Compare Two Apartments With a Weighted Decision Sheet

A weighted apartment comparison sheet helps you compare two homes using your own priorities. First check must-haves, then divide 100 weight points among the things that matter, score verified details from 1 to 5, and multiply each score by its weight. Keep unknowns unanswered, not average. A higher total never overrides a must-have.

Which two apartments are you comparing?

Before giving either home a score, copy these details into your notes for Apartment A and Apartment B:

• Property name and address: [fill in]
• Apartment number and floor plan name: [fill in]
• Bedrooms and bathrooms: [fill in]
• Availability source and date checked: [fill in]
• Tour date and time: [fill in]
• Did you see this exact apartment, a model, or another home? [fill in]

For Sienna, use the floor plan catalog for layout information and the current availability page for the apartment being offered. A saved listing or a matching floor plan does not confirm that the exact home is still available or has the condition you saw.

Bring your apartment tour notes into the comparison rather than relying on memory. If you have not checked the actual home, use the apartment inspection checklist to prepare questions. A tour is not a professional inspection or a guarantee of future conditions.

What are your must-haves before you score?

Write down the requirements you cannot trade away: a budget you can afford, a move-in date you can meet, room for essential furniture, or a physical route you need to use. These are personal requirements, not claims about Sienna features.

Copy one line for each requirement:

Must-have: [requirement]. A: [meets / does not meet / unknown]. B: [meets / does not meet / unknown]. Evidence and date: [source]. Next check: [person or document, by date].

If an apartment does not meet a must-have, stop treating it as an acceptable option unless your requirement genuinely changes. If the answer is unknown, pause the final choice until you can check it. Good light or a high overall score cannot make an unaffordable payment or an unusable route work.

For a physical access need, describe the route and task you need to complete and ask leasing what can be verified. Do not infer access from a marketing label or from a website accessibility statement.

How should you choose the weights?

Choose your weights before calculating either apartment's total. The following seven categories add up to 100; they are an editorial starting point, not a recommended budget or a property rating.

Change the weights to fit your life, keeping the total at 100. A firm move-in deadline belongs in your must-have list as well as any timing preference you score.

Avoid counting the same advantage twice. If a desk fits under layout, do not award extra daily-routine points for that same desk space. Define what each category covers before scoring; split a category into smaller checks if it hides an important compromise.

Check the budget separately

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's guide to creating and keeping a budget explains comparing income with spending and updating your budget when circumstances change. Use your actual income and expenses to set your own limit; this worksheet does not establish affordability or qualification.

Keep recurring expenses separate from one-time payments and check when each payment is due. CFPB's Your Money, Your Goals toolkit includes a spending tracker and a cash-flow budget tool if you need help organizing those details.

For each apartment, record the written rent offer, required recurring charges, utility responsibilities, one-time payments, and the dates and terms that apply. Mark missing amounts unknown. Sienna's fees page and FAQ are starting points, not an apartment-specific quote or a complete lease offer. Ask leasing for the current written terms; do not fill a gap with a guessed building charge.

How do you score each apartment?

Use the same 1-to-5 scale for both homes:

• 1: does not meet this preference.
• 2: requires a substantial compromise.
• 3: workable, with a clear trade-off.
• 4: meets the need with a minor qualification.
• 5: strongly fits the need, supported by evidence.

Write one reason and a source beside every score, not just the high ones. Label the evidence observed in the exact apartment, documented in a dated written source, reported verbally, or unknown. Request written confirmation for answers that affect your commitment. A promise to repair something is not evidence that the repair is complete.

What if an answer is unknown?

Write unknown, not 0 or 3, and add who can answer and when you will follow up. Do not present a final total until every scored category has enough evidence. Do not divide by only the answered weights: that can make a home with missing information look better than one you checked thoroughly.

You can record a subtotal for answered categories, but label it incomplete and state the weight still unknown. For example, if 15 weight points remain unanswered, a subtotal of 60 out of 100 is not a final score. That category could contribute 3 to 15 points on this scale, so the possible total is 63 to 75, assuming all other scores stay fixed. A must-have still needs its own confirmed answer.

Copy this weighted apartment comparison worksheet

Copy the category cards into your own document or spreadsheet and replace the blanks. This is a worksheet to copy, not an online calculator; the page does not collect or save your answers.

Comparison date: [date]. A apartment number: [number]. B apartment number: [number]. Must-haves checked: [yes / unresolved, list].

Unanswered item: [question]. A or B: [home]. Weight affected: [points]. Who or what can confirm it: [source]. Follow-up date: [date].

Add each home's score-times-weight amounts, then divide by 5:

Weighted total out of 100 = sum of (score × weight) ÷ 5.

With every score between 1 and 5 and weights totaling 100, a complete sheet ranges from 20 to 100. It is a personal comparison, not a percentage of requirements met, a safety assessment, or a rating of either property.

Worked example: how are the totals calculated?

These fictional scores illustrate the arithmetic only. They are not Sienna prices, observations, availability or ratings, and the example assumes both homes meet all must-haves and have no unknown scores.

A: (100 + 80 + 45 + 75 + 20 + 30 + 25) ÷ 5 = 375 ÷ 5 = 75.

B: (75 + 100 + 60 + 45 + 40 + 40 + 10) ÷ 5 = 370 ÷ 5 = 74.

The one-point lead is a reason to examine trade-offs, not an instruction to choose A. In this example B's timing score is a preference compromise. If B cannot meet a firm required move-in date, B fails that must-have regardless of its 74-point total.

Would a small weight change alter your choice?

Try a change you could honestly make to your priorities. In the example, moving five weight points from layout to daily routine keeps the total weight at 100. A stays at 75 because its two scores are both 4. B rises to 76 because five points move from a score of 3 to a score of 5: (5 × (5 − 3)) ÷ 5 = 2 extra points.

The lead changes from A to B. That tells you the choice depends on how much layout versus daily routine matters to you; it does not prove either apartment is better. Write down why a revised weight makes sense instead of changing it just to favor a home.

What should you confirm before choosing?

Ask yourself:

1. Does either home fail a must-have, or still have an unanswered must-have?
2. Which compromise would I notice every day?
3. Which answer could change a heavily weighted score?
4. Are costs, timing and important terms current and in writing for the exact apartment?
5. Can I explain my preference without relying only on the total?

Use Sienna contact information for property-specific questions. If an answer depends on seeing the home, request a tour of the exact apartment when possible. A request does not confirm an appointment or availability.

Copy this follow-up message: “I am comparing apartment [number], floor plan [name], using information checked on [date]. Before I decide, could you confirm [cost, timing, condition or route question] in writing and tell me which apartment and terms the answer applies to? I still need to check [item].”

Finish your own notes with: I prefer [A/B] because [confirmed reason]. The compromise is [trade-off]. Before committing, I still need [answer or document]. Keep private financial information in your own records rather than sending the whole worksheet.

Common questions about comparing apartments

Should I always choose the apartment with the higher score?

No. A total summarizes your chosen weights and supported scores; it cannot override a must-have or an unanswered requirement. Use a close result to identify the trade-off or follow-up that matters most.

Can a cheaper apartment get a lower total?

Yes. If both homes fit your budget, a cheaper home may still score lower on other priorities. If a home is outside your affordable limit, do not let attractive features cancel that budget must-have.

Can I compare an apartment I have not toured?

You can start the sheet using clearly labeled documents and reported answers. Keep condition, measurements and other unchecked details unknown rather than treating a model visit or listing photo as proof about the offered home.

What if both apartments have the same total?

Review must-haves, unanswered questions and the compromise you would notice most often. A tie is not a need for decimal scores; it may mean you need better evidence or a clearer priority before deciding.