Boston & Cambridge, MA

[DCA-John]

Starmaker - much appreciated!

Do you happen to know anything about this apartment complex?

http://www.parksideplaceapts.com/

really not our style at all, but in searching around, seems like a lot of people with kids wind up there by default after not being able to find a deleaded apartment.

[michpc]

Starmaker - much appreciated!

Do you happen to know anything about this apartment complex?

http://www.parksideplaceapts.com/

really not our style at all, but in searching around, seems like a lot of people with kids wind up there by default after not being able to find a deleaded apartment.

I agree with Starmaker on everything said. I haven't heard of Parkside, but the location is nice for families, being right on Fresh Pond. It is true that complexes like this are more likely to be deleaded, but if you have time to do hunting in person, it's worth it to look harder. I can't remember if I mentioned this, but Boston.com also has some apartment listings, which won't go as fast as Craigslist.

[itaal]

I've been checking out MIT graduate housing options and off-campus housing in Cambridge, but still can't decide if I want to stay on or off campus. I find living on campus a bit constricting, but since I'm an international student, I can't arrive until early-mid August and will have at most 3 weeks to look for an apartment. There's also an issue of finding roommates. A few people told me that it's hard to get a place at a price lower than the dorms. From what I've gathered so far about living in Cambridge/Somerville, if I share a 2-3 bedroom with other people, $800-900/month seems doable. On the other hand, a studio in the dorms costs $1155/month and for a 2-bedroom and a 3-bedroom, it's around $1000 and $850 respectively. So the on-campus housing options don't seem to be much cheaper, even if I include all the utility fees. Is MIT graduate housing worth the money? Also, how hard is it to find a decent enough apartment within 3 weeks?

[jendoly]

I live in a studio/efficiency in Ashdown (on campus), and I love it - nothing like a clean, new apartment close to lab. Not everyone is me, though, and some people don't mind living farther away in order to get a better deal. However, I would recommend you stay in graduate housing at least your first year, because so much of your social life and start at MIT will revolve around people who live in your building. I know a lot of people who are just staying here their first year and moving out once they meet good potential roommates. I had to apartment hunt recently for a friend who wasn't able to come up and look for himself, and it was...not a pleasant experience to do on short notice. It would be hard to do right at the start of school, and you probably would not find somewhere nearly as nice and convenient as Ashdown or SidPac for less than $900 for one room in a two person apartment. Then again, I was looking for apartments in January, not in August, but I can't imagine it's much better then. I hear the ideal time to find one is around April. I'll be staying in Ashdown for the foreseeable future. (:

Edited March 23, 2011 by jendoly

[starmaker]

DCA-John:

I agree that a big complex is more likely to be de-leaded, and will probably have more families. Also, this one appears to have central air conditioning/heat, which is a huge luxury around here. The location is a little meh, in my opinion (and it sounds like you value a lot of the same things that I do in an area). It's certainly nice enough (it's right on the border with Belmont, and Belmont is a little ritzier than Cambridge or Wartertown), and Fresh Pond is great to walk/run/bike/rollerblade around when the weather is decent, but that part of Huron Ave is wide and full of traffic during much of the day, and the walkability to stores and restaurants is, while far from bad, less good than a lot of the places that you have mentioned - some of those restaurants that they picture on their website as being "in the area" are a couple of miles away, at least. Ditto for the malls and shopping centers. Plenty of bikability, though - a couple of miles goes quicker on a bike than on your feet, and the combination of the Fresh Pond paths and a lot of bike lanes in that area make it relatively bike-friendly.

itaal:

If you are splitting an apartment of that size in Cambridge/Somerville, you should be able to do better than $800-900/month. Having done it, I'd expect that you can get into the $650-750/month range. That's not including utilities and heat, though.

Those dorm prices...do they cover utilities and heat? Because if they do, that's a much better deal than the raw numbers indicate, and about as good as you'll find anywhere. And some of the dorms provide furnishings, which will also save you money. If they don't cover utilities and heat, then you can do better for a convenient multi-room apartment, but probably not for a studio.

[beanbagchairs]

Hi,

I am wondering what is the minimum yearly stipend that you can live on comfortably in Boston. What I meant by "comfortable" is exercising good budgeting --being a somewhat frugal is alright, but not destitute--. The assumptions are that I wont be living in a reduced-price graduate housing, having a car, or supporting someone else..

thanks.

[jendoly]

If you are splitting an apartment of that size in Cambridge/Somerville, you should be able to do better than $800-900/month. Having done it, I'd expect that you can get into the $650-750/month range. That's not including utilities and heat, though.

Those dorm prices...do they cover utilities and heat? Because if they do, that's a much better deal than the raw numbers indicate, and about as good as you'll find anywhere. And some of the dorms provide furnishings, which will also save you money. If they don't cover utilities and heat, then you can do better for a convenient multi-room apartment, but probably not for a studio.

I was including utilities and heat and internet, etc, in my own estimate for off campus living. The graduate student housing prices DO include all those things, as well as a lot of other benefits (in-house gym, restaurant/bar (in the case of Ashdown), terabyte internet down), and furnishings in all but Edgerton. I consider that a pretty big boon, on top of convenience of location, but I've heard from my friends that want to move out that they don't want to pay a premium for those conveniences - it all comes down to your personal preference. Also, it's nice knowing that there definitely aren't bedbugs in the grad dorms (yet, of course...), while when you're apartment hunting otherwise, sometimes you just don't know. And sometimes people will screw you out of an apartment. My friend said yes to a place after I checked it out for him, got on the road to drive up here that day, and the guy signed it over to someone who walked in with cash in hand that day, even though I would have been willing to pay him right there if he'd asked. Really, bad taste in my mouth about apartment hunting up here, especially when a lot of the tenants leaving are students for whatever reason and their first interest is in themselves and not your successful moving in.

Hi,

I am wondering what is the minimum yearly stipend that you can live on comfortably in Boston. What I meant by "comfortable" is exercising good budgeting --being a somewhat frugal is alright, but not destitute--. The assumptions are that I wont be living in a reduced-price graduate housing, having a car, or supporting someone else..

thanks.

I'd say $2000 a month is the minimum that you could roll on without feeling serious pressure, if you're counting on tax being taken out of that. That also assumes that you cook a fair amount and don't go out a whole lot, and that you don't want to be spending down to zero every month (keeping some for a rainy day). You could probably do less, but not without limiting yourself in some manner (living with 2+ apartment mates, living 45+ minutes away from your school by T, etc)

Edited March 24, 2011 by jendoly

[HopefulGrad2B]

Hey everyone! I have a question about summer apartment leases in Cambridge/Boston. My dept. at Harvard is subsidizing a few incoming students interested in taking a Harvard Summer School course this summer. This possibility appeals to me a lot. It starts in late-June. When would I need to sign a lease by to secure an apartment from like mid (or even early) June? I would then want to live there during the school year but just until the following summer. (I would then use my summer grant money to do some research abroad) Thanks a lot in advance!

[elizalou]

Yes, Lower Allston is much less undergrad oriented, and the 66 bus runs quite often to Harvard Square and Brighton/Brookline. There's not a lot to walk to there (except for gas stations and such), which I guess is the only major downside. This is my 5th year living in the area and I've apartment hunted three times, so if you have any other questions, feel free to ask .

Hi, I thought I would take advantage of your Boston apartment skills and ask if you knew where the best place to live might be if I am going to school at Mass General Hospital Institute. It is on the Charlestown Navy Yard which I have heard is difficult to get to via the T, is that true? I am looking around Somerville, Davis Square area but really have no idea what area would be the easiest in terms of commuting (as well as not being too expensive or "fratty"). Any info you have about the area, or anyone else who knows that area, would be appreciated. Thanks!

[amleta]

Hi,

I am wondering what is the minimum yearly stipend that you can live on comfortably in Boston. What I meant by "comfortable" is exercising good budgeting --being a somewhat frugal is alright, but not destitute--. The assumptions are that I wont be living in a reduced-price graduate housing, having a car, or supporting someone else..

thanks.

I'd say $2000 a month is the minimum that you could roll on without feeling serious pressure, if you're counting on tax being taken out of that. That also assumes that you cook a fair amount and don't go out a whole lot, and that you don't want to be spending down to zero every month (keeping some for a rainy day). You could probably do less, but not without limiting yourself in some manner (living with 2+ apartment mates, living 45+ minutes away from your school by T, etc)

Obviously, it depends on your standard of living and your circumstances, but you can do it for less than $2000. My partner is living on a $17,000/year stipend (about $1400/month), without summer income and while paying off loans, and he's still getting by fine - frugally, yes, but he still goes out to eat, goes to concerts, etc.

I spent four months after I moved to Boston living on $1600/month, and that included paying off two degrees worth of loans and maintaining a car.

Your rent will make a big difference. My partner and I each pay about $675/month in rent, including utilities. We do have two flatmates, but we live in Brookline in a quiet and very nice area. If you're going to live alone, then $1600/month will almost certainly not work for you. Like I said, it entirely depends on your choices and circumstances.

[michpc]

Hey everyone! I have a question about summer apartment leases in Cambridge/Boston. My dept. at Harvard is subsidizing a few incoming students interested in taking a Harvard Summer School course this summer. This possibility appeals to me a lot. It starts in late-June. When would I need to sign a lease by to secure an apartment from like mid (or even early) June? I would then want to live there during the school year but just until the following summer. (I would then use my summer grant money to do some research abroad) Thanks a lot in advance!

If you're looking for a June-June lease you'll see some now, but a lot more pop up in the coming weeks. Most leases I've had have 60 day clauses, which means the tenants have to notify the landlord within 60 days prior to the end of their lease whether or not they are staying, after which the landlord can start showing the unit other potential tenants. Therefore, June 1 leases will become abundant after April 1. There's no real date you NEED to sign by, but the Boston area market is always competitive for "affordable" rentals, so generally the ones that are nice and well priced go fast. I would start to sweat if you're getting well into May and haven't sign a lease yet.

Hi, I thought I would take advantage of your Boston apartment skills and ask if you knew where the best place to live might be if I am going to school at Mass General Hospital Institute. It is on the Charlestown Navy Yard which I have heard is difficult to get to via the T, is that true? I am looking around Somerville, Davis Square area but really have no idea what area would be the easiest in terms of commuting (as well as not being too expensive or "fratty"). Any info you have about the area, or anyone else who knows that area, would be appreciated. Thanks!

Thanks to the water and the lovely Northeast Expressway, the Navy Yard is a little secluded. It's not an awful walk from the Orange Line though, but not terribly short either if you're not a big walker or have physical issues that would make it tough. There are buses that go from Davis and other areas in Cambridge/Somerville to Sullivan Station, where you can transfer for Charlestown and the Navy Yard, but obviously that won't be the shortest commute around. Living in Charlestown is also a viable option if you look around and are willing to live with roommates...you don't mention that. And of course it would be the easiest and most convenient as a student. It sucks if you have a car though (parking). If you're asking me, I think Davis can occasionally have a bit of "fratty" vibe, but there is enough of a mix of young professionals and families that it's not really an issue. It's a fun place to live and relatively affordable, for sure, plus pretty easy to get downtown and to Cambridge.

[HopefulGrad2B]

If you're looking for a June-June lease you'll see some now, but a lot more pop up in the coming weeks. Most leases I've had have 60 day clauses, which means the tenants have to notify the landlord within 60 days prior to the end of their lease whether or not they are staying, after which the landlord can start showing the unit other potential tenants. Therefore, June 1 leases will become abundant after April 1. There's no real date you NEED to sign by, but the Boston area market is always competitive for "affordable" rentals, so generally the ones that are nice and well priced go fast. I would start to sweat if you're getting well into May and haven't sign a lease yet.

Thanks michpc, this is very reassuring!! Good to know. I really appreciate your advice!

[meinbayern]

I'm looking for a room in an apartment near Commonweakth Ave (walking distance to BU) but I'm not sure about the average cost///

If it's around 800 per person (in 2 br apt, share bath/kitchen) includes all utilities, is that a good deal?

[starmaker]

I'm looking for a room in an apartment near Commonweakth Ave (walking distance to BU) but I'm not sure about the average cost///

If it's around 800 per person (in 2 br apt, share bath/kitchen) includes all utilities, is that a good deal?

That depends. Comm Ave is long and goes through a lot of areas (same, for that matter, as the BU campus), some of which are nicer than others. For example, in most of Brookline, I'd call that an excellent deal. In Allston, you can probably get something cheaper. I'd consider it a good deal in the neighborhoods that I've lived in, but none of those are near where you are looking.

[BlueRose]

Hi, I thought I would take advantage of your Boston apartment skills and ask if you knew where the best place to live might be if I am going to school at Mass General Hospital Institute. It is on the Charlestown Navy Yard which I have heard is difficult to get to via the T, is that true? I am looking around Somerville, Davis Square area but really have no idea what area would be the easiest in terms of commuting (as well as not being too expensive or "fratty"). Any info you have about the area, or anyone else who knows that area, would be appreciated. Thanks!

I have worked in the Charlestown Navy Yard for the past 2 years. It's kind of an out-of-the-way location, yes. However, there are shuttles connecting all the MGH properties, and these are quite reliable and convenient. The Navy Yard - MGH main campus shuttle runs until 1am on weekdays, and business hours on weekends. It stops at North Station (orange/green lines) in both directions, and at Charles/MGH (red line) on the way to main campus only.

(Not sure I'd recommend using the shuttle for a longer haul, though. Between Navy Yard and North Station is pretty clear sailing, but after that, Boston traffic takes over. When I have to go fetch something at Brigham and Women's, for instance, it takes me a solid hour each way.)

There's a bus that goes from Sullivan (orange) to the Navy Yard, but I've never used it; iirc it's not all that frequent, and doesn't run on weekends. But it does exist, and I've seen it going by.

Myself, I live near Central Square. Most of the time, I bike (5.5 miles, 30 min, mostly bike paths). If it's too darn cold, or I'm lazy, there is a bus (EZ Ride Shuttle) that goes through Central - Kendall - Lechmere - North Station, and then I take the MGH shuttle (45 min total).

I know a fair number of grad students who live near the T - either the Allston/Brighton area off the Green, or the northward stretch of the Red, or the Jamaica Plain area off the Orange. These are all fairly young-people-centric places with lots of single rooms for rent. (Parts of Allston are a bit "fratty", but the other places aren't bad.) I can't think of anyone offhand who actually lives in Charlestown, though. There's yuppieville and there's the projects, but not much between - that's the impression I got, from my brief attempt to find something near work. But you might have better luck.

Sorry for the brain-dump; hope some of that was useful information.

[DCA-John]

does anyone know anything about Peabody Terrace at Havard? Apparently most of the students in my grad program live there. It seems OK-ish, but at such a massive complex it could be like living in the dorms again. Thinking about a three bedroom there with my wife and infant son, hoping for parking as well, but not sure how realistic that is.

[michpc]

does anyone know anything about Peabody Terrace at Havard? Apparently most of the students in my grad program live there. It seems OK-ish, but at such a massive complex it could be like living in the dorms again. Thinking about a three bedroom there with my wife and infant son, hoping for parking as well, but not sure how realistic that is.

I don't know much about the buildings themselves, but I can certainly recommend the location, and it seems like the place is family oriented, so that could be a good choice.

[wallyca]

I'll be heading to Northeastern. I have no idea where to live and need help! I have a a few friends who live in Cambridge and love it. Would it be a reasonable commute? What about East Cambridge? How would rent compare to other locations? I'm 30, and really want to avoid living in the midst of a ton of undergrads so I've heard that limits some of the closer neighborhoods, maybe. I'd also heard good things about Jamaica Plain... but don't really know. Are there other neighborhoods that are amazing that I should consider?

[etale]

I'll be heading to Northeastern. I have no idea where to live and need help! I have a a few friends who live in Cambridge and love it. Would it be a reasonable commute? What about East Cambridge? How would rent compare to other locations? I'm 30, and really want to avoid living in the midst of a ton of undergrads so I've heard that limits some of the closer neighborhoods, maybe. I'd also heard good things about Jamaica Plain... but don't really know. Are there other neighborhoods that are amazing that I should consider?

The area around Northeastern is not just filled with undergraduates. There are a lot of medical students and professionals in the area as it is close to the Longwood Medical and Academic Area. Personally, I would recommend Somerville, which is right next to Cambridge. If you get a monthly T-pass, it is not that bad of a commute to the Northeastern area via the Red/Green lines. Somerville is a bit more inexpensive than many of the other areas in the Boston area and has quite a few good restaurants, cafes, etc...

[michpc]

The area around Northeastern is not just filled with undergraduates. There are a lot of medical students and professionals in the area as it is close to the Longwood Medical and Academic Area. Personally, I would recommend Somerville, which is right next to Cambridge. If you get a monthly T-pass, it is not that bad of a commute to the Northeastern area via the Red/Green lines. Somerville is a bit more inexpensive than many of the other areas in the Boston area and has quite a few good restaurants, cafes, etc...

I do love Somerville, but the commute will be at least 45min (on good days). I used to work in the Prudential Center, which is just down the street from Northeastern, and lived in Cambridge and Somerville. So, if 45min to an hour is OK with you, then by all means, check out Somerville.

[elizalou]

I have worked in the Charlestown Navy Yard for the past 2 years. It's kind of an out-of-the-way location, yes. However, there are shuttles connecting all the MGH properties, and these are quite reliable and convenient. The Navy Yard - MGH main campus shuttle runs until 1am on weekdays, and business hours on weekends. It stops at North Station (orange/green lines) in both directions, and at Charles/MGH (red line) on the way to main campus only.

(Not sure I'd recommend using the shuttle for a longer haul, though. Between Navy Yard and North Station is pretty clear sailing, but after that, Boston traffic takes over. When I have to go fetch something at Brigham and Women's, for instance, it takes me a solid hour each way.)

There's a bus that goes from Sullivan (orange) to the Navy Yard, but I've never used it; iirc it's not all that frequent, and doesn't run on weekends. But it does exist, and I've seen it going by.

Myself, I live near Central Square. Most of the time, I bike (5.5 miles, 30 min, mostly bike paths). If it's too darn cold, or I'm lazy, there is a bus (EZ Ride Shuttle) that goes through Central - Kendall - Lechmere - North Station, and then I take the MGH shuttle (45 min total).

I know a fair number of grad students who live near the T - either the Allston/Brighton area off the Green, or the northward stretch of the Red, or the Jamaica Plain area off the Orange. These are all fairly young-people-centric places with lots of single rooms for rent. (Parts of Allston are a bit "fratty", but the other places aren't bad.) I can't think of anyone offhand who actually lives in Charlestown, though. There's yuppieville and there's the projects, but not much between - that's the impression I got, from my brief attempt to find something near work. But you might have better luck.

Sorry for the brain-dump; hope some of that was useful information.

Thank you SO SO much for that response! It definitely helps me out a lot. So it seems that its definitely a bit more difficult to get to than some other places but do able. I am used to upstate NY, no traffic anywhere and it takes 10-15 minutes to get anywhere you want to go so I am just going to have to change that mentality when I move to Boston. When you said that the shuttle doesn't stop at the Charles/MGH red line station on the way back to main campus does that mean that it just stops at the North Station as the last stop? How do you get back to the red line if you need that line to get back to home? The two friends I want to live with really want to live in Davis Square so I am trying to figure out how difficult that commute would be.. it seems like its 35-40 ordeal. Would driving from up there be difficult? I saw from the website that MGH has a student parking rate of $5 a day which to me seems insane but when I calculate all the T ride costs and time of the shuttle ect it actually almost evens out! I would love to visit those other areas more down the red line and closer to MGH for biking, what are Central and Harvard Square like? Or Porter maybe? Thanks!!

[starmaker]

wallyca:

I am an MS student at Northeastern, and I live near Alewife (at the end of the Red Line, just past the parts of Somerville that are on the Red Line). My commute between home and school is roughly an hour. It is not the best commute (my commute between home and work is very short), but most of it is on the T, so I can read a novel, relax, listen to music, do my school readings, etc.

The residential neighborhood that's very near to Northeastern is Mission Hill. My impression is that it is full of undergrads and that town-gown relations in the neighborhood are extremely strained, because the people who aren't undergrads are local families with kids who don't appreciate the nighttime partying and such. Roxbury borders Northeastern, but it is a bad area, high-crime.

If you want a Cambridge-like (counterculture, liberal, lots of young adults, dense housing, walkability, eccentricity) environment that's nearer to Northeastern, I heartily recommend Jamaica Plain. It's also cheaper than Cambridge, based on my conversations with friends who live there. It's cheaper than the parts of Somerville that are very near the T (e.g. Davis Square). It's probably no more than a 15-minute commute to Northeastern on the Orange Line - it might even be walkable, though I haven't tried it.

If you live in Central or Harvard Square in Cambridge and commute to Northeastern via the Red/Green lines or Red/Orange lines, that should take 40 minutes or so. East Cambridge is probably about the same unless you live right by Lechmere or something, in which case it will be quicker.

elizalou:

Central Square and Harvard Square are rather different. Central is more inner-city (also, it is full of Indian restaurants - if you like Indian food, it's a great place to be). Harvard is more upscale and expensive in general, and it's packed with independent stores and restaurants. There are lots of Harvard University students and faculty around all the time, and it's a very intellectual sort of neighborhood. If you are planning to drive places, the traffic is a little less bad in Central, IMO - nowhere in Cambridge is very good for traffic, but Harvard Square is notorious (a lot of my friends will deliberately avoid driving through there).

In general, if you are commuting from some place in Cambridge, Somerville, or Boston, to somewhere else in Cambridge, Somerville, or Boston, you don't want to drive. You think it will be shorter, because you don't have to depend on mass transit. This is because you haven't seen rush-hour traffic in these cities. Your commute won't be much shorter - it might even be a little longer - and at least on mass transit you can do relaxing or productive stuff rather than focus on the road.

I do not know what sort of area you are looking for. If you don't mind something suburban, you might be best off somewhere on the north end of the Orange Line. where you can take the Orange Line to Bunker Hill Community College and walk a mile. Another possibility is living in Charlestown itself - it's not a bad area, and you could walk. Another way to get to the Charlestown Navy Yard is to take the subway to some area downtown - everything is very close together there - walk to Long Wharf, and take the commuter ferry.

[gastheoretiker]

I'll spend next year in Harvard as a post-doc. I'm very much a city person (Berliner) - I don't drive and I love both to drink my after-work beer (preferably in a pub with regulars) and to buy my organic bio-food for cooking at the very same block where I live (or anyway, not too far). Suburbs make me depressed. I'm also vegan. and art-lover (esp.contemporary art). and left-wing. and unfortunately, I don't have too much money. I've been told that two good places would be lower allston and JP. two questions:

1. If I move to Boston at the beginning of the year (9/1 as you write it at the other side of the ocean), when should I start looking for an apartment? I've seen over the internet that there are already apartments for September, which made a bit in panic. when would it be TOO late? or is it already on the verge of too late?!

2. if you were in my place, where would you live? are lower-allston and JP indeed the best options? what are the main differences in atmosphere, demographics etc.?

thanks a lot in advance for any relevant information or insights,

your Gasttheoretiker

[gastheoretiker]

I'll spend next year in Harvard as a post-doc. I'm very much a city person (Berliner) - I don't drive and I love both to drink my after-work beer (preferably in a pub with regulars) and to buy my organic bio-food for cooking at the very same block where I live (or anyway, not too far). Suburbs make me depressed. I'm also vegan. and art-lover (esp.contemporary art). and left-wing. and unfortunately, I don't have too much money. I've been told that two good places would be lower allston and JP. two questions:

1. If I move to Boston at the beginning of the year (9/1 as you write it at the other side of the ocean), when should I start looking for an apartment? I've seen over the internet that there are already apartments for September, which made a bit in panic. when would it be TOO late? or is it already on the verge of too late?!

2. if you were in my place, where would you live? are lower-allston and JP indeed the best options? what are the main differences in atmosphere, demographics etc.?

thanks a lot in advance for any relevant information or insights,

your Gasttheoretiker

[lvt]

I just got accepted into BU and I'm considering going there this fall. My biggest issue involving apartment hunting is that I'm traveling for the entire summer so I won't be able to visit Boston to look at any apartments. I've been looking into Boston University's off-campus apartments, but the only one that would let me sign a lease without going there myself is out of my price range; my budget is around $600-700. I'm hoping to find a room in an apartment with 2 or 3 other roommates to offset the costs but I'm not sure if I can find anyone without actually meeting them in person. Does anyone have any ideas?