A Homies Success Story: Phillip and Eric in Orange County, CA

Phillip asked for a roommate close to his own age, just a little older. Eric is three months older.

Where Phillip Started

Phillip is 27. He was born and raised in Orange, works on the load crew at Smart & Final, and has played harmonica since he was three. His grandfather taught him. On stage he goes by Phillip Carleton.

This summer the family home was being sold, and Phillip was ready for a place of his own. His mom, Leslie, reached out to Homies in July. Phillip knew what he wanted. He wanted to stay in Orange, near the hiking parks and the gym he already drives to, with a roommate he could be himself around.

Here is how he introduced himself on his profile:

"Overall, I am a quiet and kind person. I enjoy meeting new people and making them laugh by telling jokes, and also connecting with them through my music."

Phillip, from his Homies profile.

Phillip on the trail, from his Homies profile.

Phillip Knew Who He Was Looking For

Matching took a few tries. Phillip met several potential roommates over the summer and was honest after every call. One was a lot older than him. One was younger. He told Taylor, our matchmaker, exactly what he was looking for:

"I want someone a little bit older than me to be my potential supportive roommate."

In August, Taylor interviewed Eric. Eric is 28 and grew up in Orange County. He led activities at the Boys & Girls Club, mentored teens in a residential program, and is working on a master's degree in clinical psychology. He is also a big sports fan, a cook, and a collector of Pokémon and sports cards.

One line in his profile stood out:

"I was a musician throughout high school, so I'm also no stranger to a jam session."

Eric, from his Homies profile.

Taylor sent Phillip his profile the next morning.

The First Meeting

Phillip and Eric first met on August 19, on a video call with Taylor.

A week later, Phillip, Leslie and Eric met in person at Rodrigo's, around the corner from Phillip's work. Leslie texted us afterward:

"I feel great! I'm so excited and happy for Phillip. Eric seems genuinely happy too. So many cool moments I wished I could have recorded."

Finding the Place

The housing search took about a month. Leslie knows Orange well and scouted neighborhoods. Phillip and Eric toured the place together and both liked it, so Leslie let the two of them decide.

They picked up their keys on October 1 and moved in on October 3. Phillip met Eric's family the same day.

What the First Five Weeks Look Like

Eric writes a short note about each day. A few of them:

October 6: "We celebrated National Taco Day and grabbed some tacos."

October 7: "Made dinner together and watched game shows :)"

October 16: "Grabbed dinner and listened to live music at the restaurant."

October 28: "Baked some peach cobbler, watched Wheel of Fortune, and went to the Halloween store."

Phillip is a longtime Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy fan.

On Halloween they handed out candy and baseball cards from the driveway. Eric was a cowboy. Phillip went as a musician. Their block won the City of Orange Halloween decoration contest.

Saturdays are for groceries. Eric plans the meals for the week and they cook most nights. Last week Phillip made dinner mostly on his own. The night before that, Eric took him to his first card show.

What's Next

Five weeks is early. They are still working out a weekly rhythm around Eric's evening classes and Phillip's shifts. That is normal for the first couple of months.

They are camping in Big Sur soon. After that, they are thinking about hosting both families at their place for Thanksgiving.

If your family is looking for a roommate like Eric, talk with our team. If you could be that roommate for someone like Phillip, learn about becoming a supportive roommate.