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?)
I want to live in Dumont New Jersey in the United States of America
2. Will you be living with a roommate, multiple roommates, or alone? Why?
possibly it would be a lot of help
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.
A nice fridge, air conditioning, pets allowed, a decent sized yard, and 2 bathrooms and a nice shower.

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
7 Mansfield Village Hackettstown, NJ 07840
Number of
Bedrooms
2
Number of
Bathrooms
1
Square Footage 1130
Rent amount $990-$1065
Length of lease
(month/year)
12 months
List apartment
features
http://propimages.apartments.com/100/5378/2689082.jpg
Security deposit $990-$1065
Layout of the
apartment
http://propimages.apartments.com/100/5378/2689082.jpg
Pictures http://propimages.apartments.com/100/5378/2689036_64.jpg
http://propimages.apartments.com/100/5378/2689043_64.jpg

Utilities included
(water, garbage,
electric, heat,
etc.)
Air Conditioning
Dishwasher
Unfurnished Available
Playground


Parking Street Parking
Parking Lot


Pet policies none
Other costs
Other interesting
information

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

I prefer to live in the Mansfield one because it is nicer

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 = __22462.50_____
ii. Then, find how much you will take home per month by dividing that number by 12 =
____1871______
iii. Next, find what you should spend for rent by multiplying that number by 0.30 = ____561____
iv. Is the rent for the apartment less than what you calculated in the line above? less
v. If yes is this a good idea? Why?
vi. If no could you afford the apartment with a roommate?yes
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 = __10800_____
ii. Then, find how much you will take home per month by dividing that number by 12 =
____900______
iii. Next, find what you should spend for rent by multiplying that number by 0.30 = ____270____
iv. Is the rent for the apartment less than what you calculated in the line above? less
v. If yes is this a good idea? Why?
vi. If no could you afford the apartment with a roommate? probably not
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 = ___29092.5____
ii. Then, find how much you will take home per month by dividing that number by 12 =
____2424.37______
iii. Next, find what you should spend for rent by multiplying that number by 0.30 = ____727.31____
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? Yes it is it would be perfect.
vi. If no could you afford the apartment with a roommate? it would be better with a roommate