Tips for Deciding Whether to Rent an Apartment on Your Own or With Roommates

Whether you’re looking to move out on your own for the first time or are simply getting tired of renting apartments in Loveland with other people, the question of renting an apartment on your own can be a hard one to answer.

Deciding if you should live on your own or live with roommates is easier to do after you’ve taken some time to weigh your options. To help you make the decision, here are a few suggestions and key things to think about before renting an apartment with only your name on the lease.

Think About the Cost and What You Can Afford

The most important thing to consider before deciding to rent an apartment on your own is your budget. A benefit to roommates is that you end up splitting the cost of the rent and the utility bills; when you live on your own, you are solely responsible for it all.

Start by setting your budget and figuring out what you can afford before you start your apartment search. This will affect what you can spend in terms of the area of town you live in, the size of the apartment, and the amenities you can consider. You must also remember the cost of monthly bills and expenses such as utilities, television service, parking, car payments or car insurance, and groceries, in addition to moving costs including application fees, a security deposit, moving costs, and utilities with a start-up fee.

Thinking about the cost of it all may be the only factor you’ll have to consider before deciding if you should live on your own or not. If you find that you don’t have the monthly income to meet the cost of living by yourself, you may want to reconsider living with roommates. Living with roommates allows you to pay part of the expenses rather than all of it.

You can click here to read more about the cost of renting and things to consider when deciding what you can actually afford.

Consider the Reasons to Live Alone and the Reasons to Live With Roommates

If money isn’t a deciding factor, the best way to decide whether you should live alone or with other people is to list out the pros and cons of both options. Take a moment to think through the reasons to do either and by the end of your list, you will likely have your answer.

Reasons to live alone may include:

• Privacy: If you live with roommates, the level of privacy you have is limited. You may have your own personal space, but that will be limited to your bedroom or if you share a room, it is limited to your side of the room. Living on your own gives you an entire apartment of private space.
• Full Control: Living with other people forces you to make compromises in order to maintain a peaceful environment. You’ll also have to share spaces and adapt schedules, while living alone allows you full control of what happens in your apartment and how you choose to do things.
• Personal Style: Having your own apartment gives you the freedom to decorate however you want without consulting with others. If you’re sharing an apartment, you will need to figure out a way to meet everyone’s tastes in décor.
• Avoid Conflict: Living with other people will at some point bring conflict, whether it’s a minor issue about who was supposed to take out the trash, dealing with a roommate inviting people over without telling you, or something bigger like a roommate that isn’t paying their rent on time. By living alone you can avoid that kind of conflict altogether.

Reasons to live with roommates:

• Save Money: As we already mentioned, living with roommates allows you to pay only a portion of the rent and bills, rather than all of it. This can free up money for shopping, eating out, and fun activities.
• Company: Sharing an apartment gives you built-in company. Having a friend in the room next to yours will keep you from feeling lonely. It gives you someone to talk to when you get home from work or someone to grab dinner with on a night off.
• Share the Responsibility: With roommates, you can divide chores or even share the responsibility of paying bills or buying groceries. A roommate provides you with built-in help when something comes up or if you get stuck at work. Living on your own puts the full responsibility of maintaining the apartment on your shoulders. 

Find an Apartment

If you need more help getting started on your list, click here to read more common reasons why people choose to live alone or with a roommate. If you’ve already made your decision and just need to find the right apartment in Loveland, contact our team at All Property Services today or look through our available listings.