Finding An Apartment
Finding An Apartment
Finding An Apartment
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?)
Olympia, Washington, USA
2. Will you be living with a roommate, multiple roommates, or alone? Why?
I would at least like to live with one roommate because even though I have my own room, I would still like to have
someone to live with.
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.
Electricity, plumbing, appliances, heating and cooling units, and grocery shopping nearby.
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
1900 Black Lake Blvd. SW Olympia, WA 98512 34 Western Ave. #11 Ewing, NJ 08618
Number of
Bedrooms
2 1
Number of
Bathrooms
1 1
Square Footage 916 735
Rent amount $865-$895 $850-$885
Length of lease
(month/year)
6,7,9, or 12 months 12 months
List apartment
features
Vinyl carpet, wood fireplace, electric heat,
electric range, combined shower and bathtub
Hardwood floors, air conditioning (window),
Heating, Gas (range), combined shower and
bathtub
Security deposit
Layout of the
apartment
Pictures
Utilities included
(water, garbage,
electric, heat, etc.)
Trash pickup Gas, heat, water, trash pickup
Parking Parking garage, assigned parking, parking lot,
carport
Assigned parking, parking lot
Pet policies Cats Allowed, Small Dogs Allowed, Large Dogs
Allowed, Pets Negotiable, Pet Interview
Required
No pets
Other costs
Other interesting
information
Free tanning bed for residents, In-Door and
Out-Door pools
Water heating
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?
Option 2 because for right it is closer to the collage that Im thinking about going to and that would be a good choice
for me.
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?