How to find a new roommate in a new city

Relocating can be really exciting… and a little stressful. Maybe you just got offered a brand new job half-way across the country, or perhaps you’re simply starting over somewhere new. A new step in life means a new living situation, and for most of us, a new roommate (or roommates!) along with it. It's important to find the right roommate so you feel right at home in your new location.

How to find a new roommate in a new city

Reach out to your family and friends!

Tapping your friends and family is the best place to start as it just requires talking to people you already know and trust. It’s that likely that they will only recommend people they trust as well. Maybe you’ll find out that your college roommate’s lab partner is looking for a roommate, or it could be your mom’s neighbor’s daughter.

Reach out to your alumni network

Your alumni network can be a great way to find a job these days, but have you ever thought about using it for a roommate? Greek life, sports teams, and academic societies are a great place to start before reaching out to the broader college network. Most organized clubs, teams, and fraternities/sororities have some sort of forum you can post on and reach out through, while alumni organizations may keep updated files on alumni’s whereabouts. Many universities also have alumni pages on LinkedIn or Facebook which will allow you to see details like the alumni’s age, location, and job.

Search for local Facebook groups at your new destination

Facebook groups exist for all sorts of subjects and it's not unlikely that a local facebook group exists in the city you’re moving to. Rather than finding strangers on Craigslist, facebook will allow you to see a person’s profile, to an extent, and give you a better understanding of who you could be potentially living with.

Try roommate finder apps -- Tinder but for roommates

Many people today are using apps to find love or new apartments, but they can be just as useful to find a new roommate. Roommate apps will let you see what apartments are looking for additional roommates or find people looking for apartments in similar locations.

Roomi allows you to read a potential roommate’s personal summary, interests, and preferences on things like pets, guests, and parties. You can also find roommates based on location, age, and price preferences.

While Roommates.com has fewer filters than Roomi, it is the oldest roommate app and has a vast amount of users. Roommates.com will let you filter roommates by location, rent, and move-in date.

Ask your future coworkers

Did your company just have a large hiring boom? It’s possible then that you’re not the only one moving to accommodate your future career. Check with your work’s HR dept, LinkedIn, or Slack channels to see if anyone else is interested or looking for a roommate! Maybe you’ll get lucky and find a commuter buddy too! It’s not easy to pick everything up and move to a new city, but it is an adventure. Take a deep breath and remember that there are many options for finding a new roommate, apartment, and even friends. And don’t forget that using Rhino to save you on your initial security deposit will only make you a more attractive roommate. You can even split the costs of Rhino among your roommates, and lower the upfront cost of moving among everyone. Learn how much it will cost right here.

Larenz Brown

Larenz Brown is a copywriter at Rhino who wants to tell stories that empower people. He once engaged in a 365-day staredown with a security deposit and emerged victorious.