Have you ever rented a room from someone?

[iamgrace]

I did this in 2nd year university. I *might* do it as an adult in the situation you describe, but probably not.

I would want to know how much of my space and their space was going to overlap. I lived with a family and used their kitchen (but I did have my own fridge in the laundry roomm downstarirs). As an adult, I would not want to do that.

I wouldn't mind sharing laundry facilities, but bathrooms and kitchen? No. Not for me.

[sake]

We rented out a room in our home. We gave them their own small fridge that we had previously used as a "beer fridge" but it was clean and in good condition. They had their own bathroom. And we charged $275 a month. Our roommate stayed with us for 4 months. He was just looking for something short time while he house hunted, and we didnt want a long term tenant either, so it worked out perfectly.

[karmasabiotch]

Could you look into renting an efficiency apartment? Sometimes they can be the same cost as renting a room but you wouldn't have up deal with boundaries and other issues.

[Deleted]

Not as an adult. I really hate having roommates. I'd rather live in a tiny place by myself.

[pantsparty]

I have not, but if I did, I'd be clear about what length of time, what my responsibilities around the house are, etc. It seems like every time I read about issues with roommates it's because they overstayed their welcome, didn't clean up after themselves, ate all the food, etc.

[eb777888]

I did in my early 20's. I was really desperate to get out of Seattle and get back to Dallas. I ended staying there two years. A young guy owned the house and was looking for extra money. It was super laid back, were actually still friends. I used the common living area, and had my own bathroom. It got really comfortable because we became friends and it was more like roomates.

I would not do it now if I were single and childless even though my situation worked out ideally. I've just grown to be a more private person and like my own space.

[Deleted]

I am doing this right now. After my divorce was final, my house sold and I've been renting a room since last June/July. I hate it. I live with the owner (a female my age) and there is another roommate. Well, since I live with the owner, I live in HER house so it's her rules and she is crazy. I can't wait to find another job and get the hell out of here. Good thing is I pay $350/month everything included. But I can't wait to get my own space again. If I had the option to live with my dad, I would do this. At least, at my dad's place it is my house too. I post regularly on the SO board about my shitty roommate situation.

[Jalapeñomel]

We have a roommate now.

[RoxMonster]

I could never do this. I like my personal space too much. I told H he is the only person I could ever live with lol. The college dorms for two years were my nightmares coming to fruition. No personal space and someone always up in my business.

Unless it was the absolute only place I could afford to live, I would not. But take that with a grain of salt because of my weirdness haha. I have to go to a work conference in May for two nights and share a hotel room with a CW I am friends with and I am dreading the sharing the room part even! That's how bad I am.

If I ever did this, I would ask about having guests over, quiet hours, use of common areas (like laundry or a kitchen), what happens if they decide to sell the house, will they ever decide to stop renting out the room, what would your responsibilities be around the house (yard work, snow removal, etc). Perhaps these questions are way off because I have never done this before, but these are things I would think of.

Also what does rent include? Use of cable, Internet, utilities, etc?

[sake]

Mar 17, 2013 15:49:13 GMT -5 letsgetweird said:

Mar 17, 2013 15:46:31 GMT -5 sake said:

We rented out a room in our home. We gave them their own small fridge that we had previously used as a "beer fridge" but it was clean and in good condition. They had their own bathroom. And we charged $275 a month. Our roommate stayed with us for 4 months. He was just looking for something short time while he house hunted, and we didnt want a long term tenant either, so it worked out perfectly.

What kind of boundaries did you set up? Could your renters use the living areas?

Yes we let him use our living area to watch tv with us if he wanted. But he usually just kept to himself. We also have a tv in our loft upstairs that he used mostly, unless he was talking with us. He was a really nice guy, former military,so he and H had a lot in common. He had moved here for a job, leaving his wife and 3 kids in Michigan until he could find a house for all of them here. Once he found them a house a s they moved in, they invited us over for dinner and stuff. They were a really sweet couple

[sushi]

I did as an adult (mid 20s), and it was awesome. Basically, I was a full roommate, but they owned the house. I had never really had roommates, and I love my own space, but it ended up being one of the best experiences. I'm still close with them, even though I live rather far away. They even watched my dog for 6 months when I had to move overseas and deal with quarantine.

It would really depend on your chemistry, though. I really meshed with them. If that hadn't happened, it would have been miserable. but, they also chose me because of how we clicked in our first meeting.

[julesf84]

Mar 17, 2013 18:23:36 GMT -5 sake said:

Mar 17, 2013 15:49:13 GMT -5 letsgetweird said:

What kind of boundaries did you set up? Could your renters use the living areas?

Yes we let him use our living area to watch tv with us if he wanted. But he usually just kept to himself. We also have a tv in our loft upstairs that he used mostly, unless he was talking with us. He was a really nice guy, former military,so he and H had a lot in common. He had moved here for a job, leaving his wife and 3 kids in Michigan until he could find a house for all of them here. Once he found them a house a s they moved in, they invited us over for dinner and stuff. They were a really sweet couple

It's nice to hear a positive rental story like this!

[gault]

I did this for 4 years as a working adult, in 3 different houses.

Be very picky about who you rent with and look closely at the quality of the house and what the house expectations and rules would be. There are some crazy fucking people out there.

Sometimes you will find someone who has a 2-bed apartment or something who wants to "share" the entire space. If you're new to the whole thing I would start there first.

[mccallister84]

I rent a basement from a friend of a friend. We had met a few times in the past.

Laundry and the first floor (kitchen, living room, dining room and tv room) are shared although I pretty much stick to the basement.

I eat out more since I don't feel super comfortable filling up the fridge (although this is definitely more my hang up than anything else). I pay 450 a month and that includes everything. In contrast one bed room apartments are around 900 here.

It's been a really positive experience. Until he met a girl and proposed 5 weeks later and is now selling the house. I didn't have a lease or anything and I'm not trying to screw him over, I understand life happens.

I would do it again, but not with a complete stranger. I don't think I'd ever be comfortable living with a complete stranger. I will most likely move in to a one bedroom apartment in the next few months. Around here only super nice buildings have studios so they're more expensive than one bedroom apartments in decent complexes.

[iamgrace]

Mar 17, 2013 19:41:18 GMT -5 @booby said:

Mar 17, 2013 15:43:09 GMT -5 iamgrace said:

I did this in 2nd year university. I *might* do it as an adult in the situation you describe, but probably not.

I would want to know how much of my space and their space was going to overlap. I lived with a family and used their kitchen (but I did have my own fridge in the laundry roomm downstarirs). As an adult, I would not want to do that.

I wouldn't mind sharing laundry facilities, but bathrooms and kitchen? No. Not for me.

you lived with a family in university?  what school did you go to again?  was it weird?  

It wasn't terrible.  It was a last resort type situation. I had planned to live with friends, but through poor communication and distance, it didn't happen. 

There was another student living there as well.  I spent many nights sleeping elsewhere.

[mccallister84]

Mar 17, 2013 19:44:52 GMT -5 bricco said:

Mar 17, 2013 19:36:14 GMT -5 mccallister84 said:

I rent a basement from a friend of a friend. We had met a few times in the past.

Laundry and the first floor (kitchen, living room, dining room and tv room) are shared although I pretty much stick to the basement.

I eat out more since I don't feel super comfortable filling up the fridge (although this is definitely more my hang up than anything else). I pay 450 a month and that includes everything. In contrast one bed room apartments are around 900 here.

It's been a really positive experience. Until he met a girl and proposed 5 weeks later and is now selling the house. I didn't have a lease or anything and I'm not trying to screw him over, I understand life happens.

I would do it again, but not with a complete stranger. I don't think I'd ever be comfortable living with a complete stranger. I will most likely move in to a one bedroom apartment in the next few months. Around here only super nice buildings have studios so they're more expensive than one bedroom apartments in decent complexes.

So you know the couple I mentioned above that rented from xH and I?  Well, said couple divorced and the man stayed renting from us.  The xH and I divorced, and the man stayed renting from me.  (NO, there was nothing with the man.  I got the house/he lived there/it was fine).

But the weird thing is.. OUR rental agreement (which was a total dream up until this point) ended because he met a girl, proposed 5 weeks later, and moved out.. causing me to have to sell the house (troubled finances after divorce and all that).

Anyway, struck me as weird.

Very weird! Especially since my roommate started renting out his basement after HIS divorce (although I wasn't the first tenant). Nothing's ever gone on between the two of us either =).