Finding that perfect match...

When it comes to finding a place to live, nothing is harder than finding that perfect match. Location, roommates, and price all matter, and it can be a very frustrating experience. One of my friends requested I write an entry on house hunting, and I happily oblige and share my story.

I first had to find a place when my friend's apartment was broken into, and I was given a deadline of when to move out by her landlord. I looked all over Alexandria, VA, as that's where my job is. It's hard, because I couldn't afford anything fancy, nor did I want to. My price range had to be cheap, but at the same time I needed a bus stop nearby. All of the places that I looked at, the potential roommates were wonderful. All of the places had a bus stop nearby, and the roommates were really nice. The place that I eventually picked, in my mind, was too good to be true. For many Asian kids, we are bind to make the parents happy, and I had to follow some guidelines, such as it had to be all girls. My first place was great. The landlord was a lady, and my roommate was a sweet girl from Russia.

When I moved in, I loved it there, but then problems started to arise. For one, the house was too far from the metro, and I didn't think of it at the time. I go into DC pretty much every weekend, and having to wait for the bus was dreadful. Furthermore, the landlord's boyfriend was staying over for a few weeks, and his personality clashed with me and my Russian roommate. There was constant tension in the house, and thus that was the final straw for me to move out.

When I was looking for my second place, I now knew what I needed. I needed to be close to a metro stop, but at the same time I couldn't be too far away from Alexandria. The place that I'm staying at now, is the perfect fit because I get along with all of the roommates, we mind our own businesses, and communication is open. If any one of us had a problem, we aren't afraid to address it with the other person.

I guess what I"m trying to say here, is that it takes time and patience to find that perfect fit. Here are some guidelines that I learned along the way:

1) Try to meet all of the roommates. I know that sometimes with people's schedules, it's difficult. But if it's at all possible, do it and talk to them. By talking to them, you'll get a sense of their personalities and see if you guys match.

2) Take your time. As I was in a rush during my first house hunting experience, I didn't get much time to think about my decision and I just went with it. Therefore, the experience was horrible.

3) Take a look at the lease. If you prefer a month-to-month lease, make sure that it is a month-to-month lease. Try to establish a good relationship with your landlord, for when problems do come up they can be easily solved

4) When living with your roommates, get a sense of their habits. If something about them really bothers you, talk to them. If they don't want to listen, and things go from bad to worse, know that you have the option to seek legal help, or move out (this all depends on your lease)

Nothing is foul-proof, and you'll never know what kind of roommate you'll have until you actually live with them. But, by meeting with them, either at the place where you'll be potentially renting or somewhere else, you can get a feel for whether or not you guys are a good match. All of this is nothing more than a learning experience, and with time you'll get to see how screening your new roommates and the area truly works.

On where to look for roommates and places to rent, Craigslist is a great place to look. I know some of these ads sound creepy, but contact these people anyways. Then, when you meet up with them, get a feel for the area. One of my potential roommates gave a great suggestion on determining if the area is sketchy or not. She said that if there is a lot of traffic and people, and a lot of lighting, most likely it is a safe neighborhood. I followed her advice, and don't be afraid to ask the potential roommate. Other places to look, try Google. I found some great websites for renting in the DC metro area just by simply using Google.

I hope this advice helps, and I'll be updating more on this when I move out, again, at the end of April (my lease at this apartment ends then). Good luck!