By Marcie L. Arnold

Selecting a roommate is one decision in life that you literally have to live with. Depending on the amount of time you'll spend living together, your roommate may be the most significant person in your life. If you pick the wrong one, he or she can make your life miserable. If you pick the right one, you could gain a lifelong friend.

Ask the Right Questions
When interviewing a potential roommate, it is crucial to be prepared to ask specific questions, so make a list in advance and use it like a questionnaire.

While considering questions to ask, think about your lifestyle and your priorities. If you are especially neat, someone who is not will be a problem. If you work at night and sleep during the day, a roommate with noon band practice will be annoying.

Here are some topics to consider:

• Work schedules
• Cleaning habits -- A roommate should clean up after himself or herself, and should share cleaning duties of common areas.
• Boyfriends, girlfriends, and other frequent guests -- Would you feel comfortable having your roommate's boyfriend or girlfriend stay overnight? How often would they stay over, and what would the impact be on your food supply, utilities, bathroom access, and so on?
• Pets
• Medical conditions
• Smoking and drinking habits
• Shared costs
• References -- Check the person's references and their credit. It might be worthwhile to hire a service such as Roommate.com (http://www.roommate.com/) to do this for you.

In addition, think about anything that may have been a problem with previous roommates. If you've never had a roommate, envision your daily life with someone and think of situations that might arise.

Safety
Safety is the most important element when selecting a roommate. Ask potential roommates specific questions about their lifestyle, friends, family, and anyone else they might introduce into your life. Be sure you can live with their lifestyle choices. Remember, a roommate's use of illicit drugs or abuse of alcohol could jeopardize your military career.

Your financial security is another important area. Someone with credit problems will become your problem. You should feel comfortable trusting them to pay agreed costs. Also, it is important to know who has keys to your home and who will be there when you are not because your roommate and their guests will have access to your possessions.

Splitting the Costs
Splitting living costs is a big advantage of having a roommate. You need to discuss exactly what costs will be shared and how. If there is a larger room or garage, a potential roommate might agree to pay accordingly for more space. If you work from home and need the third bedroom for your office, your roommate may agree to take the master bedroom or garage space in return, or might expect a cut in rent. In addition to rent and utilities, think about how you want to split groceries and other similar expenses. You should also decide if you need an extra phone line or feel comfortable sharing one line.

Your property is another subject to discuss. Decide what you are -- and are not -- prepared to share, and any associated costs. You may initially decide that your computer is off limits, but then change your mind if your roommate offers to split the cost of a DSL line or cable connection in exchange for using your equipment.

A good way to present these issues to potential roommates is to make a list. List the expenses in writing and have this document available during your screening. Being up front about living expenses is a great way to establish good communication and may narrow your roommate search.

If It Doesn't Work Out …
Having an "out" clause in your written agreement may be a significant benefit. Use it to establish a reasonable time period if you need to give your roommate notice to find other living arrangements. Be honest during your selection process about the possibility of the situation not working out and how it will be handled.

Selecting a roommate is a gamble. You really won't know exactly what to expect until you are living with someone. You may put a great deal of effort into your selection and it still may not work. There are some elements of compatibility between people that can't be spelled out on paper. However, the best way to lower the odds of an incompatible situation is to ask as many questions as you need, so you feel confident in making a choice you can live with.