Living with roommates is practically a rite of passage in New York City. It often begins with far too many people sharing too little space and ends with a move into an apartment of one\u2019s own, or with that special someone.<\/p>\n
But with rents reaching new highs, single 20-somethings are not the only ones looking for someone with whom to share the rent. Couples are living with roommates even after they\u2019ve tied the knot.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf we were in Iowa, it would be weird,\u201d\u009d said Josh Jupiter, 28, who, with his wife, Isabel Mart\u00c3\u00adn Pi\u00c3\u00b1eiro, 26, recently posted an ad on SpareRoom.com seeking a roommate to share the two-bedroom, one-bath apartment they rent in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. \u201cIf we were in Michigan, it would be weird. In New York City, it\u2019s like, \u201d\u02dcHow many people can you cram into an apartment, married or not?\u2019 We live in one of the most expensive cities in the world.\u201d\u009d<\/p>\n
Sure, it may sound like the makings of a reality TV show. And there are plenty of ways to cut housing costs other than taking on a roommate. But couples like Mr. Jupiter and Ms. Pi\u00c3\u00b1eiro say they would rather relinquish a spare room than contend with an extra-long commute, a smaller place or a less desirable area.<\/p>\n