I Tried to Find a Roommate on Tinder
An unexpected use case for swiping right.
By Jacinda Mia Perez
It was around 1 a.m. I’d been scrolling through potential apartment ads on Craigslist that appeared to be within my budget and somewhat liveable (yes, these are what my standards had evolved into). I’d responded to countless ads — email after email, text after text. My efforts were met with little response. I’d become jaded. This monotonous process was proving to be unsuccessful, time-consuming, and just not worth it.
There are over 1.5 million apartments in New York City, why was it so difficult for me to find one? Oh, perhaps because I’m a 23-year-old queer with non-existent credit and very little income (I’m a barista/writer, a rare breed in Brooklyn, I know).
The word “hunt” implies some sort of physical pursuit aimed at a grand conquest; a self-fulfilling act of bravery that typically requires the aid of a companion. Game hunters use rifles. Apartment hunters use brokers, Craigslist, or newspaper advertisements. I, on the other hand, chose to use good old Tinder, an application frequented by hunters of a different kind.
Friends, acquaintances, family members, and even fellow Tinderers all questioned my decision to find a roommate using this infamous dating app. My response was always the same: “It’s hard finding a place to live in the city, and I’m going to use all the resources I’ve got.”
In this moment of defeat, my space suddenly became brighter. It was now my iPhone that illuminated the tiny closet of a room I was currently renting. Match after match, message after message — Tinderers were responding to the playful description I’d posted in the About Me section:
I need to find a new place to live by February. Hoping Tinder will lead to a potential housemate who isn’t crazy, uptight, or extremely messy. Also, must not own Uggs.
Is this a thing? This is how people use this app, right?
[Insert rainbow emoji here]
Here’s what came along:
“Hello Ms. bb. Where u wanna live nowadays?” — Lindsey, 26, transgender woman
“Hahahaha your profile was interesting and funny. I’m your new housemate because I don’t own Uggs so we cool. But I’m a little crazy so maybe you won’t like it.. fuck.” — Caroline, 22, female
“Hey. Any luck finding places to live?”
“Hey there! The places I’ve seen have been too pricey.”
“Word. The plight of everyone who ever lived in the NYC metro area.”
— Cali, 24, female
“I saw ur looking for an apt. I may have something.”
“But also, if you need a haircut I have a shop in Williamsburg.” — Magda, 34, female (Apparently I’m not the only person using Tinder for reasons outside of hooking up. Go Magda.)
“Sadly, I don’t have a spare room at my place.”
“Ha, I may have found a place.” [I lied]
“So does that mean you may be interested in me for something other than a roof over your head?”
— Ian, 40, male (Great pick-up line, Ian.)
“Wellllll, I don’t need a roommate, but I do want to tell you that I think you’re very pretty. You have good style.”
— Ian, 23, male (Apparently Ians can be quite flirtatious.)
“Are you really looking for a roommate on Tinder?!” — Too many people to mention, male and female
Shockingly, Tinder proved to be quite helpful. I met a few women who found my method a bit zany and quite amusing, but were willing to discuss the possibility of living together anyway. But while those encounters were pleasant, they were also transient, mainly because of budget concerns and different location preferences.
Turns out this is not a Tinderella tale. It’s one woman’s desperate quest to find a home. I’m still optimistic, though: There are over 4.5 million apartment owners/renters in New York City, and I’m certain at least a few of them are Tinder users. I’m still not sure if Tinder will actually help me do this, but it’s introduced me to some great people — and even if some of my best matches aren’t looking for a roommate, I’ll grab a drink with them anyway.
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