Within the past few years, numerous "roommate services" have cropped up on the Internet.

The Roommate Connection is the oldest and largest agency in the Boston area. Our staff has been matching roommates longer than anyone in the entire country. We have decades of referrals from satisfied clients, referrals from companies and schools throughout the area. This is something that only comes with experience, and an established name. We have been in business longer than ALL of the other 'so called' Boston area roommate services/ websites COMBINED - most of which are based in other parts of the USA. And most importantly, while we can't work with you if you're seeking a roommate in East Fairbanks, Alaska, we DO only work with the Boston metro area and suburbs. We're local. We're known. We advertise locally - and not just on the internet.

Ask any of your friends - Roommate Connection always comes up first! Many of these so called "Roommate Websites" have been established literally for a matter of weeks - many have already closed up! One recently popped up and claimed they've been in business for ten years! They don't know Boston or the area - because they're based in California! (In fact, one service had a Boston location choice of "Brooklyn" and a South End listing on the beach!

We are NOT just a website. All of our information is verified and entered by human beings. We have real people who actually know the area whom you may call anytime with questions or problems. You are assigned a representative with experience in the roommate business to answer any questions and offer suggestions and advice. This is our only business, and we know it better than anyone. Most 'website databases' have no people involved. Have a question? Problem? Need advice? Forget it... nobody's home! Most don't even have a telephone number! In fact, already we are seeing Internet roommate services 'disappear'. If nobody pays to advertise with them, there is no reason to offer a free service. Easy come, easy go.

Many services offer free "previews". Beware! These are old, outdated, NON screened listings - a bait and switch tactic to get you to join!

Most internet websites offer 'free listings'..... the caveat is that you cannot contact anyone unless you PAY. And even if you do pay and contact someone, many won't allow a response to your message unless THEY pay. Of course, most people want to find a roommate for free - therefore these services do not work as well as they like to make it appear. Only a very small percentage of people are actually paying to use these services and therefore actually able to contact prospective roommates.

All of our clients pay a fee to use our agency, and are serious about finding a roommate. This prevents bogus entries on roommate websites, which are frequent when 'anyone' can enter their information in a free-for-all database online.

Your private life is no longer private when certain information is released over the Internet. Our information is confidential - no last names, employment information or addresses are released to anyone. In addition, your e-mail address and phone numbers are only released to other serious, paying customers - it is not freely available on the Internet for anyone in the world to see.

If your information is released on the Internet, as with all internet based "roommate services/ web sites" you should be aware of the following:

Not everybody that is viewing your information has the slightest interest in a 'roommate'. If you were a single female advertising in the newspaper for a roommate, you can only imagine the types of calls you would receive. Magnify that by the millions and millions of additional people online........

If someone has your telephone number or e-mail address, they can use a reverse search to find out your full name, address, phone number, e-mail address - even a map to your home! This type of information is available on many websites - for free! By having any of this information freely distributed on the Internet, you are potentially opening yourself to any number of problems! Not to mention the spam e-mail that you will start receiving!

In June of 2001, a customer called to relate a story that happened to them. Using one of the larger, so called "national" web based agencies, based in Boston, he was unable to find a listing of a particular client. Using an online 'chat' form on the site, the customer service representative helped in locate this individual. He went back into their database and was inadvertently granted complete administrative access to the entire database! All personal information, including credit card numbers for their entire, national database! The Roommate Connection uses it's own, secure servers. Your credit card is processed by a human, not online by a machine, and is not emailed anywhere.

All customers using the Roommate Connection pay a fee to utilize our services, which virtually eliminates those looking for "something else". Our information is PRESCREENED and only released to the types of people you specify. Our dabase is not, and will never be on the Internet for anyone to access. Your information is only given to our customers via fax, email or postal mail.

Our information is current. Every listing you receive contains people who have been in touch with our company within a seven day period or less - no exceptions. You won't waste your time with outdated listings. Do you think people go back to all the free online services and delete their listing when they have found a roommate? Think again! Our experience has shown that even those services who 'claim' to purge files after a certain period of time - don't. It reduces the number of listings that you can 'preview' prior to your signing up. They'd rather wait until they have your money for you to find out that many of the listings are several months old!

Whether you have a place or are seeking housing, you will receive complete profiles of our customers so you will know something about them, even before they may call you. This prevents worthless e-mail messages from the 65 year old, skydiving fortune teller with 8 cats that simply says "I really like your place, can I set up an appointment to visit?"

You will know all about each client before they contact you. Age, sex, occupation, hobbies, interests. It's all about making your time more productive.

Are you from out of town? Don't have a local number for people to call you? Don't want to sit in your hotel room waiting for people to call? We rent cell phones with local numbers for only $1 per minute. This gives you first crack at actually speaking with prospective roommates when they call you. This way you do not waste your time playing "voice mail" phone tag for days.

Our screening is still, after all these years, the best in the industry. We don't just give you a general list explaining everyone's preferences - we SCREEN by over thirty characteristics, and ONLY give you the referrals who meet that criteria.