You can't afford to live WITHOUT them, but can you live WITH them?

Increase the odds of getting along by looking at these 7 key factors.

Before renting a place together, have an honest talk about your own cleaning habits and messiness levels.

How much mess can you handle, and how much cleaning are you willing to do?

Be honest with each other from the start...

How much partying can you handle?

Everybody loves a party, right?

Not this guy trying to sleep in the next room...

Make sure you are on the same page with drinking and other substances.

If your idea of breakfast is coffee from Starbucks, and theirs is Rum and Coke, you may have a compatibility problem.

Make sure you share the same limits on privacy.

There is such a thing as too much sharing.

Have a discussion before signing the lease.

Are you both looking for some together time, or does one of you prefer to be alone?

Everyone needs SOME alone time, but how much?

Overall you will mesh better with someone who has the same ideas about the amount of time you will spend together.

Do you:

love pets?

hate pets?

have pets?

want pets?

What about your roommate?

Are you both ready to be pet parents?

Does your possible roomie have the funds to pay their half?

Rent, utilities, pizza?

Make sure you know how they plan to pay their share.

Don't get stuck in a lease with someone who isn't a good fit.

Make a list of what's important to you and where you fall on each of these continuums.

Then, ask any potential roommates to do the same.