Interviewing Potential Roommates

Interviewing potential roommates is not an easy task. If you're in the market for a roommate, the selection process can be daunting. This is someone you're going to be spending an inordinate amount of time with, so you'll want to make sure you will be able to get along. It is not necessary to be best friends with this person; in fact, it may be better not to be. That way, you won't risk damaging an existing friendship. It is necessary, however, to be able to live in a confined space comfortably with each other, and not constantly butt heads. To find a good roommate, you need to cover the following subjects:

Qualities You Don't Want In A Roommate
More important than the qualities you want in a roommate are the qualities you don't. If you are a neat freak, then the first question you should ask a prospective living mate is whether or not he is messy. If you are an insomniac, ask if he is a light sleeper. First, consider which qualities automatically disqualify somebody, and then go into the ones that are desirable.

Your Own Personal Qualities
It is also important to disclose information about yourself in an interview. Living together is a two-way street, and it would be unfair to allow an exceedingly tidy person to believe that you are tidy as well, when in reality you know that you tend to make a mess. Being dishonest in the selection process will come back to haunt you a few months down the road when you and your roommate are constantly arguing because of the fundamental differences you failed to disclose.

Financial Circumstances
Finding a person who is financially stable is also crucial, especially if your name is the one on the lease. A roommate may be perfect in every way, but if he's a starving artist who's not sure where his next meal is going to come from, there is a good chance he won't have the money for rent come the first of the month.

Basic Ground Rules
If you do decide to choose an existing friend to live with, make sure you set clear ground rules beforehand so that both parties know what they are getting themselves into. You don't want to lose a friend because your relationship got so strained while you tried to make the living situation work.

Choosing a roommate is hard. There are countless factors to consider, and more often than not you will be forced to choose between the lesser of two evils. Just keep in mind that honesty and full disclosure are necessary in the beginning for the living situation to work in the end.