Homesharing

Source: AARP.org | February 1, 2004

Homesharing: Two or more unrelated people sharing a house or apartment. You don't need to be young to benefit from having a roommate. Homesharing is for older people, too. Everyone in the homesharing arrangement is free to use the common areas of the house, like the kitchen and living room. Yet everyone has personal space, usually a bedroom, where they can have privacy.

Older people homeshare for different reasons. Some people are tired of living alone and want company. They want to develop strong friendships with the people they live with. Others want homesharing to be more like a business arrangement. They want very little personal interaction and probably would want to live alone if they could afford it.

Both kinds of people can be successful homesharers. The key to making it work is your knowing up front whether you want to be friends or to keep your distance. Knowing this about yourself will help you choose a homesharer who feels the same way you do.

Is homesharing for you?

Homesharing is not for everyone. A successful homesharing arrangement takes careful consideration and planning. If you are deciding whether or not to homeshare, the National Shared Housing Resource Center advises:

• Take an honest look at yourself. Review your experiences living with friends and relatives. Are you assertive enough? Are you flexible and able to compromise? Do you talk easily about your thoughts and feelings? Are you sensitive to other people ' s feelings? If you answered " no " to any of these questions, homesharing may not be for you.
  
  
• Figure out your needs and preferences. What is your price range? Do you have allergies that need to be considered? Do you want to live only in certain areas?
  
  
• Weigh the pros and cons of homesharing. In what ways would homesharing be better than your present living situation? In what ways would it be worse?
  
  
• Look for a homesharer whose situation complements yours. An older homeowner with a mortgage to pay off might want to share with a young couple trying to save money for their own house. A widow with a big yard might want to share with someone willing to do yard work.
  
  
• Try it out. Once you ' ve found a potential homesharer, set up a trial period so each of you can see if you like homesharing. Set a specific period of time for the trial – one week, two weeks, or a month. When the trial period is over, have an honest talk about how it is going before deciding to make the arrangement more permanent.

AARP Resources

Getting Bids and Selecting a Contractor
Sometimes modifications are needed before sharing a home.

Home Modification
Things to think about before starting that remodeling project.

Additional Resources

The National Shared Housing Resource Center
State-specific listing of homesharing programs and publications for sale.