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Making the Most of your Homeowner Profile
Whether it’s Facebook, Linkedin, or a dating website, personal profiles are an important part of online life. Homesharing is no different. Your profile is a place for you to share about yourself and what you’re looking for in a roommate. It’s also an important source of information for potential roommates to learn about you, your home, and what living together might be like. In fact, many Seekers will decide if they’d like to meet a Homeowner based on what they see in their profile–and a good first impression can go a long way!
The Odd Couples Housing profile questionnaire has many of the important factors for homesharing built in. However, there are also many opportunities for you to personalize your profile and make it yours.
So how do you put your best foot forward? If you’re having trouble deciding how much to share or what to include in your profile, you’re not alone. It can be hard to know where to start. To help, we’ve compiled a few ideas to inspire you!
Here are some tips to help you showcase yourself and your home:
HELLO, IT’S ME
You may be tempted to stick with homesharing logistics in your profile, but your future roommate is thinking about the house match and personality compatibility. Instead of focusing solely on the bedroom amenities or parking situation, share a bit about yourself! If you’re feeling stuck or aren’t sure how to talk about yourself, think about how a good friend might describe you or share a unique hobby or fun fact. That could end up being a good ice-breaker when you meet Seekers. Or you might find that you and your potential roommate have more in common than you expected!
CHECK YOUR BOXES
Your profile is a great place to share about yourself, but it’s also an opportunity for you to describe what you’re looking for in a roommate. The Odd Couples Housing profile questions cover many of the basic issues that can come up with roommates, but you might have more specific ideas about what you’re looking for. For example, you can note in your profile that you’d like to eat together regularly or go on occasional errands.
A DAY IN THE LIFE
Sharing a “typical day” or an “ideal day” is another way that Seekers can get to know you through your profile. You don’t need to get too detailed, but it’s nice for Seekers to know if you work the night shift, travel frequently, or have weekly friend gatherings at your home. It can also give some insight into what’s important to you and how you like to spend your time, which is important in a roommate relationship.
A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD
Seekers are curious to know about you and your home, but they’re also often curious about the area in which you live. The questionnaire includes a section about your home, where you can indicate what is near your home (bus routes, shopping, night life, parks, etc.), but in your profile, you can elaborate beyond the checklist. Consider sharing a bit more about the coffee shop near your house, the library you frequent, or the bike path you’ve been meaning to check out. Let Seekers know why they should be as excited about your home as you are!
SMILE FOR THE CAMERA
A few photos of your house can have a big impact on Seekers who are imagining themselves in a new home. Use your phone or a digital camera to snap a few pictures of your space and upload them to your profile. We recommend taking photos of the Seeker’s bedroom, bathroom, and common spaces, like the kitchen. If your home has other interesting features (back patio, garden or cozy breakfast nook), you also might consider posting those photos.
DON’T WORRY!
Constructing your profile may feel overwhelming at first, but you’ve got this! As long as you complete the questionnaire, you’re off to a great start. Your home will become visible to Seekers as soon as the basic questionnaire is complete, so once that’s done, you can take a break and edit the details later. Remember, you can complete your profile at your pace—there’s no need to do it all at once if you’re feeling stuck. You can update edit your profile at any time by logging into your account and going to your profile tab.
Good luck!
Still have questions or want to sign up? Odd Couples Housing Match Team can work with you to answer your profile questions.
Meet the Odd Couple: Q&A with Intergenerational Roommates Rebecca and Vanessa
Rebecca (right) and Vanessa (left) were matched in October 2020 through Odd Couples Housing’s homesharing service.
What do a retired RN and occupational therapy postgraduate have in common? Well, a lot more than you might think! Homeowner Rebecca and seeker Vanessa found one another with help from our unique homesharing and roommate-matching platform. Vanessa’s studies required a three-month stay in St. Louis, and she was on the hunt for just the right place.
Here, the former housemates — and now, friends — answer a few questions about their experience, the matching process, and how our Matching Team became their silver bullet.
First thing’s first: Why did you sign up for Odd Couples Housing?
R: I had four years of experience hosting international high school students. And after COVID-19 hit, they couldn’t come back. A friend of mine tried Odd Couples Housing and had a great experience; She referred me.
V: I’d never been to St. Louis, and was a bit nervous to travel there alone! I wanted a safe housing situation with someone who knew the city. I was also interested in the concept of intergenerational living and thought it’d be a fun opportunity to try something new — a homeshare program that assisted with matching roommates was perfect! And, being on a student budget, having lower monthly expenses was very appealing.
Has homesharing impacted your life in any way?
R: It has enriched my life. Vanessa and I still keep in touch, and I’m looking forward to her returning for a visit someday! My new roommate, Neera, is very sweet and kind. I’ve had some health issues lately, and she’s always willing to help. Neera is from Nepal; I enjoy learning about her home. Our age difference makes things interesting as we both learn from one another. You can make good friendships through Odd Couples Housing, which is a big plus!
“I could not be happier with my Odd Couples Housing experience!” –Vanessa, Seeker
V: I could not be happier with my Odd Couples Housing experience! It was a fabulous fit for me. I had a safe and affordable place to live while keeping my housing costs down. And I made a great friend who helped me fall in love with St. Louis. I’m so happy I made the choice to sign up!
What would you say to someone on the fence about joining?
R: You meet the best prospects through Odd Couples Housing. The matching quiz is instrumental to see who’s a good fit. You can meet your matches virtually, or the Matching Team can arrange a home visit for you, which is great. I am now in my second homeshare. And I find it reassuring knowing that I have their support if there are any difficulties.
V: Odd Couples Housing is committed to making sure that every match is a success. Rebecca and I met in a Zoom meeting, where we thoroughly discussed our living styles and preferences. The Matching Team communicated with both of us throughout my entire stay, which made me feel secure that if any issues came up (which none did!), they’d be there to help.
Answers have been lightly edited for clarity.
About Odd Couples Housing
Our mission is to connect generations. Intergenerational housing gives older and younger people the chance to strengthen their community while enhancing their own lives. Whether you’re looking for a compatible roommate or a less expensive place, we’ll connect you to the right people who fit your lifestyle and personality.
Looking for a compatible roommate in Denver or St. Louis? Sign up now to get started FREE!
How Two Generations Facing Loneliness & High Housing Costs Became Housemates
Before Yuki, an international college student, returned home to Japan due to the coronavirus outbreak, she and Amy (a physician) had been happily living together in Amy’s University City home for months. Despite their age difference, Amy and Yuki enjoyed each other’s company and bonded over their love of Amy’s cats. They both appreciate the financial benefits of home-sharing, but that’s not their main motivation for participating in Odd Couples Housing. They agree that the main advantage of living together is feeling more connected and less lonely.
Amy and Yuki were among the people interviewed last week on Saint Louis Public Radio (NPR) by host Sarah Fenske. Last Tuesday’s St. Louis on the Air episode also featured Odd Couples Housing Co-Founder, John Levis, and Director, Brian Carpenter who discussed the company’s mission and how we work. Tune in to hear the interviews!
Pandemic Housemates
Like Amy and Yuki, many of our homeowners and their roommates are glad to have companionship while sheltering-at-home. We’ve stayed in touch with our matches during this difficult time, and are happy to report that all is well. We especially enjoyed hearing from the daughter of one of our longest-standing matches who told us that having a younger person living with her mom has given her considerable peace of mind. She said, “especially during the pandemic, it has been such a gift to have them there. The Odd Couples Housing program has been a lifesaver and a true blessing for our family!”
We’re happy that our roommate matches are able to support each other right now. Who are your biggest supports during this time? How do you stay connected with them? Take time to check in with your friends and family, seek things out that make you smile, and find ways to keep your mind and body active.
Whether you live with housemates, family members, or by yourself, you’re probably adjusting to increased time at home. Limiting social time and activities can be hard. But, it can also create time to think about what you’re grateful for, reconnect with loved ones, and plan for the future. We don’t know what life might look like in the coming months, but we have a feeling that we won’t be taking our social connections for granted!
Did You Enjoy Hearing Yuki & Amy On The Radio?
If you enjoyed hearing Yuki and Amy’s story, we recommend tuning into this episode of The Mark Reardon Show. Earlier this year, another Odd Couples Housing match (Erika and Diane) shared their experience as roommates on the air. Start at 9:25.
If the home-sharing situation might be a good fit for you–-now or in the future–-please sign up on our website.
4 Tips to a Great Start With Your Next Roommate
Living situations are important parts of our lives. Whether you are older, younger, moving into a new place, opening up your home, used to roommates, or sharing space with someone for the first time, it’s important to be comfortable in your home space. Settling in with a new roommate can be an exciting time–full of opportunities to connect with someone new–but it can also bring about a sense of apprehension about the unknown. What if things don’t go as smoothly as planned? What if I need a night to myself? Could we eat dinner together sometimes?