Author Finds Living With 3 Strangers Enriched 2 Years in San Francisco

1 articles · Updated · Business Insider · Jun 13

Nearly two years after moving in, the author says sharing a San Francisco home with three strangers became a net positive, turning an initially frightening lease decision into a fuller social life.
Facebook roommate groups led to the match after post-college job plans brought the author to the city without local friends, and the setup also helped split bills and push a self-described homebody to explore.
Three out-of-state roommates, all new to San Francisco, became built-in companions for bar-hopping, a running club, Outside Lands and support at the author's first half-marathon.
Roommates-first relationships also made household issues easier to address, the author says, reducing the unspoken tensions that had built up in past living arrangements with friends.
The author still notes risks such as awkwardness and incompatible habits, but says vetting candidates by messages and video calls helped enough that the group has no plans to move soon.