Why share an apartment?

Apartments in major cities are expensive and, for most people, renting on your own is going to be unaffordable unless you're earning megabucks. For many, living with roommates is the best alternative to living somewhere out in the suburbs. After all, living in the city is all about living in the city, isn't it?

The benefits of sharing an apartment

Affordability

You need somewhere to call home but you might not spend that much time there. Why pay thousands of dollars a month for somewhere to store your wardrobe, sleep and shower? As a roommate, you'll split the cost of the apartment with others, bringing down the amount you spend on rent and leaving you with more dollars in your pocket to spend on actually living. Not only will your monthly outgoings be lower, but you'll also have less to lay out in the first place in the shape of a security deposit, which makes it easier to secure a room than an apartment rental. Utilities are generally cheaper when you split the cost with roommates too.

Sharing is more sociable

If you're new to a city, or don't have a ready-made network of friends to socialize with, living with roommates gives you an instant connection, plugging you into the life of the city. Not everybody socializes with their roommates but many do and carry on being friends for years afterwards.

Even if you've already got a social life you might not want to come home to a silent and empty apartment. If you've got roommates you've got people to share problems, news, recipes, cool hangouts and the latest movies with. And, if you want some space, you still have your own room to retreat to.

Sharing is a normal lifestyle choice

It used to be the case that sharing was only something students and kids fresh out of college would contemplate. Nowadays the world has changed and professionals into their forties and above are happily renting together. Going into debt to buy or rent on your own isn't a sensible lifestyle choice; more and more people are choosing to share resources, from cars to jobs, so why not housing too?

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