Roommate Hunting, Craigslist Style

The Internet can be a scary place, especially when it comes to your kids—and especially when it comes to your kids and roommates.

Yes, even regular college residence halls are a gamble, but in those you have the security of rules and an RA. Off-campus … not so much.

Before your kid chooses her next place and roommate, have her consider these 10 tips from Harlan Cohen, author of The Naked Roommate, and Robert Hardin, University of Oregon assistant admissions director.

The most important consideration for your kid in picking a roommate is simply finding someone he feels safe and comfortable with. Think logically about what having a roommate means: That person has a key to your kid's place of residence, and he'll often be there when your kid isn't home.

Cohen recommends using BeenVerified to access public records and find out about any criminal convictions. You'll also get a full list of past addresses. "You want to know where they've been and who they are," he says.

There are things you can only learn about someone's personality from people who know them. "Absolutely ask for references," says Cohen. "If your kid is afraid to do that, they shouldn't be looking on Craigslist." Talk to the references (preferably a past roommate) about the potential roommate's living habits and general personality.

Make sure your kid goes into any interview or meeting with the expectation that they're just looking for a roommate. "This person doesn't need to be their friend," Cohen says. The only personal agreement should be that the two get along, and give each other permission to air any problems in a timely manner.

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Look at a standard residence hall questionnaire, and pull questions from there. "Asking if a candidate has similar music taste will not help determine if they'll be a good roommate, but asking how loud and at what times they listen to music does," Hardin says. Universities have spent years studying the best questions to ask in matching roommates, so take their lead.

Everyone has different habits and preferences for living with someone else. "If your kid is an early riser, she probably doesn't want to live with someone who goes to bed at 3 a.m.," Hardin says. If your kid buys expensive toiletries, he should be frank about whether he's willing to share shampoo and conditioner. Food storage and cooking should also be discussed—roommate relationships have failed more than once over the smell of someone's dinners.

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Your kid should never move in with someone he's only met online. Both Cohen and Hardin are firm on this point. The first meeting should be in public, preferably with a friend coming along. Once your kid knows he feels comfortable with the potential roommate, it's important that he actually see the apartment—both to get a glimpse of the candidate's living style, and also to see the space he's considering moving into.

Neighbors are important for two reasons: They can tell your kid about their potential roommate's living style (e.g., loud music late at night), as well as information about the apartments, themselves. "My senior year, I found an affordable one-bedroom by myself," Hardin says. "I didn't know this, but everybody below me could hear me. Walking loudly after 10 p.m., I'd get complaints. But if I had knocked on neighbors' doors, I would have found out the walls were thin."

"A simple Internet search turns up tons of information," Cohen says. You'll learn even more if you friend a potential roommate on Facebook, follow her on Instagram and Twitter and connect on LinkedIn. Do any of their pictures or postings represent someone you wouldn't want to live with? Social media can provide a lot of personal details.

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"If you or your kid feel uncomfortable in any way, don't convince yourselves it's OK. It's not," Cohen says. Your kid needs a roommate who's safe and can pay the rent, and if either of you has doubts about this, it's probably not a good fit. Remember, living off campus means there will be no RA to mediate problems. Your kid is on his own … which is scary for you, but less so if you've followed these steps and feel comfortable about his roommate.