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
Where do you want to live and why? (City/country, what state/area?)
I would like to live in California, I like the beach
Will you be living with a roommate, multiple roommates, or alone? Why?
I will probably live with one or two roommates.
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.
1. Bathroom: this is important for most of the basics you need to get ready for
your day, it must have a mirror shower sink and toilet.
2. Bed/Couch: either or would be fine you need one of these to sleep on and to sit
3. Kitchen: must have oven, burners, fridge and sink these are important to make
and store food
4. Table: you would need a knee high table in front of your couch, you can use this
to eat off of and to do work or even prop your legs up on It

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
Location
Number of
Bedrooms
Number of
Bathrooms
Square
Footage
Rent amount
Length of
lease
(month/year)
List
apartment
features

Apartment #1 NAME

Apartment #2 - NAME

California
1

CA
2

750

940

950
N/A

1150
N/A

finest in modern amenities,

including a fitness center, a
swimming pool, and a sauna. With a
wide variety of apartment designs,
Ridgeview Apartments has a living
space for every need.

Clubhouse
Lounge
Storage Space
Outdoor Space
Sundeck
Fitness & Recreation
Fitness Center

Free Weights
Pool
Sauna
Spa
Features
Air Conditioning
Cable Ready
Heating
High Speed Internet Access
Smoke Free
Tub/Shower
Kitchen
Dishwasher
Disposal
Kitchen
Range

Security
deposit
Layout of the
apartment

N/A

Living Space
Carpet
Dining Room
Vinyl Flooring
Walk-In Closets
Window Coverings
N/A

Provides all utilities

Provides all utilities

Pictures

Utilities
included
(water,
garbage,
electric,

heat, etc.)
Parking
Pet policies
Other costs
Other
interesting
information
Roommate(s)
or Alone

Has a parking lot

No pets larger than a cat
N/A
Its a nice apt
Outdoor sundeck

Has a parking lot

No pets
N/A
Lounge

Roommates

Roomates

Now compare your two options. Which one would you prefer to live in? Why did you decide on
this apartment?

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 = 22462.5
ii. Then, find how much you will take home per month by dividing that number by
12 = 1871.875
iii. Next, find what you should spend for rent by multiplying that number by 0.30 =
561.5625
iv. Is the rent for the apartment less than what you calculated in the line
above? no
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? Yes
v. If yes is this a good idea? Why? Yes it was I can afford this
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 =35000
i. First, find your net income by multiplying your salary by 0.75 = ___26250____
ii. Then, find how much you will take home per month by dividing that number by
12 = ___ 2187.5 _______
iii. Next, find what you should spend for rent by multiplying that number by 0.30 =
__ 656.25 ______
iv. Is the rent for the apartment less than what you calculated in the line
above? no
v. If yes is this a good idea? Why?
vi. If no could you afford the apartment with a roommate? yes