Before posting a roommate needed listing on a totally free roommate service, establish your ideal list of things you want and don't want in a roommate. It's easy enough to find people nearby with a free person finder, but sharing housing involves much more than signing free roommate agreements and dividing living expenses. To insure the arrangement is as comfortable as possible for everyone, it's best to evaluate your options realistically even before you consider interviewing potential roommates, let along having someone move in with you.

Make a list

To clarify what qualities you want before posting a roommate needed listing, take the time to write out a list. Putting pen to paper forces you to think in depth and work out your priorities.

When putting together the list, consider the following :

Gender ? Decide whether or not this is an issue for you. Realistically consider if you are comfortable with a roommate of the opposite sex or if you prefer to share housing with someone of your own gender. Whatever your feelings on this issue, it really is the most basic roommate quality you should be clear on before proceeding.

Personal habits ? This may sound like a pretty small matter, but more than a few living arrangements have self-destructed over such mundane things as cleaning habits, sleep schedules or vague housemate rules.

Be honest about your own habits. Are you a neat freak or is your definition of clean hard to pin down? Are you an early riser or does your day begin when the sun goes down? Are you comfortable sharing possessions and food or is your stuff yours alone? At this point, think not only of what you want in roomie, but what type of person would feel so comfortable with your personal habits that you could agree upon a list of housemate rules?

Personality ? While a free person finder may contain multiple profiles of people with ?a great sense of humor?, there is more to consider. You don't have to be best friends with a roommate, but think about the type of temperament you are most comfortable being around.

Check it twice

While working up a list is important, look it over one last time before making a roommate needed listing or interviewing potential roommates. You want to make sure your list describes the roomie you want, but is not so rigid that it excludes someone who could be a good fit.

It is not necessary to include every item from a completed list in your roommate needed posting. Instead, use it as a guideline for you ad and again when you are ready to begin interviewing potential roommates.