I’m a Senior. Is Shared Housing for Me?

If you’re retired, you might be wondering if it’s time to make a change. Specifically, should you get a new living arrangement? Maybe you’ve been eyeing that cute, one-story house that sits on a tiny patch of grass across town as the perfect retirement home. Or maybe you’re ready to move in with your kids or your best friend. You might also be ready to sign the lease on a senior apartment in that 55+ community your friends rave about. But there’s another option you might want to consider: shared housing.

What is shared housing?

Shared housing is exactly what the name implies: a living arrangement where you live with somebody else. You’ll have a roommate (or more than one) with whom you share your living space, rent, chores, and other responsibilities. The best part? It doesn’t mean that you have to find an apartment or room to rent! You can always open your home to potential roommates.

What are the benefits of shared housing?

For one thing, it’s cheaper! According to Happipad, home sharing can generate anywhere from $500 to $1,500 of extra income each month if you decide to put one of your rooms up for rent. Shared housing also offers built-in companionship. Sure, you might not become besties with your new housemate, but you’ll have someone around to talk to. A roommate also means that you can share both resources and responsibilities, so you won’t have to tackle that never-ending chore list alone. Instead, you and your new housemate can split vacuuming, mopping, and other chores. Maybe you’re not someone who wants to downsize, but your house has also become too big for you to handle. Renting out a room can help you stay in your home without moving!

What are the drawbacks of shared housing?

Shared housing is great, but it’s not for everyone. If you’ve lived alone for a while, you might struggle with having someone underfoot all the time. You’ll also have to put up with a roommate’s noise and quirks. For example, they might like entertaining their friends. You might be an introvert who doesn’t feel comfortable with a lot of people around. They might like a cooler house, and you might like your thermostat set at a balmy seventy-five. Maybe they like cooking a lot of pungent foods that linger in the air long after mealtime is over. They might also not have the same idea of what constitutes clean, leaving you to grumble under your breath and pick up after them. Or maybe you’re the uncluttered one, and they don’t understand your well-organized chaos. Worse still, they might have a cat or dog that sheds like crazy, forcing you to vacuum more often than you’d like.

Whatever the case, you might argue with your new housemate. You might even realize that the living arrangement isn’t working, pushing you right back to square one. That doesn’t necessarily mean that shared housing isn’t for you. It just means that you either need to learn to compromise or be incredibly selective when it comes to choosing your new roommate.

What are some other questions I should ask myself?

First, is your house big enough for more than one person? Does it have more than one bathroom? If not, are you comfortable sharing a bathroom with another person? Do you want your housemate to be someone you already know, or do you think the arrangement might work better with a (well-vetted) stranger? Are you comfortable asking someone for rent? And speaking of, how much rent would you ask for? How would you split the chores? Is your house pet-friendly? Are you? Would you be willing to quite literally let another cook in the kitchen to use your pots and pans and spices? What if your housemate doesn’t cook, and you end up making all the meals yourself? Would you enjoy being the Darren McGrady to their Princess Diana, or would you resent being their own personal chef?

So, IS sharing a house right for you?

Now might be a great time to grab a notebook and make your own list of pros and cons! Maybe you’ll find that shared housing isn’t for you, or maybe you’ll find that it’s the perfect alternative to aging in place! And while shared housing can be great, like any other living arrangement, it’s not perfect. Just try to remember that and don’t beat yourself up if you find that sharing housing isn’t for you!

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