News

If you’re young, single and interested in owning your own home, the thought can be very daunting. Homeownership can be a difficult pursuit for couples and families…but for singles, it can be even more complex. You don’t have the benefit of two salaries to cover expenses, and your down payment might not be as high as you’d like. One workaround is to consider getting a roommate or two. Some of our homes have dual masters or good-sized bedrooms with additional private spaces, which can be the perfect set up for sharing. So once you’ve decided to go this route, you’re going to need to find someone to share with. We have four tips to finding the perfect roommate:

1. Ask your friends. Who better to recommend someone than people you already know. In a way, the potential roommate has already gone through an initial screening if the person making the recommendation is someone you truly respect and admire.
2. Be upfront with your financial expectations. You want to ensure you’re on the same page financially. Be clear with what costs you’ll be sharing and be as exact as you can with the amounts. You don’t want someone coming back to you saying he didn’t know he’d have to split the HOA fee or some other built-in cost.
3. Make sure your lifestyles are similar. Is your potential roommate a night owl when you’re trying to sleep? Does she smoke? Is he organized and cleans up as he goes? Does she like entertaining or prefer the home to be quiet. Knowing this will help determine if you’re compatible living partners. Of course, there will be compromises, but overall your lifestyle should be somewhat the same.
4. Are there allergies or environmental considerations? Imagine moving in with someone only to find out later that person can’t have the windows open because of seasonal allergies? Or perhaps the air conditioner is a no-go. Or he likes the temperature of the house much hotter than you do. Find out as much as you can about any environmental restrictions and preferences you may not be able to live with on a day-to-day basis.

If owing your own home is your dream, you may have to be creative and a roommate – temporary or long-term – may just be the answer for you. Listen to your intuition as you interview people and if you see any red flags, don’t ignore them. On the positive side, you may end up with a life-long friend!

Visit our Neighborhoods page to explore the different community options we offer to see which could be your new home!