooming with you, take the time to conduct interviews. Have the potential roommate visit your apartment so he/she can see what the living arrangements would be like.

Get to know the person by asking a slew of questions, including the following:

1. What do you do for a living?
2. What do you do for fun?
3. Where are you from/what’s your background?
4. How long can you commit to living here?
5. Have you ever had a roommate before?

Allow the person plenty of time to talk about him or herself, and be open to answering any questions asked of you.

Get personal

If you feel like you have a good rapport going with a potential roommate, ramp up your questions. You need to get personal and find out specifics on several issues – after all, this is a person with whom you will potentially share your home.

Some of the more personal issues you should cover while interviewing a potential roommate include:

• Sleeping habits. If you’re a night owl who likes to sleep in, consider whether you’d be comfortable living with someone who rises at dawn. On one hand, you’ll be out of each other’s way more often. On the other hand, you might disturb each other’s sleep patterns.
• Cleanliness. Think about whether you’re a neat-freak, a slob, or somewhere in between. Talk to a potential roommate about sharing cleaning duties, and make your preferences known. For example, if you hate to have dirty dishes left in the sink overnight, say so. If you want someone who will share bathroom cleaning duties with you, point this out.
• Overnight guests. Consider whether overnight visitors will be acceptable to you. If you’re bothered by the idea, make that clear. If you’re fine with it, talk about guidelines you’d like to set. For instance, you may want to make it clear that an overnight visitor needs to stay out of the bathroom during the time you need to get ready for work.
• Payment expectations. It’s absolutely essential to be upfront about money issues. Talk about how you’d like to arrange monthly rental payments. Do you want your roommate to write you a monthly check?  Do you expect cash?  Would you rather take turns paying the full rent amount from month to month?  Clarify this, and make sure you discuss other types of shared payment obligations such as utilities and cable TV charges.

Stay open-minded

Finding a roommate can be stressful, but it’s also a proven way to meet a life-long friend. Listen to your instincts and shy away from anybody who makes you uncomfortable, but also be sure to stay open-minded and not judge too much based on first impressions.