Interesting remarks.

Though I don't think you can be 100% accurate in judging the type of person you allow to share your home with you, I think you can be very careful and eliminate a number of the possible problems. Make sure you have background checks, references, etc... before allowing the person to stay with you.

It's a risk. Even if you go through all the hoops correctly, you may still have to deal with a bad situation. Make sure your contract is such that if there are serious problems you can kick them out! :)

Good lucK!

http://www.financialnut.com

I'll NEVER go back to living with a roommate.

Just moved in with an old friend of mine, and so far, it's going very well.

We took our time and found a place together that had plenty of space and suited both of our needs beautifully, and wework opposite schedules, so we both have plenty of quiet time at home.

I'm spending $400/month less on rent than I was for my one-bedroom place where I had less living space and fewer amenities. I also moved nine miles closer to work, so I'm saving gas and time on my commute. And because I enjoy cooking, we eat dinner at home together a few times a week, which saves grocery money and makes it more fun.

I know it's not forever, but during these difficult economic times, it makes the most sense for us, and I'm glad we're doing it.

After living with roommates for six years, I can say that I will never go back.  I'll work three jobs to pay rent before I go back to the roommate thing.

I'm thinking about starting to split my apartment with a friend of mine this summer. Its a three bed, two bath so both of us will still have all our space. I plan on saving all through summer so I can soon get one on my own without a roommate. This is http://www.bendyourbuck.com really has some great money saving tips also

I'd rather lose my house than go back to living with a roommate.  I have very bad luck with this.  In the time I've had roommates, I've had them:

- Kick me out because they wanted to move a friend in with them

- Not pay their part of the rent/bills

- Charge a ton of porno to the pay-per-view and nearly cause it to get shut off

- Mess up the house after I just got done cleaning

- Make a lot of noise (music, sex) while I was trying to sleep

- Do drugs

- SELL drugs

Can you blame me?

I've been living in the same place for 5+ years and had 2 different roommates so far. It's truly not my ideal situation, but you do what you need to do to survive financially and I've been lucky to have decent human beings as roommates.  In my experience it's actually been harder to live with a friend/relative as opposed to someone who remains just an aquaintance I share bills with.  With friends there seemed to be more of a personal stake/hurt feelings type of issue when there were any disagreements about things to do with the living situation or bills, where as with this current person whom I don't consider a friend, all of that is just business and I handle things with her in the same professional, detatched manner as I would with someone at work.  We each keep to ourselves at home.  That's the other key thing in my opinion - each person needs to have their own space that's just theirs.  I have a 2 bed/2 bath, so each person has that private space where the other doesn't go.  Sharing very personal spaces, such as a bathroom, is where the worst conflicts seem to arise.  And, yes, all for the background/credit check - if you rent, have your landlord do all that and have the roommate added to the lease so they have their share of financial responsibility for the place.  If you own and are renting out a room in the house, draw up your own rental contract and put all your rules and expectations in that document.

just a reminder that in most states, even if you put an "immediate move-out" clause in your contract, you still have to give them 30 days written notice of eviction. The laws vary by state but most apply even if the person doesn't pay that 30 days or is already behind on rent. If you own the home you must also, according to most states, put any deposits into a separate account that is only for deposits. You generally must abide by all landlord laws, even if you are only renting a room. The 30 day notice law is probably the one most people don't think about before renting a room to someone. Our neighbors went through that after a guy renting their garage apartment didn't pay for 4 months and had been given 30 days oral notice. When he didn't leave after the 30 days they told him to move out that weekend. When he wasn't gone they moved his stuff out and changed the locks. The guy called the housing authority and they had to go to court and the whole nine-yards because they did not present him with a 30 day written notice. There are a few exceptions to the law and all states vary a little. All of this also applies to live-in boy/girlfriends. Once your residence is considered their primary residence you must also go through all of the steps, even if there is no official lease or document stating that they are living there. General rule in Oklahoma is that if they use your address as their address on official paperwork  i.e. job applications, insurance forms, driver's license, mailing address or other "real" documents, your residence is their residence. So be careful and be selective!

what part of the tax code covers income from a roommate in a house that you own?

After a twenty year marriage, it is awesome living by yourself.  The dog is easier to train and understand.