We made a huge mistake when we picked our most recent roommate. Huge. I honestly can’t understand where we went wrong, but we picked someone who is so completely non-suited to living with us that it’s almost hilarious. Apparently the expectation that one would do their dishes in a timely manner / pitch in with the housework / not leave rotting food everywhere is a little too much for some people.
He claims he’s moving on, but we don’t really believe it. Our landlord forces us to put our roommates on the lease, so we’re pretty much powerless to force him to leave. Unless I pull out all the bitch in me, which I’m really, really trying to avoid doing. But it is so hard. Last week he left a bowl of rotting rice on the counter for SEVEN DAYS. Will had to ask him to deal with it before it was gone. By the end, it was literally coated in black mold. I almost took a photo to prove it to you guys but that’s just gross.
In the end, this might be a good thing. This foray into terrible-roommate-land has left Will and I wanting our own place. And now we are on the hunt.
With everyone else. We love living in the Temescal neighborhood of Oakland, but there’s not a lot available and a great many people are looking. After our first open house, I knew we needed to do something to make ourselves stand out. I’d heard of the concept of a “Rental Resume” where you summarize why the property owner should choose you.
Here’s our attempt:
Rent to Us
Jennifer (Jen) Heller
Will Roby
<-Pictured here in Paris, France, June 2011
About Jen
Jen left her job at a non-profit in Berkeley to pursue her dreams of being a small business owner in 2009…right when the economy collapsed. A few hard lessons and years later, her company, Artsy Geek, now boasts a staff of seven contractors and steady income!
Jen loves clean kitchens, cooking magazines and art classes.
About Will
Will has taught in the Richmond School District for the last five years. Though it’s rarely an easy job, he takes joy in helping high school students find their potential.
In his spare time, Will voraciously reads historical non-fiction (he loves biographies) and expands his record collection.
We’re Responsible
We’ve been together as a couple for over five steady years, and have lived together for the past two years. We pay rent on time every time.
We keep the house clean and tidy and are conscientious neighbors. We try to be as green as possible, and recycle and compost whenever we can.
Our Cat, The Guster
Gus lounges around all day catching up on his zs. An aged cat of 11 years old, he has his routines and he sticks to them. Don’t even try keeping his dinner away!
Gus is potty trained and well behaved. He loves snuggling up on the couch but only on his schedule.
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