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Here's a business that you can start with an absolute minimum investment.  Practically anyone who lives in a city of any size anywhere in the country can expect to do well with this business.

The income and market potential for this service is virtually unlimited.  Rent increases that have far outpaced wage increases have brought about a tremendous need for a method to alleviate the cost of housing.  Also, many apartment complexes are being converted into expensive condominiums.  These two factors have created a problem of gigantic proportions for millions of people who are concerned about keeping a roof over their heads.  You can make big money solving the problem with your own roommate finding service.

This is an ideal online business.  All you need do is build up a database of people seeking roommates and then charge a membership fee (say $40 per year) for access to that database information.   Give members the the facility to import a scanned snapshot of themselves and have them fill out an online form with all relevant information.  This online form then gets imported into your searchable database and members can make contact with each other if they like what they see.  Be sure to include a responsibility disclaimer in your membership sign up application.

Good advertising (online AND offline) will play a most important part in getting this business off the ground.  For offline marketing, make up a good circular or "flyer" detailing your roommate finding services, and listing your URL/email address.  Get these flyers on as many bulletin boards in your area as possible.  Get them in grocery stores, barber shops, community colleges, beauty salons, bowling alleys; the list of places to "billboard" your flyers is endless.  Another idea is to set up "take-one" boxes in as many retail places of business as you can.  Don't overlook the value of placing your flyers on car windshields - particularly around apartment complexes, and in the parking lots of the colleges in your area.  You might even pay the downtown parking lot attendants to slip one under the windshield wiper of each car he parks on Monday.  If you do a good job with the make-up of your flyer, and use your imagination in getting them into the hands of your prospective clients, you'll have no trouble moving your new business into the black quickly.

Also, you'll need to run regular ads in your area newspapers.  The best headings to run your ads under is the Personals Column.  Your ad might read:

Need A Roommate?  We'll find the ideal roommate
for you!  Everything handled on a strictly
confidential basis.  For details, call Jan, Mary, or
Carol.