FAQ
Free Admission, How Does That Work?
Stated simply, post your own online ad mentioning us and RSVP with a link to that ad. If you use your common sense, it’s not necessary to read the rest of the explanation below. We’ve written out very specific instructions to avoid confusion. Contact us if the ‘Get In FREE’ rules are still not clear after reading this.
Put up your own ad on Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace saying that you will be at a Roommates Wanted event and that anyone interested in meeting you should attend as well. There is a reason for this! This not only get’s you free admission, but greatens your chances at meeting a match because it attracts people that are interested in meeting you in particular. This is really how the events should be working. Essentially, everyone should get in free.
In your cL or FB Marketplace posting you MUST have a description of the following things.
1.) Yourself
2.) What You’re Looking For
3.) The Event You’re Attending
Here’s an example.
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I am looking for a new Roommate as soon as possible. I am a 26 (male) recent graduate from Pratt Institute. I am very creative and artistic. Looking for someone clean, and who is responsible and will share cleaning responsibilities. This is an awesome apartment that is very clean, bug-free (even in the summer) Current roommate’s best friend had a room opening up but he’ll stay until I find a replacement for him. The rent is $800 That includes utilities.
Apartment Perks: Large Shared living room; Central Air Conditioning / heating (we control the temp); New appliances; Great clean new Bathroom; Apartment is fully furnished; Old roommate left his bed so it’s yours if you want it.
I’ll be attending this roommates mixer that I’ve included details for below. Please come meet me there if you can. This should be a time saver for everyone. If you can’t make it to the event, by all means still email me to schedule a day/time to check out the place. Just know that I have limited time, so if you want a guarantee that you’ll be able to meet with me, then plan to come to the event.
Sunday, February 20th, 8-10pm
Niagara – Back room, 112 Avenue A
L to 1st Ave-14th St, 4 or 6 to Astor Pl, F to 2nd Ave/LES
8-10pm — Attn: Lower Manhattan
$3 Beer/Wine/Well drinks until 9pm
Hosted by Roommates Wanted NYC
website: http://roommateswantednyc.com
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That was an ad for someone that has a room to rent. If you’re looking for a room, then you’d follow the same format, you’d just state what it is you’re looking for instead of what it is that you have to offer. Once you’ve posted your ad that mentions the RWNYC event, then RSVP by posting a link to your CL ad, and you’re in for free.
You will NOT receive free admission for sending us a link to an ad which:
1.) we have posted ourselves.
2.) some other person besides yourself posted to get in free.
3.) makes no mention of the event you plan on attending or RWNYC.
4.) does not describe yourself and what you’re offering/looking for.
If these instructions were confusing, please send us a message. Your comments are appreciated!
Also FREE for any friend you bring along to hang out or vouch for you.
The Rest of The FAQ
What is Roommates Wanted NYC?
Roommates Wanted NYC holds events for meeting renters and people with space to rent in-person. No more spam, scams, creeps and no-shows. No more wasting time. Come down and get your housing situation settled FAST, SAFE AND EASY.
How does it work?
Sign in to the board and put on a colored sticker explaining what you are looking for – Then talk to some people from the crowd. Stickers are red for I-Have-A-Room and green for I-Need-A-Room.
Are you guys on Facebook?
Yes. Please ‘Like’ us! Tell anyone that you think would benefit from our events. We depend on word of mouth.
The cofounders on facebook:
Jeff Orlick Dene Farrell
Here’s our twitter too.
Where are the events? How do I get RWNYC to come to my area?
Harlem, LIC, Williamsburg, East Village and Prospect Heights. See our LOCATIONS page for details and send us a comment for where you want us to come next!
How can I prepare for the event?
Post an ad on CraigsList that links to Roommates Wanted NYC. State what event you’re attending. Tell any possible roommates that you’d like to meet to follow suit. Do the same for facebook and any other site you’re using. If you put up an attractive ad then you’ll get a lot of feedback. Like 30 emails per day. There’s no way that you can meet all these people personally one-by-one, nor should you want to. Meet them all at once with ease and have fun while you’re doing it.
What should I bring?
A pen and paper. Some people have brought flyers describing themselves and what they have to offer. This has been very effective and gives people a good impression of you as a prepared person.
How do I make it work for me (while at the event)?
Just be sociable and have something to write with. Once you get to the event everything self-organizes and it always goes smoothly. Some people worry about being able to speak with everyone that attends. You’d be surprised at how easy it is to speak to everyone in two hours. Even if you’ve only got one hour due to some conflicting engagement you can still meet everyone. It’s easy to work your way through the crowd. Everyone wants to talk to everyone.
Does it work?
Yes. Some people find roommates. Some people find others to hunt with. The success rate is improving for each event. At the very least, everyone walks aways with a list of potential candidates. We get 60+ people at the events in neighborhoods that we’ve been doing for a while (LES, Williamsburg, Prospect Heights). Even when we start an event in a new neighborhood we’re seeing at least 20 people at first time events.
I’m looking for a short-term lease are there people there for me?
Yes. Since there are less short-term than long-term leases available in NYC we recommend that you contact some and tell them to meet you at the event. You can just show up. You’ll find some at the event with no effort, but you’ll have more opportunities if you let people know that you’re coming to the event.
What is the ratio of Got-a-Rooms to Need-a-Rooms?
It’s about 1:2. It varies. Sometimes it’s 1:1, sometimes it’s 1:4. We are taking steps to shift the attendance towards an even ratio. We often promote events to those that are offering rooms by making it free for them. Read the specifics about a particular event on it’s RSVP page to see what special offers exist for that event.
What if it doesn’t work for me?
Getting a room isn’t the only positive thing we are providing. The event also helps people gain information about the neighborhoods of New York and tips for dealing with this apartment hunt process. People are almost always happy with the service that we provide. If you’re completely unsatisfied with the event just tell us. We’ll simply refund your payment. For a refund you must first attend the event and give it a fair shot.