Boston & Cambridge, MA

[Usmivka]

I have pets in JP. I'm not sure housing without pet restrictions is any more common, but the neighborhood has generally lower rent than similar units in Cambridge or Somerville. There is a Harvard shuttle from Longwood to the main campus--Longwood is a 5 min T ride from the E terminus of the green line in northern JP. Alternately the 39 bus runs through most of JP and will take you there. This could cut down your total trip time to <30 min to Harvard and back depending on where in JP you are.

[feministfoodie]

I realize that the Brandeis area of Boston is different from Cambridge, but the Waltham thread is pretty dead.  Any advice on the rental market near Brandeis?  Is being 10 miles outside of Boston any cheaper than living in the city?

[CMEvans]

Does anyone have any recent thoughts or experience with Porter and/or Davis Square?  I am moving this summer to attend grad school at Harvard, and I am giving these spots strong consideration.  Any pros/cons of either area?  What is reasonable for a two bedroom in this area?  I am seeing some listings available for about $2000/month, but I was hoping for some better deals.

 

Also, is an August 1st move-in very likely for this area?  I'm really hoping to avoid a Sept.1 move.

[theophany]

Does anyone have any recent thoughts or experience with Porter and/or Davis Square?  I am moving this summer to attend grad school at Harvard, and I am giving these spots strong consideration.  Any pros/cons of either area?  What is reasonable for a two bedroom in this area?  I am seeing some listings available for about $2000/month, but I was hoping for some better deals.

 

Also, is an August 1st move-in very likely for this area?  I'm really hoping to avoid a Sept.1 move.

 

Both Porter and Davis are great. I'm hoping to live in Davis—it has a lot going on as far as restaurants, coffee shops, bars, etc. It is kind of hipster-y and prices in the area have gotten a bit more than they were just a few years ago. I have lots of friends who love Porter, too; one of its big benefits is that there is a Shaw's grocery store right in the square. Porter is somewhat calmer than Davis, because Davis has Tufts close by (which means more undergraduates). According to PadMapper, the median rent in Davis and Porter is ~$2500 for a 2BR. Boston is just expensive, and sticker shock will happen unless you're moving from NYC or Chicago. The further you are from a T station, the cheaper the place will be, on the whole. Cheaper rent can be found if you don't have a Sept 1 move-in, but those apartments are less numerous (but findable). 

[WordlTraveler]

I am deciding between Harvard and Stanford currently and looking at housing costs also. What is the range I can expect to find a nice room within an apartment with roommates close to Harvard? Nothing fancy, but nice and clean and comfortable. Please suggest! thanks!

[adagietto]

Both Porter and Davis are great. I'm hoping to live in Davis—it has a lot going on as far as restaurants, coffee shops, bars, etc. It is kind of hipster-y and prices in the area have gotten a bit more than they were just a few years ago. I have lots of friends who love Porter, too; one of its big benefits is that there is a Shaw's grocery store right in the square. Porter is somewhat calmer than Davis, because Davis has Tufts close by (which means more undergraduates). According to PadMapper, the median rent in Davis and Porter is ~$2500 for a 2BR. Boston is just expensive, and sticker shock will happen unless you're moving from NYC or Chicago. The further you are from a T station, the cheaper the place will be, on the whole. Cheaper rent can be found if you don't have a Sept 1 move-in, but those apartments are less numerous (but findable). 

I'd say NYC or San Francisco - as someone who's spent time in both Boston and Chicago, Boston is significantly more expensive both in terms of rent and in terms of literally everything else.

[moyru]

Thanks for all your tips! I really appreciate it!

So even if I don't plan on moving out until August, would it be possible to secure a place now? How would that work? 

[Crucial BBQ]

I realize that the Brandeis area of Boston is different from Cambridge, but the Waltham thread is pretty dead.  Any advice on the rental market near Brandeis?  Is being 10 miles outside of Boston any cheaper than living in the city?

I don't know what is up with Waltham, and it sounds rather bucolic. I would imagine it is similar to Newton, though, which equals $$$$.  Keep in mind that the further west you go from Boston the more white trash ghetto it gets....Amherst/Northampden being some exceptions. 

 

Does anyone have any recent thoughts or experience with Porter and/or Davis Square?  I am moving this summer to attend grad school at Harvard, and I am giving these spots strong consideration.  Any pros/cons of either area?  What is reasonable for a two bedroom in this area?  I am seeing some listings available for about $2000/month, but I was hoping for some better deals.

 

Also, is an August 1st move-in very likely for this area?  I'm really hoping to avoid a Sept.1 move.

Porter Square is cool; great area with access to the Red Line.  A good number of hipsters, college students, and what not without most of the riffraff found further down (or up?) Mass Ave (closer towards Kendal Square).  Despite doing under grand in Boston, I am not too familiar with Davis Square, but the area around Tufts is borderline ritchie-rich college student and ghetto.  The border of Somerville and Medford can get hectic and Tufts is on that border. 

 

Yes, an August 1st move-in is likely.  In fact, a good amount of Boston and Cambridge are going to be moving in and moving out although September 1st is the "big moving day".  It is rather insane and I am going to warn you:  start looking for a rental now...that's no joke.  You will need to secure a place by June at the latest with full deposit or else plan on living out of your car.  

 

I am deciding between Harvard and Stanford currently and looking at housing costs also. What is the range I can expect to find a nice room within an apartment with roommates close to Harvard? Nothing fancy, but nice and clean and comfortable. Please suggest! thanks!

I would expect to pay around $4000/month total for rent alone.  Yes, you can find something cheaper for sure, perhaps as low as $2300/month, but this is Boston/Cambridge.  Landlords will jack up the rent if they know you are a college student (and they will) and they will jack it up even higher if they know you are a grad student at Harvard (and they will.  Seriously, google it).  If you are already content with having roommates, I would strongly suggest looking to move into an already established place.  It is an expensive area and I guarantee it will not take you long to find a professional couple, or just friends, who are looking for someone to move in help out with rent. 

 

Nice, clean, and comfortable do not equal student housing in Boston/Cambridge.  Simply put, expect to pay a premium. 

[Lady Thoth]

Hey all,

 

I just got into the doctoral program at Northeastern and am now scrambling to find housing.  I have a dog and two cats and am considering hiring a rental agent to help with the process.  Any suggestions on a decent agent?  Or a few decent neighborhoods close to NU?  i don't mind if I have to jump on the commuter rail.

 

Thanks!

[eddotman]

Hey all,

 

I'm planning to live on campus at MIT this fall -- any comments on whether a single/double room is better?

[geekforgreek]

I'll be starting at Harvard in the fall woo! I just started looking into housing options, which are less woo. I know it's a bit early, but I find it helpful to look around and see what I can expect from the housing market.  

 

I'm going to be moving on my own, but hopefully my boyfriend will join me at some point during the year, so I want a 1 bedroom.  I have been working for a few years so I'm willing to pay up to $1800.  It's out of my ideal price range, but hopefully my boyfriend will join me halfway through the year to split the rent, and I can afford it for a year in the sad case that he doesn't end up moving.  I don't mind up to a 20 minute walk to campus, although I would prefer a shorter walk, and I would prefer a well-maintained property in a quiet area, preferably with hardwood floors and no carpeting because of ze germz.

 

A few questions:

 

Should I expect to pay a stupid broker's fee for most apartments, or are independently owned buildings common enough to avoid it?

Does anyone have an opinion on living in Cambridgeport?

Has anyone lived in Harvard University Housing (the apartments, not the residence halls)?

If so, are there any specific properties you would recommend or properties you would stay away from?

 

 

[QASP]

I like Cambridgeport quite a lot, but it's an area that changes block to block so it's good to visit if you are going to look for a place in that area. I think it's relatively quiet in the evenings in comparison to a lot of other neighborhoods.

 

Expect to pay a stupid broker's fee. I'm sorry. It's how it works in this city. It shouldn't be, but it's almost impossible to avoid. If you contact independently owned buildings, they will often tell you to contact a broker, who will then charge you a fee. Craigslist "no fee" rental listings now are filled with lying liars who say "fee negotiable." I'm not saying it's impossible, but it will severely limit your options and it's hard to find.

[theskinny]

Hi all,

 

Thanks for all of the great info on here. I'm curious if anyone has ideas for neighborhoods that are convenient (or equally inconvenient) for both BU and Tufts. Any thoughts? 

[EmperorRyker]

I like Cambridgeport quite a lot, but it's an area that changes block to block so it's good to visit if you are going to look for a place in that area. I think it's relatively quiet in the evenings in comparison to a lot of other neighborhoods.

 

Expect to pay a stupid broker's fee. I'm sorry. It's how it works in this city. It shouldn't be, but it's almost impossible to avoid. If you contact independently owned buildings, they will often tell you to contact a broker, who will then charge you a fee. Craigslist "no fee" rental listings now are filled with lying liars who say "fee negotiable." I'm not saying it's impossible, but it will severely limit your options and it's hard to find.

 

How much are broker fees then usually?

[QASP]

It varies, but typically broker's fees are one month's rent.

[levoyous]

Sorry if this question has been asked/answered:

 

How the hell are you supposed to find a place to live if all the leases start September 1, either the same day or a week after most schools' classes start? I assumed there would also be some available for June/July/August, which would be much better for moving, but the realtor just told me there wasn't a good chance of that. I'm really not interested in moving to a one or two-month sublet and then moving again. Help?

[AbrasaxEos]

You should be able to find somewhere available outside of the Sept. 1 date.  It depends on what it is you are looking for though.  There will be a higher chance of finding a place if you are moving in alone, or say with a partner.  The places which are roomate situations sometimes tend more towards the Sept. 1 move in.  I do think that you should be able to find somewhere even in the case though, check craigslist, it is a pain because there are a million duplicate listings, and who knows if any are still available, but realtors are slammed for the next three months here.  They have no need of your business, which is obnoxious, but having a few friends in the business, they tell me that the number of emails they get hourly is staggering, and they try their best to help everyone that they can.  So, look all of the time - many places get snapped up on the spot here in Boston, and places are out now for J/J/A, and the good ones won't be around for much longer. 

 

On the previous post - where on Beacon Street?  It is overall a pretty nice street, though hopefully when you say "a bit of an older guy" this also means that you also have a half million or more to spend on a 1 BR condo!

 

For the question a bit above, BU/Tufts convenient neighborhoods are a bit tough, unless one of you drives or is an avid biker.  Tufts isn't super accessible except by some buses (and about a 20 minute) walk from the Davis Sq. Red Line stop.  I don't know what the parking situation at Tufts is like, but going to BU I can tell you that it can get pricey to park there.  So, the best option might be Cambridgeport, if you can afford it.  You'd probably pay about $1800 for an older 1BR there.  This way you could bike, walk, or take the 47 bus across the BU bridge to get to BU, and then either the Red Line from Central to Davis and walk to Tufts, or get one of the buses that go out of Harvard Station a bit closer.  The hard thing is that the public transit options for BU tend to be mostly parallel with the river, which means that there isn't a super easy way to get across from Cambridge without having to go all the way downtown and back out.  You can live somewhere on the Boston side, but I think you'll find that the commute to Tufts gets exponentially more difficult this side of the river.  It is pretty deep in Medford.

 

On the broker fee - it is, as the other poster noted, de rigueur here in Boston unless you can find a privately owned building.  You can search on CL for "by-owner" apartments, which will make your results dwindle, but won't include any that have broker fees.  However, you won't be the only person who has this idea, and these apartments do tend to move really fast.  Like here is an example (extreme, but it happened to me, so not totally beyond the pale): I went and saw an apartment in Camrbridge that was posted by a private owner, and was a good deal for a nice place.  The person who lived there was showing it, and told me and the others who came to see it that the property manager was not in until Monday morning (it was a Sunday), so whoever showed up with the first month's rent and application at 7 AM Monday would get the apartment.  So, I was ready to do what I could, considered camping out there, etc.  However I got a call later in the day that the place was rented.  How? I wondered.  It turned out that another prospective tenant had looked up the tax record on the apartment, found the name of the owner, called him, and coaxed him to give him the name and phone # of the property manager, who he proceeded to call and set up a meeting on Sunday to give him the application and fee.  Things move fast.  Things that don't probably have something wrong with them and will be what the folks who think that they will show up on August 28th and find a place will get.  So, indeed, be ready to throw down a possibly astounding amount of money just to move in.  I think it is capped at 1 month broker/first/last ~or~ 1 month broker/first/security - so for a $1500 1 BR, you'd need $4500.  I might be wrong on this, and some places might not follow the rules and go for 4 months up front, but I think it is technically the law. 

 

So, best of luck!

[s.saliba222]

Hey everyone! So I just got into a graduate program at Boston University and am in the process of looking for off-campus apartment rooms. The listings thus far give me a choice of living on Mass Ave. (South End), Jamaica Plain (Mission Hill), and Block Beacon St. (South Campus; near BU). Does anyone know anything about these neighborhoods, particularly in terms of safety? Has anyone lived in/near one of these neighborhoods and want to share their experiences? Any information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks! 

[sharalaxp]

Hello, hello!

 

I'm moving to Cambridge early so I have time to adjust to my new environment 

I know once I begin my program, I won't really have that much time to explore without any stress!

Any suggestions on what I should do/see/visit during the summer before I begin? 

 

(So far, I have the Freedom Trail and the Museum of Fine Arts on my list.) 

 

Any suggestions will be welcomed! 

[VulpesZerda]

Hello, hello!

I'm moving to Cambridge early so I have time to adjust to my new environment

I know once I begin my program, I won't really have that much time to explore without any stress!

Any suggestions on what I should do/see/visit during the summer before I begin?

(So far, I have the Freedom Trail and the Museum of Fine Arts on my list.)

Any suggestions will be welcomed!

There is a LOT!

Go to a game at Fenway or do a tour of the park if you like baseball

The Boston Public Library is amazing

Boston Common and the Public Garden

Castle Island

I personally love the Aquarium and the waterfront is right there too

Sorry I don't know much about things to do in Cambridge first hand, but I hear good things about Mt. Auburn Cemetery, and there are museums at both Harvard and MIT.

[sharalaxp]

There is a LOT!

Go to a game at Fenway or do a tour of the park if you like baseball

The Boston Public Library is amazing

Boston Common and the Public Garden

Castle Island

I personally love the Aquarium and the waterfront is right there too

Sorry I don't know much about things to do in Cambridge first hand, but I hear good things about Mt. Auburn Cemetery, and there are museums at both Harvard and MIT.

 

Thanks! I will definitely add some of these to my list

[wetheplants]

Fanuiel Hall! Go to Copley Square and walk around!
Mt Auburn Cemetary is BEAUTIFUL although you might need to drive there, not sure.

[Linh Ho]

Hi all,

 

I am applying to Brandeis this Fall 2015. Since I'm an international student with a huge financial constraints, can you give me more information about living cost in Waltham? To the minimum cost.

[kara.spinney]

Hi, everyone. I was just accepted into the M.A. program in Mental Health Counseling at Boston College, and I'm trying to figure out what my living options are. My fiance and I were hoping to buy a house wherever we decided to move, but obviously there are not many options for buying a house near Boston.everything is very expensive, and crowded. Can anyone suggest a town/city near Boston College where the possibility of finding a house might be better? OR, where we could find a nice (affordable) apartment. We were really looking forward to buying a house and having a place of our own for the first time, our budget is about 250,000, but it seems like everything near Boston within that price range is kinda horrible. We're willing to be a max of 40 minutes away.

Thanks!

Edited February 2, 2015 by kara.spinney

[rwillh11]

Hi, everyone. I was just accepted into the M.A. program in Mental Health Counseling at Boston College, and I'm trying to figure out what my living options are. My fiance and I were hoping to buy a house wherever we decided to move, but obviously there are not many options for buying a house near Boston.everything is very expensive, and crowded. Can anyone suggest a town/city near Boston College where the possibility of finding a house might be better? OR, where we could find a nice (affordable) apartment. We were really looking forward to buying a house and having a place of our own for the first time, our budget is about 250,000, but it seems like everything near Boston within that price range is kinda horrible. We're willing to be a max of 40 minutes away.

Thanks!

Hi, 

Unfortunately I can't think of many areas that are both nice and within that price range that are within 40 minutes of Boston. If you wanted to rent an apartment you could look at Somerville; I know some people who have had luck renting pretty nice apartments there. But I can't imagine there are too many decent houses in the area of under $250,000, although I've never looked to do anything but rent so I could be wrong.