The opinions expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media.
Moving to Canada has come with quite a lot of new experiences, but few have been as entertaining and simultaneously stressful as the process of finding an apartment.
Having moved from Dubai to Toronto in 2022, I started looking for a permanent and comfortable place to call home almost immediately.
However, with rental prices in Toronto skyrocketing, it abruptly became clear that it would be much more financially feasible to live with a roommate.
Given that I generally also like meeting new people, I decided that finding a roommate in Toronto would be the best way to go.
That came with another challenge: not only was I looking for a new place, but a compatible roommate.
Here's what the process was like, and how it's worse than dating in many ways.
People can be flakey
If you think the world of online dating is flakey, try using the internet to find someone to live with.
Everyone is basically looking for the best deal which is fair to them but it's just incredibly common to have people not respond at all or ghost you.
When I started the process, I was introduced to someone through friends who seemed to be looking for the same thing as I was. After a couple of calls, we determined our budget, the locations in the city we're okay with, and other details.
I contacted realtors and was in the process of narrowing down on a place, when she informed me that her work required her to travel, and she'd been unable to go forward with it.
It was fair, but a waste of a few months, and highlighted how it can come down to more than being compatible.
The internet is a wild place
After that fiasco, I decided to try my luck online. I started by looking at Kijiji.
However, while I did find a few listings that I liked, they took ages to respond.
Others recommended roommate finder apps, but I decided to go old school: Facebook groups.
There are loads of groups where people put up posts looking for apartments, roommates, or just rooms.
Many of these groups are worth following for the comments alone (especially if someone puts up a post with an astoundingly high rental price).
It also introduced me to a host of odd posts and rental requests, from people asking for specific nationality in a roommate to those looking for someone who will share a room with them to those advertising dens as bedrooms.
It's definitely entertaining!
You get asked some personal questions
Questions asked while house hunting.
I found quite a few nice listings through Facebook groups and reached out to people. Some were responsive, some less so, and some were just… interesting.
Like one person who shot me back a message with "before we go any further, I need to know…" and then shot me a list of questions that ranged from my job to my nationality.
Some other random questions I got asked were: whether I eat meat, whether I cook, how often I cook, whether I'd be bringing people home, and whether I really needed my own washroom.
One of the potential roommates I found online suggested a coffee meetup, which I thought was a great idea.
While discussing locations, pricing and compatibility, she asked me if I was speaking to other people (i.e. potential roommates), because, in the spirit of being candid, she certainly was.
Major dating flashbacks. And, no, that roomie situation did not pan out.
You have to be compatible... or else
Finding a room or place within your budget is one thing and finding a roommate online you're compatible with is another.
Even after a couple of meetings, I'll admit that it was a bit hard to really get a feel of someone, as everyone seems nice during those initial meetups (much like dating).
Unlike dating though, if it turns out you're not compatible, you can't just apologize and bid them farewell.
I tried to navigate this by jotting a few questions of my own ("What happened to the previous tenant here? Tell me a bit about the landlord?). I would also definitely recommend a face-to-face encounter with the person you might be living with for the foreseeable future.
You are, after all, signing a contract at the end, so you have to be sure of what you want – and then take a little leap of faith.
That being said, all the hard work and online research does pay off.
It took me longer than I thought it would, but I managed to find a great place and roommate – so clearly there is hope.
Best of luck out there, all.
This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.
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