SpeedRoommating – a new event coming to Phoenix – is promising to make the process of finding roommates more enjoyable by taking things offline, and into a local bar.
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Loosely based on speed dating but without the rigid format (no tables or timers), this is a mixer for people advertising rooms to rent and people looking for rooms and roommates. They simply show up at the venue, choose a sticker – ‘I need a room’ or ‘I need a roommate’ – grab a drink and work the room.
SpeedRoomating is hosted by roommate matching site SpareRoom. According to its latest rental data, renting a room in the Phoenix, AZ metropolitan area now costs $1,000 per month on average – a 6.5% increase on the previous year. It also reports an affordability gap of $190 per month between renters’ average budgets and asking prices. Meanwhile, competition to secure rooms is fierce.
By getting those advertising rooms together with people looking for rooms to rent, the hosts of SpeedRoommating aim to make finding rooms to rent in Phoenix a positive, social experience, rather than a stressful, high-pressure one. Roommates can also use the opportunity to ‘buddy up’ with others with a view to renting whole apartments together rather than by the room.
Phoenix’s first SpeedRoommating event is free to attend (registration here) and will be held at Angel’s Trumpet Ale House, 810 N 2nd St, 85004 on Thursday, March 13, 7PM-10PM.
Rupert Hunt, founder and CEO of SpareRoom, says: “When you share your home, the people you live with are by far the most important factor. SpeedRoommating takes the legwork out of finding somewhere to live and, most importantly, lets you meet and vet lots of potential roommates in one go, which can be a real time-saver. For those new to Phoenix, it’s also a great opportunity to make new connections in the area and get local recommendations.
“I’ve been building apartment-share technology since 1999. We can speed up and take the hassle out of finding somewhere to live, but, as we all learned the hard way in recent years, it’s not easy to make true connections through a screen. You can’t read someone’s body language, feel their energy or create a spark. We also know that people are looking to attend more events in the real world because they spend too much time online or working remotely. Loneliness is a growing problem for all generations.
“If you’re wondering what to chat about on the night, you can’t go too far wrong with music. It’s the number one interest for both men and women using our platform, and fitness, cooking and travel are high on the list too. That might give people a few ideas for ice breakers.”
