Househack - everyday details and rules for housemates?

Question

Hi, all.

I'm in a position where I will soon be living alone in my 4BD, 3BA 2500 sq. ft house in Seattle's north end -Lake Forest Park - which is one of the more sought after and expensive areas around Seattle. I've decided to pursue a househack strategy with this to cover the mortgage and other expenses I have. I'll offer the three upstairs  bedrooms - including the master with private bathroom and walk-in closet - to three different tenants/housemates, while I take the least desirable downstairs bedroom. I'm an experienced landlord holding other properties and will be applying the same principles to this, but I haven't had housemates before. So my questions are about day-to-day living. What are the best practices for the following:

1) Are groceries and meals individual or collective?

2) Are dishes individual or collective?

3) vacuuming common and private areas?

3) consumables like toilet paper?

I already know I'll charge the tenants a fixed monthly amount for all utilities, internet, and cable.

Loren Clive · Answer

Put a lock on your room so it's secured while you're away.

I would definitely hire a maid to sidestep the whole chore thing. You never want to get caught up in petty arguments like cleaning, who ate what food, etc.

Deanna McCormick · Answer

Each person designated a cupboard area in kitchen,

food separate,,, each gets shelf in fridge and tape label stuff,, if they want a extra fridge in their room charge extra for elec .

designated parking spots,, and stuff either fits in their room or designated storage spot per person.

Weekly chore chart that rotates like trash, vacuuming, bathroom clean up duty,, or hire a maid.

I'd cover toilet paper and trash bags.

Entry door get's electronic keyless entry and each room also,, easy no keys change code once someone moves.. Put room number on each room.. so if you have to evict the room number is listed for proper paperwork.

NO overnight guests

no smoking or only outside

Kyle Doney · Answer

I have house hacked for years now. Heres how I do it:

1) Are groceries and meals individual or collective? Individual, because if you try to split it with anyone but a spouse you get into the "you ate more than me" thing. Here and there cook meals together and both contribute (good bonding).

2) Are dishes individual or collective? Usually the owner owns all the dishes and everyone else uses them. When it comes to cleaning them, set rules up front. Nothing more annoying then the roommate who lets everything sit in the sink.

3) vacuuming common and private areas? Set a day once a week or every other week and each roommate cleans something. You have bathrooms, other vacuums, etc etc.

3) consumables like toilet paper? I total up the total consumable costs and put it into the rent. Buy in bulk to make it easy.

Make sure to interview people thoroughly and that you mesh before they move in. Find someone who works a lot of hours or is out often. Be sure there is no mooch bf or gf tagging along sleeping over all the time and basically becoming a non paying extra roommate (been there, very annoying). Good luck!

Mindy Jensen · Answer

+1 for @Loren Clive 's suggestion to hire a cleaning service. Once a week or every other week, and add it into the rent. Perhaps I clean much better than you do, or maybe I'm horrible at it in your eyes. Better to have a professional come in and do it. Plan ahead on this one, too. Are they coming in and cleaning every single room or just the main living areas? If they're cleaning the rooms, make that a part of the lease before anyone moves in so there's no question. "Cleaning service WILL clean your room every third Thursday of the month. A key will be provided to the cleaning service."

Make sure your city doesn't have occupancy laws. In a college town north of me, you may not have more than 3 unrelated people living in a unit.

Consider getting an extra refrigerator. Can you imagine having 4 gallons of milk in one fridge?

Also make solid, written plans for parking if there are specific spots.

Great advice about consumables from @Kyle Doney . Add internet/cable/snow removal/landscaping/anything you don't want to do personally to that list. (Does it snow in Seattle?)

Get a locking, programmable thermostat so you don't come home to all windows open and heat turned up to 90.

Have a list of house rules - even the no-brainer ones like "Clean any spills immediately" in a picture frame hanging in the kitchen.

Kyle Doney · Answer

@Charles Moore I pulled one off of here a few years ago and have updated it throughout the years for my rentals. For my house, its been all personal friends that I have had move in and have not made leases. Most were transitioning and staying less than a year. My good friend has been here over a year now and is buying a house and moving out soon however. When I was renting, I did similar things as to what I mentioned though.

Charles Moore · Answer

@Kyle Doney where do you get your lease template from?

Charles Moore · Answer

Awesome tips, guys - thanks! It would have taken me much longer web browsing for each of these pearls of wisdom!

Househack - everyday details and rules for housemates?

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