Results and Reflection:
The home buying simulation exposed me to the world of home ownership and mortgages. I realized that finding a home involves considering other factors besides how many bedrooms the home contains and what the home looks like on the outside. I was able to experience how it feels to look for a home with having to consider the quality of life and education that I would like to give “my children.” In addition, I was able to compare the cost of homes in areas around Hartford. In the process, I discovered which areas had a higher cost of living, as well as, whether or not the housing was well maintained. More importantly, I was exposed to the correlation between the neighborhood one lives in and the school districts that their children attend. For example, had my family chosen to live in a $264,000 home in Glastonbury, CT, my two children would attend a school district that has three magnet schools (one for each grade range), has 2011 CMT testing scores in which 90% of students were at/above the goals, and has a strategy to include parents, community, and staff in the education of the children. Whereas, if my family had chosen to live in a $129,000 home in New Britain, CT, then my two children would be able to attend school in a school district that has one elementary magnet school, has 2012 CMT scores that rank them at 7th among other districts with 20-30% at/above the goals, and has a summer program based on literacy. Overall, I learned that higher priced suburban homes are correlated with school districts that are more improved and have more options for schooling. I believe this is related to the neighborhood the housing is available in, as well as, the income of the residents, and how suburbs with higher priced living are often able to afford higher priced educations for the children.
In order to make the housing simulation capable on the web, one might consider creating a form on a webpage. This form could then be filled in with appropriate information depending on the student’s scenario. The student can use a calculator on the computer to make necessary calculations or use the calculators that are provided online. Making the links available on a single webpage (instead of in a separate Word document) would also be an option.
Please click here to view my completed housing simulation.