Lease Buddies Will Find Your Next Austin Roommate

As a former relationship advice columnist, I used to get asked this question all the time: “What’s the key to a successful relationship?” My answer was (and still is), “Be a good roommate.” Being respectful of someone’s space and time is a must in any type of relationship, romantic or otherwise. Unfortunately, finding that good roommate can be a big challenge.

Moving to a new town, or even just across town, is one of the most stressful things you’ll do in your life. And with so many people moving to Austin, properties get snatched up faster than free breakfast tacos at work. If you find one you like, you have to act immediately. So what happens when you find the perfect place, but can’t afford it? You get a roommate.

First, you post a status to Facebook, “Hey, I need a roommate!” and then sulk and/or cry a little bit when no one responds. Then you check Craigslist, but shut ‘er down after realizing your best option is the dude who posted a picture of himself in a Burger King crown, playing cards with his cat.

Enter Lease Buddies

Think of Lease Buddies as eHarmony for roommates. Here’s how it works: Roommate seekers go to Lease Buddies’ website and fill out the Profiler. The first couple sections ask for standard information like age, gender, moving timeline, budget and neighborhood preference.

Things get interesting in sections three and four. Here are some sample questions:

• Do you clean the house only when things smell funky or are you a clean freak?
• What’s your preference for groceries (i.e. do you buy your own food or do you plan to split the bill)?
• How often do you have visitors over?
• Are you a night owl or is breakfast ready by 8 AM?
• Do you jam out to loud music or are you so quiet no one will even know you’re there?
• Are you looking for a roommate to hang out with or are you more of an anti-social type?
• What are your pet peeves?

Once the Profiler is complete, you have access to an entire database full of friendly faces looking to share living quarters with you.

How Did Lease Buddies Start?

Two locals, Adam O’Neal and Jeremy Shreve, saw a need and created the solution. “We are off to a great start with over 200 users and counting. With Austin rent continually on the rise, more people are open to the idea of a roommate to save money and/or live in a specific part of town,” says O’Neal.

There’s really no reason to gamble on your living situation. This town is full of interesting people who you can get along with day-to-day. You just need to find them.

Get more information about Lease Buddies on their website.

 

@ATX_Adrienne wants to know:

Have you filled out your Lease Buddies Profiler yet?