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 want to live in Boston, Massachusetts because I want to go to attend Emerson College.
Will you be living with a roommate, multiple roommates, or alone? Why?
I will be living with multiple roommates because I will need to split the rent with a lot of people to be able to afford
it.
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.
-Is there nearby public transportation?- I will need to be close to public transportation so I can commute to school
every day, or take the train home to New Jersey on weekends.
-Is there a lot of noise in the building/neighborhood?- Id prefer to live somewhere quiet so I can focus on
schoolwork when Im at home.
-Is the apartment furnished?- I will probably need a furnished apartment so I wouldnt have to bring furniture all the
way from New Jersey to Massachusetts, or buy new furniture there.
-Is the neighborhood safe?- Since I would be living here as a young college student, I need to make sure Im in a safe
area.
-Is the landlord responsible for repairs?- I would need a landlord to do household repairs since I cant do them
myself.
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 West Roxbury, MA Boston, MA
Number of
Bedrooms
2 1
Number of
Bathrooms
1 1
Square Footage 1007 sqft 655-672 sqft
Rent amount $1500-$1915 $2,200-$2,750/month
Length of lease
(month/year)
varies 12 months
List apartment
features
Balcony, air conditioning, dishwasher,
washer/dryer, pool, fitness center
Air conditioning, dishwasher, washer/dryer,
furnished, fireplace, high speed internet, garage
Security deposit varies varies
Layout of the
apartment
(see pictures) (see pictures)
Pictures


Utilities included
(water, garbage,
electric, heat, etc.)
Information not available Heat and central air included in rent
Parking Information not available Parking garage
Pet policies Information not available No pets allowed
Other costs Information not available Parking space fee: $225
Other interesting
information
Located right outside Boston Only minutes to downtown Boston, convenient
to major highways
Roommate(s) or
Alone
Roommates Roommate
Now compare your two options. Which one would you prefer to live in? Why did you decide on this apartment?
I would prefer to live in the first apartment because it is less expensive.


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 = _$22,462.50______
ii. Then, find how much you will take home per month by dividing that number by 12 =
__$1,871.88________
iii. Next, find what you should spend for rent by multiplying that number by 0.30 = __$561.56______
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, I could afford this apartment with
three roommates.
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 = _$10,800______
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? No
v. If yes is this a good idea? Why?
vi. If no could you afford the apartment with a roommate? No, I could not afford this 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 = _$40,410______
ii. Then, find how much you will take home per month by dividing that number by 12 =
_$3,367.50_________
iii. Next, find what you should spend for rent by multiplying that number by 0.30 = _$1,010.25_______
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, I could afford this apartment with
one roommate.