Too old for roommates? (Boston: apartments, rental, student loans)

[SuburbanGirl14]

Hi all,

This is my first post, but I've read on and off for years.

I am in the very early stages of looking to move to Boston. I grew up in the suburbs, went to Emerson College (where I lived on campus for all 4 years) and then began a career in higher education that provided me housing as part of my compensation for the next 6 years. I'm starting to apply for jobs at colleges and universities that would require me to live off campus. Many of these jobs are at Boston schools.

I am well aware of the cost of living in Boston. My salary will be decent, but my budget for housing will be tight. I am content with roommates in order to keep the cost of living down (as long as they are not crazy).

Do a lot of single people in their late 20s-early 30s generally seek roommates? I'm only asking because many posts I see on CL are along the lines of "we are 2 girls in our early 20s looking for someone around the same age" I don't mind living with people a little younger, but I also don't know if I'll get weird looks when answering ads that don't specify a certain age range.

Thanks for your help!

[goyguy]

Often age really is "only a number." While on the one hand it makes sense to be wary of home-sharing with an undergrad or grad student or two, on the other it's a disservice to dismiss that entire category of person out of hand. Plenty of students are, in fact, focused on their studies and aren't looking to host rowdy parties at the drop of a hat any day of the week. There are also many who are not only non-ageist, but who would view living with someone slightly older as desirable and even cool.

In my mid-30's, low on cash flow and with an extra bedroom, I made the conscious decision to work with the housing office at UMass-Boston to find a boarder. (This was because UMB students have no choice but to live off campus, and also because they tend to more often be working - instead of shopping and drinking - their way through college.) I ended up with a 22-year-old recent graduate who was grateful to have found a quiet, convenient, and relatively inexpensive place to call home while he embarked on two jobs to start paying off his student loans. There was never an issue with hours kept, or parties, because he was a homebody type who preferred to go out to cut loose AND I was working on the graveyard shift. Interactions, though cordial, were minimal because of our respective schedules. After some six months he ultimately decided to move back home to exurbia for budgetary reasons (and due to wanting to live with his childhood pet, awww.) But the arrangement worked pretty smoothly. Plus his rent and his share of the utility bills were never late - and that, after all, is literally the bottom line.
At present I have an unmarried, 50-something, friend who occupies a large apartment and keeps expenses down by renting one of the bedrooms to a student. He's never had a problem, either, partly through careful screening ahead of time. (For instance, non-rock musicians and seekers of advanced degrees always clear the first cut.)
I bring up these two examples because my suggestion is to go into a rental property as the primary lease-holder, rather than being the person needing a place to live. Having that position of power makes all the difference in the world. January, June, and especially September are the prime times of year for apartments to change hands and for living arrangements to - for whatever reason - fall apart. It's also when more people are "fresh off the boat" from other places and looking to establish themselves. So, hopefully the funds are at hand to make the requisite three-month payment to move into an apartment a month or two in advance of the predictable waves of home-seekers. With the lag time between then and prime move-in days, post ads on more reputable sites than CL and - by all means - don't overlook putting the word out at college housing offices. To me a logical place to start would be at the same school that ultimately employs you.

As far as roommate demand seeming to drop off by around age 25, there's at least one ready answer for why that is besides marriage. Many more people have established networks of friends and co-workers once they've been out of school for a while and are in secure jobs. So it's far easier to not have to rely on blind ads in order to get into a home-share situation. For instance, two 30-ish single men at a former employer were both moving up management ladders and not liking living alone too much. They'd not only struck up a friendship, but weren't competing for promotions since they were in different departments. So they were just about to go in on a house rental together, only to not follow through with it when one of them wound up meeting The Right Girl. I think that with the way "society" looks far less askance at female-only households (past "a certain age") this type of scenario probably occurs more often with women. But either way, word of mouth in the absence of already knowing a good candidate undoubtedly prevails.
This points right back to why I and the friend I mentioned took the steps we did when looking to lower home expenses, and why I'm recommending it.

[timberline742]

Originally Posted by SuburbanGirl14

Do a lot of single people in their late 20s-early 30s generally seek roommates? I'm only asking because many posts I see on CL are along the lines of "we are 2 girls in our early 20s looking for someone around the same age" I don't mind living with people a little younger, but I also don't know if I'll get weird looks when answering ads that don't specify a certain age range.
!

Yes, this is common. I know people in their 40s in Boston with roommates too. But a lot of time by that point it is through friends. CL will be harder.

Late 20s or early 30s won't raise an eyebrow. There are MANY people in Boston in this situation.

[Cliff Clavin]

Originally Posted by timberline742

Yes, this is common. I know people in their 40s in Boston with roommates too. But a lot of time by that point it is through friends. CL will be harder.

Late 20s or early 30s won't raise an eyebrow. There are MANY people in Boston in this situation.

Agree. I had roommates in my late 20's and again in my early 30's. I have a couple friends now in their late 30's with roommates.

Money aside, some poeple just like having someone to live with.

[snatale1]

Plenty of professionals that still live with roommates.

[milsoe90]

Originally Posted by SuburbanGirl14

Hi all,

This is my first post, but I've read on and off for years.

I am in the very early stages of looking to move to Boston. I grew up in the suburbs, went to Emerson College (where I lived on campus for all 4 years) and then began a career in higher education that provided me housing as part of my compensation for the next 6 years. I'm starting to apply for jobs at colleges and universities that would require me to live off campus. Many of these jobs are at Boston schools.

I am well aware of the cost of living in Boston. My salary will be decent, but my budget for housing will be tight. I am content with roommates in order to keep the cost of living down (as long as they are not crazy).

Do a lot of single people in their late 20s-early 30s generally seek roommates? I'm only asking because many posts I see on CL are along the lines of "we are 2 girls in our early 20s looking for someone around the same age" I don't mind living with people a little younger, but I also don't know if I'll get weird looks when answering ads that don't specify a certain age range.

Thanks for your help!

Yes, definitely, people of all ages live with roommates in Boston because of how stupidly expensive rent is. You'll be fine.