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 would like to live in Virginia U.S.A
2. Will you be living with a roommate, multiple roommates, or alone? Why?
A roommate because they can split the cost and relieve some of the stress if living by yourself.
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.

5 important thing in an apartment are, Dishwasher, oven, fridge, washer, heat/cool air
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!

Qualificatio
n
Apartment #1 NAME Apartment #2 - NAME
Location
1230 Mottrom Dr, Mc
Lean, VA 22101

2158 Evans Court Falls Church, VA 22043
Number of
Bedrooms
5 2
Number of
Bathrooms
9 1
Square
Footage
7,433 sqft
875 1071 sqft
Rent
amount
12,500 /mo
$1370 $1750
Length of
lease
(month/ye
ar)
12 months 12 months
List
apartment
features
Attic
Fireplace
Partial basement
Wet Bar
Full media room
Washer / Dryer
Unfurnished Available
High Speed Internet Available
Pool
Package Receiving
Playground
Fitness Center: Free
On-Site Management

Security
deposit
Does not list $250
Layout of
the
apartment
Does not provide a layout

Pictures



Utilities
included
(water,
garbage,
electric,
heat, etc.)
Cooling: Central
Heating: Forced air
Garage
Dishwasher
Dryer
Garbage disposal
Microwave
Range / Oven
Refrigerator

Same as to the left
Parking Garage Onsite parking lots
Pet policies Non mentioned Cats small/large dogs only
Other costs none none
Other
interesting
informatio
n
Additional features:
Basement, Bedroom,
Cooktop, Cooling
System: Ceiling Fan(s),
Cooling System: Zoned
A/C, Eat-In Kitchen,
Full Bath, Half Bath,
Heating system: Hot
Water, Heating system:
Zoned, Ice Maker,
Kitchen, Parking Type:
Driveway, Parking
Type: Garage, Parking
Type: Open, Parking
Type: Paved or
Surfaced, Sitting
Room, Storage, Study,
Vacuum System

Located near the shopping and business centers of Tysons Corner, The
Oaks at Falls Church offers urban-style living with recently renovated
apartments. The community sits in a wooded enclave off of Leesburg
Pike which acts as your conduit to everything that you expect for an
active lifestyle. Convenient shopping is located adjacent to the
community. The Falls Church Metro station is one mile from the
community with additional easy access to the Capital Beltway (495) and
I-66. Elementary School: Lemon Road Elementary: Joyce Kilmer, High
School: Marshall, Universities/College: George Mason/NOVA.
Roommate
(s) or Alone
Roommates Roommate
5. Now compare your two options. Which one would you prefer to live in? Why did you decide on this apartment?



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.
1. First, find your net income by multiplying your salary by 0.75 = ___ 22462.50____
Then, find how much you will take home per month by dividing that number by 12 =1871.87_______
i. Next, find what you should spend for rent by multiplying that number by 0.30 = _ 561.56 _______
ii. Is the rent for the apartment less than what you calculated in the line above? less
iii. If yes is this a good idea? Why?
iv. If no could you afford the apartment with a roommate? Possibly because the rent is at lowest
1370 and I would only pay 560 which presents a problem but if someone was willing to pay more
than half it would work.
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.
1. First, find your net income by multiplying your income by 0.75 = __ 10800 _____
1. Then, find how much you will take home per month by dividing that number by 12 = ____ 900 ______
1. Next, find what you should spend for rent by multiplying that number by 0.30 = __ 270 ______
i. Is the rent for the apartment less than what you calculated in the line above? Yes
ii. If yes is this a good idea? Why?
iii. If no could you afford the apartment with a roommate? No the roommate would be paying over
a thousand dollars that would be no deal for that person.
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 48,980
i. First, find your net income by multiplying your salary by 0.75 = __36735_____
ii. Then, find how much you will take home per month by dividing that number by 12
=_3061.25________
iii. Next, find what you should spend for rent by multiplying that number by 0.30 = _918.375____
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? I could comfortably pay with a
roommate. I would make enough to pay and have extra left over.