Finding a Roommate After Your Virginia Divorce

Posted on Nov 26, 2010 by Hofheimer Family Law

A Virginia divorce can deal a blow to your financial stability, particularly if you’re divorcing at a young age.

One of the largest draws on your bank account will be mortgage or rent payments, which is why so many people move and downsize following a Virginia divorce. Some young people who go through a Virginia divorce decide to move back home; for others, this is not possible or desirable.

Finding a roommate is one option that allows you to save on your monthly expenses.
Many younger people already have had experience with roommates while in college, some of which may not have given them the most positive view of this living arrangement.

There are ways to make finding and living with a roommate easier:

  • Consider roommate match sites – you can find roommates through online roommate match sites or the old-fashioned way – through the classifieds. Friends, family members and co-workers can also make good roommates if you get along well together.
  • Be aware of your needs and expectations – consider if there are some traits you would strongly prefer in a roommate. Or are there specific things you will not tolerate? Be honest with yourself. While you may be anxious to move on from your Virginia divorce and find a place of your own, choosing wisely now will save you the stress and expenditure of having to move again because of incompatibility.
  • Draw up a roommate agreement – the agreement should include all the particulars, including how much each of you will contribute to rent and bills, the scheduling and rules for sharing any items or areas of the home/apartment, regulations pertaining to noise, smoking and other details.

To learn more about special issues of going through a Virginia divorce at a young age, please visit our article library.

Contacting a Newport News Divorce Attorney

The decision to file for divorce usually comes at the end of a long and painful journey. In addition to the emotional turmoil involved, there’s also a lot of fear and uncertainty about what the future holds. Concerns about children, mortgages and even just paying the bills or buying groceries can easily become overwhelming.

A Newport News divorce attorney at Hofheimer Family Law Firm can examine the specifics of your case to help you decide how much support to ask for, what child custody arrangement will work best for you and your children and how to fairly divide your marital assets. Request a FREE copy of our guide, What Every Virginia Woman Should Know About Divorce, or reserve your seat at our monthly divorce seminar – 757-425-5200.