How to Evaluate and Choose a Coliving Space on Roomrs

Coliving is a communal living arrangement in which individuals have private rooms in an apartment but share common spaces and appliances. This style of living can have many distinct benefits, especially in cities like New York, where the cost of rent is steep.

Wondering how to find a coliving space in New York City? At Roomrs, we’re here to help aspiring NYC residents find the perfect coliving apartments for their needs. With a variety of options and customizable lease lengths, you’ll be impressed at how easy it is to find an apartment you love with Roomrs.

What Are the Benefits of Coliving?

Before learning how to choose a coliving space on Roomrs, it’s helpful to understand the many advantages a coliving arrangement can offer. 

The most significant benefit of coliving is the potential for savings. When multiple people split the rent of a single apartment, it brings each person’s financial obligation down by hundreds of dollars. That way, even those on a tight budget can achieve the dream of living and working in New York City.

Coliving in NYC can also have social and environmental perks. Living on your own can be isolating, especially if you’re a remote worker who’s new to the city. Having housemates can provide a sense of connection to your peers, as well as a safety net if you need help.

As a bonus, coliving serves to reduce your environmental footprint by decreasing your individual energy consumption.

How to Choose a Coliving Space, Step by Step

Figuring out how to find a coliving space that meets your needs can be daunting if you’ve never done it before. At Roomrs, our goal is to make the process of finding housing in New York as easy and seamless as possible, which is why we recommend taking the following steps to ensure success. 

1. Determine Your Budget

Before moving into any new place, it’s crucial to know your monthly budget for rent and living expenses. It’s even more important in a city like New York, where living costs are on the higher end of the national scale.

Take the time to break down and plot out your monthly income and expected living expenses, which will include essentials like rent, food, insurance, and transportation, along with allotments for entertainment and leisure. Doing so will help you determine what you can spend on housing without creating undue financial strain. 

Choosing coliving over an individual apartment is a reliable way to keep your rent and utility costs low, and these tend to be the biggest expenses for New Yorkers.

Moreover, you won’t have to pay movers or spend thousands on furnishings when you move into a furnished apartment you find on Roomrs. That said, you should still take care to build a safety net into your monthly budget to allow for unexpected expenses. 

2. List Your Priorities and Preferences

Even under the umbrella of coliving, there are so many different ways to build your unique lifestyle in NYC. Clarifying your priorities and preferences when it comes to your living space before browsing on Roomrs will make finding the perfect apartment even easier.

Here are a few examples of important questions to ask yourself before applying for an apartment:

• What neighborhood do I want to live in?
• How many housemates do I want?
• Do I need a private bathroom?
• Are there any specific amenities I want?

Some of your answers will be non-negotiable, while others may be nice to have but not essential. It’s wise to sort various features and amenities into these two categories as you compare your options.

3. Research Various Neighborhoods

You’ll likely have a certain area in mind before you even begin browsing available apartments for rent.

If you’re moving to New York for a specific job or educational program, location will play a big role in your choice. However, if you’re a remote worker and could do your job from anywhere, you may want to remain open to areas you hadn’t considered before.

New York is a vibrant city with many historic and culturally significant neighborhoods within its boroughs. After doing some preliminary research, you might find that the artsy, laid-back vibe of Brooklyn is more your speed than the never-ending bustle of Manhattan.

One of the best things about our short-term rental agreements is that they allow you to hop from one area to another every few months to experience the city to the fullest.

4. Search Coliving Spaces on Roomrs

Once you have your budget, priorities, and ideal neighborhoods worked out, simply enter this information into our user-friendly search engine to find the perfect coliving apartment available now. Thanks to our wide selection of rooms throughout New York City, finding a space that meets your needs is a walk in the (Central) park.

5. Choose the Room That Best Suits Your Needs

As you’re perusing the many coliving apartments on Roomrs, you may find multiple listings that satisfy your expectations and requirements. That’s great — it just means you have more options to choose from.

But even if you struggle to find a listing that checks all the boxes, it’s important to take the time to fully read the descriptions of listings that come close. You may find that these apartments have other benefits that you hadn’t previously thought of when considering how to choose a coliving space.

Why Choose Roomrs Over Other Rental Platforms?

Roomrs is a cut above the rest when it comes to coliving apartments in New York City. All of our renters receive background checks, ensuring a safe and comfortable rental experience. On top of that, we offer customizable rental agreements, so you’ll never feel trapped by a long lease again.

Find Your Next Stay on Roomrs

New York is truly an amazing place to live, with countless opportunities for career advancement, personal growth, and excitement. While creating your ideal lifestyle can take time, finding the perfect place to live doesn’t have to.

Finding the city’s best coliving apartments is easy on Roomrs, where you can find affordable digs on your timeline. Take the time to learn more about our mission, or start browsing our listings today.