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Find a room mate options seem to be everywhere, especially when you’re a student. However, despite all the choice that is apparently at your fingertips, there is a great difference between finding a room to rent, and finding the right room to rent. Every person is an individual and so the process of melding together lives to cohabit can be a tricky one. As students, it’s expected that you rent a room in a shared house or apartment to lower your costs while you study. However, there are certain tips and tricks you can use to ensure that you find the right place to live and people to live with. Read on to discover more about them.
Locate Your Best Rent A Room Options Online
It may seem counterproductive to say that you can find the
best student accommodation options online. After all, isn’t it better to see something in person? Of course, you do need to experience a room before you agree to rent it, but first impressions matter and first impressions can be made online. When you’re browsing websites to find a roommate in a shared house anywhere in the country, there are always a few things that jump out at you.
Firstly, is the person seeking a roommate a student too, or are they an older person looking to rent out a room to a student? Both are acceptable options, but you may have a preference as to who you want to live with. Similarly, some adverts to find a roommate in student accommodation are specific about what level of study the person is at. If they’re a postgrad, for instance, it’s unlikely that they’ll be keen to live with an undergrad in their second year more interested in partying than study. The best way to find a roommate who suits your lifestyle is to read ads carefully, paying as much attention to the people you’ll be living with as the place itself. Then, when you visit the property, do the same thing. Ultimately, a shared house or apartment can only be successful if everyone in the property has the same expectations. As a student, you’ll have plenty of options when it comes to arranging your accommodation, so ensure that you look at plenty of ads online first.
The Best Way To Find A Room For RentThe best way to find a room for rent is something you are no doubt interested to know if you are currently looking for a place to stay. There are many options available nowadays, from asking friends and family members to looking in local newspapers. However, nothing beats conducting your search on the Internet.
It is always best to find a room for rent online. This is because you are going to have more rooms to choose from, and you will have all of the time in the world to make your decision. Nowadays, most landlords don’t advertise in newspapers, so there will only be a very, very limited selection on display. Of course, another option is to go to a letting agency. But, their fees are often astronomical, and the process can get dragged out with a middleman involved. This is why using the Internet is the best approach.
You can search through numerous websites, ensuring you have the greatest assortment of rooms to choose from. You can also take the time to look at the photographs and compare rooms against one and other, while also getting numerous quotes so you can get a good idea regarding the average cost of a room in the area in question. You will be better equipped to come to the best decision for you, and you won’t feel pushed into going down a certain route. It is definitely the best way to find a place you are happy with.
What To Look For In A Student Accommodation WebsiteOne of the most important things to consider when choosing a rent a room website is its payment terms. The last thing you want to do is end up spending a fortune in the form of commission. Find a company that has favourable payment terms; some may even give you the option to advertise your room for free.
Aside from this, you should do a bit of research to make sure the company has a good reputation. Read comments that have been left by people that have used the website to find a roommate before. This will either fill you with confidence or alert you to red flags that indicate you should look elsewhere. You also want a website that is going to give you the ability to publish your room immediately. Every minute your room is empty is a minute you are missing out on money. You don’t want to be waiting for days and even weeks for the website to publish the room listing. You should also be able to vet tenants yourself, so you can make sure they are right for you.
Letting A Room? How To Find A Roommate
If you occupy a shared house and need to find a roommate, there are websites you can advertise on, some of which are free. However, as you’ll no doubt be aware, trying to find a good roommate can be a minefield. One basic rule is that the better the quality of the ad, the more appropriate the applicants that answer it. That’s why general advice for letting a room out always includes having a good quality advert. When you’re looking at how to find a roommate, especially if
you’re a student, you need to be clear on what you can and can’t cope with. If you’re a non-smoking household a smoker may be a red line for you. If you need students who are dedicated to their studies and are not going to cause too much mess, then make that clear.
When you place ads for a room, ensure too that you place them on sites that are going to attract the best applicants. Some websites, especially some free ones, have listings for all sorts of things and this hodgepodge can create something of a lottery when it comes to finding a roommate. If you’re looking at advertising online for your roommate, it’s far better to choose a website that is committed to only renting out rooms and other forms of space.
Ready To Write Your Room Ad?
So, if you are ready to put your advert together, where do you start? The first thing you need to do is get your images ready if you are to rent a room out, and you will need to choose a main image, which is going to be the thumbnail that appears on the website listing. This image needs to catch the user’s eye so that they click on the advert. Your image is so important because this will determine whether people find out more about your room or not. So, make sure you include images of common areas, including interior shots of your property, upload more than one image, avoid any images that show too many small details, and ensure that all photos are bright and eye-catching.
The next step when you advertise a room for rent is to put together an appealing title. This is a way to spur interest in your ad, so you need to be creative and ensure it stands out from other adverts. The third and final step is describing your property in detail. You need to show potential tenants why your room is a good pick. Avoid using long-winded sentences; be clear, concise but comprehensive. Don’t leave out any important details and list all key features.
Things You Should Not Leave Out Of Your AdvertIf someone is
looking to rent a room out, one thing they will certainly want to know is whether the household is smoking one. A lot of non-smokers won’t want to live in a house with someone that smokes. You may think that the best thing to do is simply disguise this in order to get more interested tenants. But, when someone comes for a viewing, they will only be annoyed that you have wasted their time. Another thing you need to include when you advertise a room for rent is to state the location of the room, i.e. is it on the ground floor or the first floor.
Next, make sure you advertise your spare room as a house share. No one looking for a one-bedroom flat wants a bedroom in a house share; so don’t try to blur the lines in order to tempt more people. Be honest and upfront about what you are offering, and make sure you are advertising in the right places, i.e. websites that specialise in room rentals, not property rentals. Finally, you will be amazed by how many people don’t say whether the room is furnished or unfurnished – don’t leave this out.
