• Flat-sharing, the most cost effective way to rent
• Are you a co-renter candidate?
• How to find the perfect flatmate
• When is rent NOT wasted money?
• Where to go from here?

Flat-Sharing, The Most Cost Effective Way To Rent
Flat-sharing has become a social norm. Only a few years ago it was seen as fringe, something you only did at college, or if you were a child of the 60's, but as property prices rocketed so did the flat-share market. Aside from living with your parents, it is quite simply THE most cost effective way of living to save for a deposit on a home of your own.

Why rent a whole place all on your own when you could split the costs with one or more others and maybe make some new friends into the bargain. It's a social way of living, and it could mean being able to afford the home you want in the location you'd like to live.

Are You A Co-Renter Candidate?

• Are you young free and single? Think a mortgage is way too serious a commitment for your time of life? Something for when you're old and grey (maybe when you're over 30!!) Why would you want to tie yourself down to just one property when you could have the flexibility of renting? For you flat-sharing is an opportunity to meet new people and spend as little as possible on the roof over your head, leaving as much as possible to live life to the full.
• Are you looking to save for a deposit on a home of your own? If your ultimate goal is to afford to buy a property, but it's just financially impossible right now you can save more by co-renting. For you, finding a flatmate is a means to an end. Shared rent and bills means more money going into the "home of my dreams" account each month to make it a reality sooner than if you waste your money on a fancy place all to yourself.
• Are you looking for, or have you found someone you think you'd like to co-buy with? Co-buying is when you flat-share with someone you'll own the property with. But before you take the serious step of owning a property together you might consider renting together for a short time first to really get to know one another. Flat-sharing can be a great commitment free, inexpensive way to discover whether you've really found the perfect property pal. How are they with money, are they responsible, respectful, can you work through any differences, and mountains of other things that you'll only discover about someone (even someone you think you know well) when you live with them. Acorn Property Group's " Rent to Buy" scheme offers a good way of saving money whilst trying-before-you-buy with a potential co-buyer.

How To Find The Perfect Flatmate
If you've been to boarding school, university, served in the army, or in any other circumstances been thrown together with a group of total strangers that you've no choice but to get along with, you'll know that most people are basically decent. So long as you respect each other's privacy, pay the bills on time and don't play your music at levels that would drown out a jumbo jet coming in to land at 3am (unless of course everyone in your house is up with you partying) you'll find that you can rent with pretty much anyone.

Although it really is that simple, we do have a basic list of things to check to make sure you make the right choice:

• Are they employed in a stable job? The employment bit is obvious as they need to have the income to pay the rent and bills, but stability asks the question, will they still be able to pay their way in 3 months time? Find out whether they have a fly by night or a career attitude towards their work.
• Are they responsible with money? Not something you can ask outright of course, but important to know. They may earn packets, but if they spend even more then there will be nothing left to pay the rent.
• What hours do they keep? If you work nights and they work days neither of you will get much sleep.
• Do they have a similar lifestyle to you? Do they party all night long when all you need is peace and quite to study in, or are they so dull that your friends stop coming round for fear of being drawn into conversation with them? The closer your personalities and lifestyles are the better you'll get along, and the higher the likelihood that you'll make a new friend out of it.
• Make your preferences known from the start. I don't mean in a dictatorial way, but if you have preferences then make them known sooner rather than later. If you need quite for study, hate smoking, or have your partner staying round more often than not, then these are things best out in the open well before you move in together. Assumption is a dangerous thing when you're considering sharing with someone as everyone is different and we all have our own tolerance levels for things like noise, space, privacy, etc. These need to be known and respected.
• Be respectful of one another. As mentioned above, know your flatmate's tolerances and respect them. It's all about living in harmony. For example, if you're expecting to take over the living room on a Friday night for a lads night in then check that they don't need to get up early the next day, or haven't already invited their girlfriend round for a romantic dinner on the same night. Simple things like that.

That's it really. Can they pay, will they pay, know their preferences and respect their space. That's the quick guide to finding and keeping the perfect flatmate.

When Is Rent NOT Wasted Money?
We would love you to register with us totally FREE to find a flatmate, but before you do there is one other 'option' for you to consider if you are thinking of renting because you feel you cannot afford to buy

One of the UK's most innovative new home builders, Acorn Property Group, have recognised that first time buyers were finding it increasingly difficult to afford their homes, so they set out to solve this problem. The solution came in the form of an initiative they have called 'Rent to Buy'. If you rent one of their homes for a year or more, and decide in that time to buy your home, they will give you back 50% of all the rent you have paid them. That's 50% back to help pay for the deposit, home improvements, or anything else you'd like to spend the money on. We thought it was such a good idea that we've decided to help them promote it. It's the first scheme that we've ever seen that means that your rent money is no longer wasted money. It's using your rent money to help you afford to buy.

For more information on this scheme contact us, contact Acorn Property Group, or look at our Hot Property section.

Where To Go From Here?
Our role is to offer advice, information and "options" to buyers and renters to save you money and help you afford the place of your dreams. Because of this we should ask, "Why are you considering renting?" If it's because you feel you have no other option because to buy would just cost too much, then please do have a look at our Co-Buying pages, where you'll see that through teaming up with others to buy you gain the same advantages as rental flat-sharing, and you may actually be better off buying than renting. You could also take a look at our Hot Property section to see if any of the schemes we have discovered to help you buy could give you the leg up onto the property ladder that you were in need of. If a lack of deposit is what's holding you back you could contact The First Time Buyer Group who's scheme "rewards" you for buying a new home through them by paying you back your deposit, stamp duty, survey, mortgage arrangement and legal fees at Completion, saving you £thousands.

If renting is your choice then come and register to find a flatmate to help you with all the costs of living. It's totally FREE to register and post a mini profile on our site to encourage others to contact you.