Shelby Sparkman didn’t have a bed.
For the first three days that she lived in her small, white house on Celia Avenue, she slept on the floor in her bedroom on top of a folded blanket. When she got her bed, her home seemed more complete; even though the rest of the small house came completely furnished. Everything was better.
With the cost to live on campus at many universities rising along with the tuition costs, many students are finding alternate ways to accommodate their living situations. The two most popular alternatives? Buying or renting a house or apartment.
For Shelby, buying a home about a mile and a half off of campus was the only option that crossed her family’s mind.
Shelby was accepted into Ball State University for the 2014/2015 school year, but spent her freshman year at Ivy Tech in Columbus instead because taking core classes at Ball State was too expensive for her. Owning a house with her sister has allowed the sophomore to now attend Ball State.
According to Collegeboard, the average amount a student pays for room and board for a public four year institution is $10,138. Ball State’s average for the 2015/2016 school year was $9,656 and is now $9,816. A study done by U.S. News shows that many students like Shelby are responding to this: 59 percent of students at Ball State live off campus.
Shelby’s mother Sandra bought her and her sister, Morgan, their house this past year and paid roughly $43,000 for it. The home came almost completely furnished, despite Shelby’s bed. Sandra pays the monthly mortgage payment of $385 and Shelby and Morgan pay for utilities each month totaling around $200. The house should be paid off in about 15 years.
Economics professor Cecil Bohanon agrees with the thought process behind this, saying that if the house sells on the market then it is a good idea.
“If you could buy a house for $40,000 and after all is said and done, the kid got to live there for free for four years. Then you sell it for $60,000, pocket the $20,000 difference. Sounds like a win-win deal,” Cecil said.
Shelby said that they considered an apartment as well as the house, but buying a house seemed like the better outcome.
“Together we would have been paying roughly around $700 every month. If you count my mother paying the mortgage, and then my sister and I paying the utilities, that’s still way under the monthly payment. It just seemed like the better idea,” Shelby said.
To continue reading, visit BallBearingsMag.com
Read More
Indiana's Free Mom Hugs organization and Muncie Outreach discuss how LGBTQ+ groups help strengthen pride in local communities
By Zach Gonzalez / YesterdayA hug can communicate warmth and love without saying a word. For LGBTQ+ individuals rejected by family members, a hug from Free Mom Hugs staff resembles affection they may not receive from those of their own household.
United Way’s 'Cradle to Career' initiative impacts elementary schools across the Muncie Community
By Katherine Hill / April 12, 2024Stepping inside any elementary school classroom during independent reading time, it’s not uncommon to look out amidst a sea of wandering eyes flickering from line to line, discovering what happens when you give a mouse a cookie and how hungry a caterpillar can be.
‘I Bleed Purple:' Standing at 96 years old, the Muncie Fieldhouse has made a lasting impact on the entire state of Indiana
By Kyle Smedley / April 11, 202412 people from the past and present reflect on their memories of the historic Muncie Fieldhouse. Nearing its 100th birthday, the Muncie Fieldhouse continues to be celebrated by community members, alumni and current players or staff.
