Updated with current information for 2022
OK. It’s not marriage. You’re not even dating, though hopefully, you’re friends. Still, it’s a big commitment, one that will probably require sharing the same bathroom. Just how do you ask someone to share the lease on an Athens Ohio apartment and be your roomie next year?
First, make sure they are the one (or two or three in the case of three or four bedroom Athens Ohio rentals). Sure, you like them as friends, but what about their personal habits? Are they clean? Do you share a similar friend group?
Avoid Unneeded Awkwardness
First, consider their living situation. Do they need a new roommate? Are they likely to shack up with a significant other?
Don’t be afraid to pop the question over social media, or at least text or private message. Actually, it’s probably better that way. This way they can think it over without having to respond right away. Keep it cool and casual.
You might want to hint around in casual conversation ahead of time. Mention that you are looking for a new roommate, or wouldn’t it be great to rent a house together in Athens Ohio? Notice how they respond.
Plan Ahead
Don’t wait until the last second to start looking for a new roommate. Start the conversation by at least mid-way first semester. This way if they say no, you have plenty of time to find someone else. Hey, there are plenty of other fish in the roommate sea. We have tons of tips on how to find the right rental here.
Hop on another lease
You don’t need to reinvent the wheel. Use the tips above to find an existing lease for you to jump on – saving you the time from finding every roommate for that five-bedroom house.
For whatever the reason may be – drama, graduation, flunking out – plenty of leases lose and swap people each semester and year. Those huge six-plus bedroom homes can sometimes feel more like a revolving door than anything else.
So, search around for a lease that’s down a man. But don’t expect to have much success with this strategy in student apartments or units with fewer than four bedrooms, as those groups start to get much tighter and spaces more competitive.
Go small
OK, so you don’t want to live with five other dudes in that refurbished six-bedroom frat house? Fair. We understand. Instead, go for it organically and find a friend or two to look for a two bedroom apartment or three bedroom unit with you. Conversely, choose rather intentionally to not add a friend at all, since sometimes, living with a friend can ruin the relationship you two had. Settle instead for an acquaintance or someone who was recommended to you by a friend.
Go solo
In the end, if none of the above works out, it’s totally fine to get a place to yourself. While studio apartments and one-bedroom student rentals can be pricey, they come with immense privacy that most other students simply don’t have.
Ultimately, there is no single correct way to approach someone to be your roommate. Every case is different, so tread carefully. And if all else fails, just settle for the one bedroom – much less drama and sharing that way.