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Find a roommate

Need to find a roommate? Guess what? You don't really know someone until you live with them. Just because you get along well with someone at work doesn't necessarily mean you'll be compatible as roommates, and while you should enter into a shared living arrangement with a positive attitude, it's smart to have an escape route planned.

• Checks and Balances
• Roommate Locator Services
• Roommates and Rent
• Got Ground Rules?

Checks and Balances

It is worthwhile to pay for a criminal record check on a prospective roommate. To do so, you can contact the local police department, which can run a statewide check. There are also criminal record check services that offer to run checks in other states. Remember, though, that a criminal record check has limitations. It doesn't guarantee that your prospective roommate is a terrific person. Nor does it even prove that he or she hasn't committed a crime. It only demonstrates that he or she hasn't been convicted of doing so. Be careful.

Request a current credit check, too. If the prospective roommate is offended, that's unfortunate; you need to know that his or her share of the rent is going to be paid. You can also ask to see bank balances and a letter of reference from not just the current employer, but also previous ones. The same should hold true if you're students: find out how your roommate is funding his or her education and living expenses.

Roommate Locator Services

Services that offer to match you up with a roommate abound. Be careful.

Avoid giving too much personal information when using one of these locator services. From a security standpoint, it's better not to give your current phone number or address. Keep correspondence to email, or think about signing up for a separate voice mail service.

Note the disclaimers that these services post: checking out the character and credit worthiness of potential roommates is your responsibility. Although a cautious approach is prudent, there's every possibility that you'll find a suitable roommate and that you'll live together harmoniously.