Whether you already have a living space and need a roommate, or are looking for both, roommate finding services supply a wealth of information to connect you with the best match. Like a free person finder or an apartment finder, roommate finders provide detailed profiles of potential matches.

To ensure the best match, though, it is important to go beyond personal profiles listed in roommate finders when considering a possible roommate. Profiles are a good means of initial evaluation, but when it comes down to it, the best way to judge your compatibility with a potential roomie is through an interview.

Interviewing potential roommates can be a fairly straightforward process, and provide a good indication whether or not living together could work out. While there are standard topics to cover when interviewing potential roommates, also pay attention to information that is not provided through conversation.

Questions for interviewing potential roommates

A face-to-face or phone interview provides a more detailed picture of a potential roomie than possible through a roommate finder profile. There are nuts-and-bolts basics to cover, like their ability to afford sharing the rent or mortgage, but when interviewing potential roommates, you also want to get to know them a bit. To keep the conversation moving, ask both open-ended and yes-or-no questions. The idea is establish rapport, get to know the person and get a feeling if you may be compatible.

Things to ask include :

?Do you have a stable source of income?

?How long have you had this source of income?

?How is your credit standing?

?Describe your work/school schedule.

?How much travel does your schedule involve?

?Describe your housekeeping habits.

?Do you have any food or environmental allergies?

?What arrangement for dividing housekeeping duties is comfortable for you?

?What are your thoughts on dividing the cost of utilities, housekeeping supplies, food, etc?

?What are your feelings about having guests over?

?What are your sleeping habits like?

?How much storage space do you need?

Things to look for when interviewing potential roommates

In addition to topics covered in your conversation, you should pay attention to things that are not said. It is possible to get a ?big picture? view of who a potential roommate really is by considering this information as well.

Things to note include :

?Promptness ? did they arrive or call on time?

?Conversation style ? are they introverted or outgoing? how will that fit with your personality

?Preparation ? are they prepared for the interview ? able to supply requested documentation, references, etc?

?Presentation ? how do they present themselves in conversation or in body language? what is your comfort level around them?