4 Qualities to Look For in a Potential Roommate | Aggieland Apartment Finders (2024)

Someone Who Is Respectful

This quality is important in any relationship, whether it’s with a roommate, family member, or significant other. You want to be able to feel comfortable in your own home and not have to worry about someone being disrespectful towards you or your things. Being “respectful” may mean different things to various people, but it’s usually a good idea to do things like asking first before inviting unfamiliar people over and not eating your roommate’s food without expressed permission.

Responsibility Matters

You’ll want to find a roommate who is responsible and can be counted on to pay their share of the rent and bills on time. This quality is important because it shows that they are capable of taking care of themselves and that they understand the importance of being a good roommate. Practical instances of being responsible include:

• Paying their share of rent and utilities on time
• Keeping the noise level down at night
• Not having unplanned parties at the apartment
• Locking up at night or when nobody is home

Honesty is the Best Policy

Honesty is another essential trait — almost everyone wants honest roomies. Honesty might include anything from owning up if you damage something belonging to someone else, to plainly and respectfully discussing any concerns you have with your roommate’s conduct. Nobody wants to have a roommate that they can’t trust, so honesty is key.

Overall Cleanliness

This quality is important to some people more than others, but it’s still good to look for in a potential roommate. No one wants to live in a messy and cluttered apartment, so finding someone who shares your views on cleanliness to a reasonable degree is of vital importance, if not simply for your own sanity. Keeping a clean apartment is also necessary on a practical level, as it reduces the chances of pests invading your space or damage occurring that may come out of your deposit. Other examples of cleanliness include:

• Doing dishes in a timely manner
• Not leaving dirty clothes lying around
• Wiping down surfaces after using them
• Putting away food properly and regularly cleaning out the fridge

Bonus Quality: A Little Humor Goes a Long Way

While it’s not a necessity, it can’t hurt to find a roommate with a good sense of humor. After all, living with someone can be challenging at times and a little laughter can go a long way. The majority of people just want to live with someone who is pleasant — not necessarily a best friend. You don’t have to be buddies with your roommate — all you need to do is be able to coexist and, ideally, reasonably enjoy each other’s company. And it can’t hurt if you have a good chuckle along the way.