Finding an Apartment Project

For this project, you will need to decide what features are important to you for finding your first apartment. Imagine
yourself ready to move out of your parents house or away at college and needing a place to live. Where would you want
to be? What things do you need and want in an apartment? How much can you afford?

Background Answer these questions in complete sentences. Change your answers to bold or another color
1. Where do you want to live and why? (City/country, what state/area?)

2. Will you be living with a roommate, multiple roommates, or alone? Why?

3. What are the 5 most important features or amenities of an apartment for you? Use the PDF Apartment Checklist
for ideas and write 1 sentence for each to explain why it is important.


4. Find TWO apartments that meet many (or all) of your qualifications and fill out the information you can on this
table.
apartments.com, forrent.com
zillow.com or trulia.com just set filters to RENT
NOT rent.com (you need to make an account)
Search your college newspapers classifieds section too!

Qualification Apartment #1 NAME Apartment #2 - NAME
Location
Lynchburg, VA
24501
Santa Monica, CA 90405
Number of
Bedrooms
2 beds 3 beds
Number of
Bathrooms
1.5 baths 3 baths
Square
Footage
924 sqft 2,164 sqft
Rent amount
$375 /mo $800 /mo
Length of lease
(month/year)
Lease: One Year

Lease: One Year

List apartment
features
Ceiling Fan
Deck
Flooring: Hardwood, Tile
Furnished
High Speed Internet Ready
Lawn
Patio
Storage

Attic
Basketball Court
Ceiling Fan
Controlled Access
Disability Access
Dock
Doorman
Double Pane/Storm Windows
Elevator
Fenced Yard
Fireplace
Fitness Center
Flooring: Hardwood, Tile
Furnished
Garden
Gated Entry
Greenhouse
High Speed Internet Ready
Hot Tub/Spa
Intercom
Jetted Tub
Lawn
Mother-in-Law
Over 55 living
Pond
Pool
Porch
RV Parking
Sauna
Security System
Skylight
Sports Court
Sprinkler System
Storage
Tennis Court
Transportation
Vaulted Ceiling
Waterfront
Wet Bar
Wired

Security
deposit
N/A N/A
Layout of the
apartment
Open floor, one floor Open floor
Pictures

larger
1.

Utilities
included
(water,
garbage,
electric, heat,
etc.)
Laundry: In Unit
Heating: Forced air
Cooling: Central, Other
Dishwasher
Garbage disposal
Microwave
Range / Oven
Refrigerator
Washer

Garbage disposal
Microwave
Range / Oven
Refrigerator
Trash compactor

Parking On street Driveway
Pet policies No pets Allowed
Other costs Dont know Dont know
Other
interesting
information
Built in 2006

Breakfast nook
Dining room
Family room
Library
Master bath
Mud room
Office
Pantry
Recreation room
Solarium / Atrium
Walk-in closet
Workshop
Built in 1946
Last remodel year: 1959

Roommate(s)
or Alone
Alone Alone
5. Now compare your two options. Which one would you prefer to live in? Why did you decide on this apartment?



6. Will you be able to afford this apartment?
a) Assume you earn the median salary for high school graduates working full time - $29,950 per year.
i. First, find your net income by multiplying your salary by 0.75 = _______
ii. Then, find how much you will take home per month by dividing that number by 12 = __________
iii. Next, find what you should spend for rent by multiplying that number by 0.30 = ________
iv. Is the rent for the apartment less than what you calculated in the line above?
v. If yes is this a good idea? Why?
vi. If no could you afford the apartment with a roommate?
b) Assume you have the average income of a full-time college student, which is $14,400 according to the
National Center for Educational Statistics.
i. First, find your net income by multiplying your income by 0.75 = _______
ii. Then, find how much you will take home per month by dividing that number by 12 = __________
iii. Next, find what you should spend for rent by multiplying that number by 0.30 = ________
iv. Is the rent for the apartment less than what you calculated in the line above?
v. If yes is this a good idea? Why?
vi. If no could you afford the apartment with a roommate?
c) Assume you make the median salary of a person in the career field youre interested in. Look up the salary
on https://www.bls.gov/ooh
i. First, find your net income by multiplying your salary by 0.75 = _______
ii. Then, find how much you will take home per month by dividing that number by 12 = __________
iii. Next, find what you should spend for rent by multiplying that number by 0.30 = ________
iv. Is the rent for the apartment less than what you calculated in the line above?
v. If yes is this a good idea? Why?
vi. If no could you afford the apartment with a roommate?