Roommates---HELP Fast

[BinkysBaby]

I'm going to try to make this short and sweet.

I live with my partner now of 2 1/2 years but we just broke up. I'm going to be moving out with two roommates (two co-workers--one is my actual friend too and the other I know). I've never had roommates before because I lived on my own before my partner and I broke up.

I have a friend of a friend who is renting out her and her husband's townhouse. It's 4 bedrooms, 2 1/2 baths, upstairs/downstairs, community pool/jacuzzi, small front and back yard. Since she is a friend of a friend, she's giving us an excellent deal. The property is new and in an excellent neighborhood.

She's going to rent it out for $1300 per month with a $500 deposit. This is excellent for Las Vegas. My partner and I pay $908 with 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms and our apartment isn't as nice or in the greatest neighborhood.

So here's the dilemma. One of the roomies (Tiffany) is content with having one of the small rooms. The other roomie (Renee) really wants the master's bedroom. The master's is huge with jacuzzi tub, separate shower, two closets. I have a lot of stuff too and I also would like the master's bedroom.

What do I do?

I found the place. My hookup is what's getting us the great deal. Now Renee said that she's willing to pay extra for the master's.

I don't want to be confrontational and have conflict before even moving in but I would like to be comfortable too. The smaller bedrooms are SMALLER!!!

How do we handle this fairly?

Help!!!!

Addedum:
So do I pay extra for the master's and stand by it. Or take the smaller room and save a little. And how much more should the person who gets the master's pay?

 

[Janice]

It's your connection that's getting the place and the deal, as long as your willing to take an extra percentage of the rent on because your getting the master then they should have no reason to balk or question you!

 

[frocher]

....

 

[lipstickandhate]

I agree with the other posters. Definitely you should get the master bed/bath since you found the place to begin with. I would just explain to the other person who wanted it that you had planned on taking it since you found the spot and that you intended to pay a bit more for it compared to what the other roommates pay.

Honestly, I'm surprised that the other roommate even tried to say they wanted the master suite since its your hook-up to begin with.

Hope it works out for you

 

[BinkysBaby]

Thanks guys.
I definitely agree with you lipstickandhate.
That's what my other friends are saying.
If the tables were turned, I would take what I could get.
I'll keep you guys posted.

 

[gigglegirl]

Okay lets try and break this out mathematically.

Rent=1300/month and lets say each had "equal" space=433.33333

lol. Anywhoo. Now I think (though not having seen this place) that the person getting the master with jacuzzi, shower, 2 closets should pay more, would it be reasonable to say like 50 more? I'd think in the range of like 50-75. But who am I to say. lol. If I were you I'd be willing to pay up to 500 for the master a month, and the other girls could then pay 400 a piece.

But thats me, and considering I'm not paying rent, I have no idea what's fair for different chunks of space!!! Good luck!! (I agree w. all previous posters--you should get the larger place b/c its your connection)

 

[kaliraksha]

I think 500 for the master is a decent breakdown. It can't be too little where the people in the small bedrooms don't feel it's worth it or too much the person in the master doesn't feel it's worth it. Most importantly, I would split up how to charge for the rooms BEFORE anyone decides who is going to take the master. If you want to be really technical about it... go to the house and take a tape measure... measure the rooms, multiply (including bathroom/close space) and figure out square foot of each abode's private space then just take the rental price and divide it by square foot of each room to get how much each person is paying per private sq ft.

I think you should have the master. Just tell Renee that this is your friends place and you intend to take care of it and stick around for awhile so you want the master. I don't think it's unreasonable to ask for the master if you are willing to pay more.

Another question- 3 of you and 4 rooms? What are you doing with the 4th? Waiting for another tenant? Study? Workout room? Game room? Storage for the two girls with smaller rooms? I think that should also be established before people decide which room to take.


Best of luck- the best living arrangements, I feel, are made when everything is brought to the table early.

 

[BinkysBaby]

$50-75 is minuscule for the amount of space that the person with the master's bedroom pays. I talked to a few of by friends and they think that I should let her have the master's bedroom. A couple of reasons:
1. I'm a prenursing student and I may be working part time soon.
2. They suggest that she pays anywhere from $150-200 for the masters. I think that $150 is reasonable. The rooms for rents in other people's home in Vegas is around $550 and 600 so she still would be getting a deal plus we'll have the house equally.
3. I would be able to save money because if she pays $150 extra, my portion and Tiffany's will only be $358 which is a steal.

kaliraksha : I like your idea of breaking it down by square footage. That would be tough since Maigan and her husband are still there waiting for their house to be built. No, we will not get a fourth roommate. The fourth bedroom is small so it will be an office/computer space room.

Thanks for all the input. I'll keep you guys posted.

 

[Shimmer]

I'd point out it was my hookup that made the arrangement possible, and tell her where the container store is at. That's just straight up speaking up because she didn't think anyone would fight her on it. Don't fall for it.
Or find somewhere to live that doesn't have such a disparity between the rooms.

 

[Beauty Mark]

Considering that the master suite sounds really nice, I think it's worth at least $100 more per month than the other rooms.

 

[user79]

The fairest way is breaking it down by square feet, which will give you an idea of how much percentage wise it should cost.

 

[Glassdoll]

Well, if ur the one who found the place and getting an awesome deal, u should get first choice on which room u want. i think u should get the master.