Photo: Kyle Bray/WBZ NewsRadio
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — There's the old saying, 'You can't pick your neighbors.'
And that can sometimes be true for roommates, too.
But when people have the opportunity to pick their roommates, there's a better chance they can avoid trouble down the road.
That's where one Boston resident comes in with a new website that he's designed to help people make the right choice when picking a roommate.
Eric Boyer has experienced his fair share of bad roommates over the years. "I've seen it all," he said. "I've been a broker since 1979, so I've seen everything."
Boyer's list of bad roommate situations includes everything from scams to very bad fits.
That's why he started a website called RoommateAds.com.
Boyer said his website goes through the steps needed to help connect a random roommate with someone more apt to fit than repel.
He starts with identification verification to make sure people are who they say they are.
Then there's a series of questions and answers called a Roommate Quiz that helps match roommates with similar lifestyles, values, and temperament so that bad fits can hopefully be avoided.
The website can be used throughout the U.S., but Boyer said it's particularly helpful in the Boston area with its huge rental market. "We're blessed to have all these universities and hospitals and travelers, traveling nurses, things like that," he said.
Another important question that the quiz gets answered before it becomes a bigger issue: What room temperature are you most comfortable in?
WBZ NewsRadio's Kyle Bray (@KyleBrayWBZ) reports.