You could say something like, “Hey, I’m looking for someone to live with when I move to Chicago. Do you know anyone in the area at all?” Seeing if your friends and family know anyone is usually the best way to safely find a roommate since you can trust the people they’d recommend.
Example: Hey everyone! I’m looking for a roommate in New York City in the next month or two. If you know anyone looking for a funny, reliable person to live with, send me a DM!
Example: Hi! My name is John Smith and I’m looking for a roommate in Los Angeles. I work full time and I’m very clean and responsible. I have a budget of $1,000 a month including utilities, and I’m hoping to live near Hollywood. Facebook groups are a great place to find roommates since you can check the person’s profile to learn more about them. Groups are also usually moderated, so it helps you avoid rental scams. There may be multiple roommate and housing groups for your city, so join them all so you can get more people to see your posts. If you already have a place in the city and you’re looking for a roommate to move in with you, then provide the size, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, amenities, and rent price.
Roomi has a free service that lets you post listings and browse roommates, but you can upgrade to get background checks and boost your search rankings. SpareRoom is great for finding someone who has an extra room. Roomster verifies users so you’re less likely to run into spam accounts or fake postings.
Roommates. com verifies users to protect you from spam and fraud. You can also message potential roommates right from the site to immediately connect. RoomieMatch is moderated and has extra security so you only see users in the area looking for a roommate. Since the site requires you to stay active, you don’t have to worry about old spam accounts clogging up the listings. RoomMatch lets you communicate with potential roommates without sharing your personal email address or phone number.
You also may be able to find alumni groups on Facebook. Search for your school and the year that you graduated to find a group and write a post asking if anyone lives in the city or knows someone who needs a roommate.
Example: I’m 25 years old and just started a full-time job in Denver. I’m looking for a spot in a pet-free, smoke-free home. I’m very quiet and clean, and I tend to spend my free time outdoors so I’m not home very frequently. Looking for a young professional to live with that doesn’t mind hanging out from time to time. Be cautious responding and communicating with people over Craigslist since it’s harder to vet their information. Make sure you plan on meeting up and getting to know the person before you make any commitments.
Alternatively, you could look for weekly or monthly rentals on sites like Airbnb. Taking a sublease lets you get a little more familiar with the city so you can figure out which neighborhood you want to live in. You’ll also have a chance to connect with potential roommates a little easier.
If you can’t get together in person, chat on social media and schedule a video call so you can talk to each other. Watch out for red flags like financial instability, partying or excessive drinking habits, lack of communication, and uncleanliness. Be wary of potential roommates who only communicate by email and don’t want to meet in person since they could be scammers. [11] X Research source
