Roommate Finder in Gowanus, Brooklyn, NY

Preguntas frecuentes

• How many people are using a roommate finder to share in Gowanus right now?

  Gowanus draws roommate seekers from two directions. Some are priced out of Park Slope and Carroll Gardens next door; others are drawn to the new towers by the canal, where a two-bedroom split two ways can cost each person less than a one-bedroom alone in either neighbor. The neighborhood has also kept part of its working character, so painters, fabricators, musicians and other makers who rent studio space near the canal look for housemates close by. On Roomster's roommate finder, 4 people have Gowanus on their search at the moment. Say in your profile whether you want a new-build share or a room in an older walk-up, because the two attract different people and the answer narrows the field quickly.

• How much do roommates splitting a Gowanus two-bedroom each pay?

  Two people sharing an average Gowanus two-bedroom, which lists at roughly $5,900 to $6,900 a month, each pay about $2,950 to $3,450. A one-bedroom alone averages somewhere between $3,900 and $4,700, so splitting saves each person close to a thousand dollars a month. Three moves bring your share down further. Ask the new towers about concessions, since some have offered a free month, and spread that saving across the lease when you compare buildings. Offer to take the smaller bedroom in exchange for a weighted split. And look at the rezoning's income-restricted apartments, listed through NYC Housing Connect, where a two-bedroom at 282 4th Avenue was offered at $1,238 in an earlier lottery. Roommates apply as one household, so your combined income has to fit the lottery's band.

• Is Roomster a good roommate finder for artists and makers who work in Gowanus?

  It suits them well, as long as you are upfront about how you work. Gowanus has long been home to studios, workshops and rehearsal spaces, and the rezoning deal negotiated by Arts Gowanus set aside about 120 subsidized artist studios and a 2,000-square-foot community arts center inside the new developments. Many people who rent studio space here want to live within walking distance of it, which makes them good matches for each other. Say in your profile whether you bring work home, whether you keep late hours after shows at venues like The Bell House, and whether you need room for materials or instruments. A housemate who also works irregular hours will mind your schedule far less than someone on a strict nine-to-five.

• Is it easier to find a compatible roommate in a new Gowanus tower or an older walk-up?

  They attract different people, so decide which you want before you start. The new rental towers draw young professionals who commute to Manhattan or Downtown Brooklyn, and their applications usually ask for household income of about 40 times the monthly rent, which pushes many roommates to apply together or bring a guarantor. In return you get a doorman, laundry in the unit and amenity floors with gyms, pools and roof decks. Rooms in walk-ups and rowhouse floors on the streets bordering Park Slope and Carroll Gardens are more often found through a current tenant or a small owner, involve less paperwork and tend to house longer-term sharers. If you work from home, weigh a quiet bedroom in an older building against the co-working lounges the towers advertise.

• How should my commute shape a roommate search in Gowanus?

  Gowanus sits between two subway corridors, the F and G on the west and the R on the east, so your commute usually decides which side of the canal you should live on. Someone working in Lower Manhattan or Midtown will want the R at Union Street or the F at Carroll Street, while a student at NYU Tandon or City Tech can reach Jay Street-MetroTech in a few stops on the F. Staff at NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital in Park Slope often walk up the hill instead. When you set up your roommate search, name the station you use and look for people who use the same one. Two housemates leaving from the same corner at the same hour settle into shared routines, from bathroom time to grocery runs, far more easily.

• How do I check out a Gowanus roommate before we sign a lease together?

  In Gowanus the question is often whether you will both sign a lease in a new building, which typically makes each of you responsible for the full rent, so the stakes are higher than taking a room from someone else. On Roomster, the ID check and the address check cost nothing and are each member's choice; and the profile of anyone who has completed one says so, so complete yours and put roommates who have done theirs at the top of your list. Once your profile is validated by email and phone, you can message someone for free to open the conversation. Keep early contact on Roomster, tour the unit together or on live video, run your combined incomes against the building's requirement before you apply, and never pay a deposit to someone you have not met.