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 Baltimore Maryland because I like it there and think its really nice there.
2. Will you be living with a roommate, multiple roommates, or alone? Why?
I will be living with a roommate so that it costs less.
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.
Are washer are dyers available? I would like it to have a washer or dyer so I dont have to buy and worry about it
fitting in the apartment.
Is there air conditioning? I would not want to be living in an apartment that gets to hot
Does the place have good security? I dont want to be living in a place that I would not feel safe in
Is there enough space? I wouldnt want to live in a cramped apartment
pAre there extra fees for extra things? I want to live in an apartment where parking etc. is included
4. Find TWO apartments that meet many (or all) of your qualifications and fill out the information you can on this
table.
[Link], [Link]
[Link] or [Link] just set filters to RENT
NOT [Link] (you need to make an account)
Search your college newspapers classifieds section too!
Qualification Apartment #1 NAME Apartment #2 - NAME
Location Baltimore Maryland Baltimore Maryland
Number of
Bedrooms
2 2
Number of
Bathrooms
2 2
Square Footage 1,285 1,690
Rent amount 1,260 1,550
Length of lease
(month/year)
1 year 1 year
List apartment
features
Bedrooms, bath rooms, pets, laundry, parking,
free fitness center, in house restaurant
Storage, high speed ready internet, near
transportation, central cooling
Security deposit n/a 1,550
Layout of the
apartment
yes yes
Pictures yes yes
Utilities included
(water, garbage,
yes yes
electric, heat, etc.)
Parking Free yes
Pet policies Pets allowed yes
Other costs Cable
Other interesting
information
Free fitness center, pool, in house restaurant granite countertops, stainless steel
appliances, hardwood floors, master suite
bedroom, W/D, security intercom. Just 3
blocks from grocery store and restaurants,
Penn Station, Purple Line Circulator, JHU
Shuttle, and UMB shuttle; and less than ten
minutes from Downtown.
Roommate(s) or
Alone
Roommate roommate
5. Now compare your two options. Which one would you prefer to live in? Why did you decide on this apartment?
the second one because there is more room and it is closer so I could walk downtown
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 = _____22462.5__
ii. Then, find how much you will take home per month by dividing that number by 12 =
____18,718,.75______
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? I would be able to afford it with more
then one 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 = _____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 wouldnt be able to afford the
apartment
c) Assume you make the median salary of a person in the career field youre interested in. Look up the salary
on [Link]
i. First, find your net income by multiplying your salary by 0.75 = ___49,102.5____
ii. Then, find how much you will take home per month by dividing that number by 12 =
_40,918.75_________
iii. Next, find what you should spend for rent by multiplying that number by 0.30 =
_____1,227,562.5___
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 would be able to afford it with one
roommate
