Boston & Cambridge, MA

[piper]

#1 From Kendall station to Student Center is like 10 min. From one end of the campus to the other is 20 mins.

#2 I wouldn't say fast, but fastER than the other lines. The fastest line is probably the greenline.

[pizzatime]

The Green Line is universally known as the slowest of the MBTA lines.

[piper]

The Green Line is universally known as the slowest of the MBTA lines.

I generalized a bit, it really depends where you're going. For example between Kenmore and Park street, there is a train like every min. The further you get away from the Park street area, yes it's slower.

[t_ruth]

I generalized a bit, it really depends where you're going. For example between Kenmore and Park street, there is a train like every min. The further you get away from the Park street area, yes it's slower.

One of the main troubles w/the green line is it is very inconsistent. The inner part of the line is fast, except on game days, when multiple trains can go by until there is space to let you on. The same space issues can happen further out too - they have all kinds of troubles w/delays and you can sometimes wait 30 minutes at BU Central and then three trains come right in a row (of course you might not see the second two trains so everybody kicks and scratches and bites to get on the first train causing injury and further delay).

[yousername]

Hi.

I will most likely be moving to Boston sometime this summer to attend MassArt. I would like to live with roommates somewhere cheap, maybe around $500 a month. I am very spoiled now in Philadelphia, so there are a lot of things I want and they may not all be possible.

I'd like a place with:

Small independently-owned businesses, especially groceries

Access to awesome ethnic food

Easy access to public transportation

Low incidence of break-ins

No Bedbugs

Where would be a good place to start? I have heard good and bad things about Jamaica Plain. I have been looking on CL, but it is difficult because I really have no idea which areas are safe.

[SLPtoBe]

Hi.

I will most likely be moving to Boston sometime this summer to attend MassArt. I would like to live with roommates somewhere cheap, maybe around $500 a month. I am very spoiled now in Philadelphia, so there are a lot of things I want and they may not all be possible.

I'd like a place with:

Small independently-owned businesses, especially groceries

Access to awesome ethnic food

Easy access to public transportation

Low incidence of break-ins

No Bedbugs

Where would be a good place to start? I have heard good and bad things about Jamaica Plain. I have been looking on CL, but it is difficult because I really have no idea which areas are safe.

Jamaica Plain definitely fits your needs. In general, it's very safe between the Jamaicaway and Lamartine Street (around the Stony Brook and Green St T stations), with lots of grad students and young families. I lived there for 2-3 years and if I ever return to Boston I would really only consider living there! Centre Street is the main street of the neighborhood with Harvest Co-Op, restaurants, bars, thrift stores, etc. The 39 bus route runs along Centre St to Huntington Ave, with a stop right in front of MassArt. There is also a bike path to Back Bay, connecting with other paths in the city called the Southwest Corridor. If you are looking for a roommate situation, there's a great chance you could find fellow MassArt students living in JP. Brookline would be OK too, (I'd recommend Brookline Village or Coolidge Corner) but it's a little more more yuppie, has a Trader Joe's, but lots of ethnic food and a great independent theater and bookstore.

[mlle]

Hi.

I will most likely be moving to Boston sometime this summer to attend MassArt. I would like to live with roommates somewhere cheap, maybe around $500 a month. I am very spoiled now in Philadelphia, so there are a lot of things I want and they may not all be possible.

I'd like a place with:

Small independently-owned businesses, especially groceries

Access to awesome ethnic food

Easy access to public transportation

Low incidence of break-ins

No Bedbugs

Where would be a good place to start? I have heard good and bad things about Jamaica Plain. I have been looking on CL, but it is difficult because I really have no idea which areas are safe.

LOL, this is exactly what I'm looking for too! I give priority to cheap rent and no bed bugs though, followed by decent public transit. The good food and shopping part would be great, but honestly, with my tuition, I won't have much wiggle room left over for the finer things in life for a while....

But can you really find a habitable place to live with no bed bugs in a *relatively* decent area for 500-600 a month in the Boston area? I thought Boston had a high cost of living. (I'm coming from a city where 600/month with a bunch of roommates is the bare minimum you can go for rent without seriously sacrificing your safety/health/overall standard of living). I'll be going to school in the area of the BU medical campus.

[SLPtoBe]

My boyfriend and I shared a two bedroom place for 1100/month in JP.

[MIT1985]

I have a question concerning student renting habits in the Boston area. I have a friend who went to Boston College for a semester as an exchange student and this is waht she told me: most rooms for rent come unfurnished and apparently during the last week of august / first week of september students moving out get rid of their furniture by bringing everything on the streets; and students moving in and needing furniture can basically pick what they like from the streets and put it in their rooms. I have never heard of anything like that before! My friend told me that she got all of her furniture for free, she would just stop random people on the street and ask them if they could help her carry stuff into her apartment!And by "stuff" she meant a futon, a couch, armchairs, and even kitchen supplies! I was wondering whether this is common only in Chestnut Hill or also in Cambridge (I'm moving to MIT next fall). My friend said that she heard similar stories for BU as well... Also, do rooms in Cambridge come unfurnished? The roomsI have seen on craigslist so far were mostly furnished, but perhaps this is because the rooms that are posted now are those available for summer sublets...

[t_ruth]

I have a question concerning student renting habits in the Boston area. I have a friend who went to Boston College for a semester as an exchange student and this is waht she told me: most rooms for rent come unfurnished and apparently during the last week of august / first week of september students moving out get rid of their furniture by bringing everything on the streets; and students moving in and needing furniture can basically pick what they like from the streets and put it in their rooms. I have never heard of anything like that before! My friend told me that she got all of her furniture for free, she would just stop random people on the street and ask them if they could help her carry stuff into her apartment!And by "stuff" she meant a futon, a couch, armchairs, and even kitchen supplies! I was wondering whether this is common only in Chestnut Hill or also in Cambridge (I'm moving to MIT next fall). My friend said that she heard similar stories for BU as well... Also, do rooms in Cambridge come unfurnished? The roomsI have seen on craigslist so far were mostly furnished, but perhaps this is because the rooms that are posted now are those available for summer sublets...

Yes, this is very common, at least around BU where I was, and yes, most apartments are unfurnished.

I'm not sure if this practice has declined as most people probably use craigslist to get rid of their old stuff (I know I did when I left my Boston apartment). It still does happen though and if you have a car and want better stuff, you can drive around some of the wealthier neighborhoods in the summer to see what is left for free by the curb.

[MIT1985]

if you have a car and want better stuff, you can drive around some of the wealthier neighborhoods in the summer to see what is left for free by the curb.

Interesting!What neighborhoods do you refer to? Any other idea for finding cheap furniture (Ikea, other recommended stores..?)

Oh and one more question: I heard some people say that Central Square is not that safe...do you mean Central square itslef or all of the surrounding neighborhood? Are there any specific streets in that area which I should avoid?

[m41]

I lived in Cambridge while at Harvard and I want to offer advice about where not to rent. Whatever you do, avoid 929 House.

The location is fantastic, and it seems decent during a visit, but trust those reviews at apartment ratings. Very unsafe, very poor (though friendly) management, water problems, mail problems, break-ins - everything you'd want to avoid worrying about while trying to focus on coursework.

[fuzzylogician]

When should I start looking for an apartment in the Cambridge area? Some of my friends think that it's enough to get there two weeks before the semester begins to find something decent (assuming my standards aren't all that high). Is that true? Also, how do leases usually work? Do you have to commit to a predetermined period (a year or 6 months) or is it usually open-ended?

[SLPtoBe]

When should I start looking for an apartment in the Cambridge area? Some of my friends think that it's enough to get there two weeks before the semester begins to find something decent (assuming my standards aren't all that high). Is that true? Also, how do leases usually work? Do you have to commit to a predetermined period (a year or 6 months) or is it usually open-ended?

Unless you've heard numerous accounts of people doing this and they have realtors/landlords to recommend, I would search for a place MUCH sooner, as in this summer, sooner if possible. Most leases in the Boston area are one year leases running from Sept. 1 - Sept. 1, but you can find tenant-at-will situations. Many students have already signed leases for September.

[fuzzylogician]

Thanks.. I'm an international student so I can't come to the States early in the summer, and I'm apprehensive about finding an apartment online without seeing it for myself. I'd imagine that most landlords won't want to let an apartment to someone they haven't met either. Would you recommend taking a dorm room for the first year and looking for something better while I'm there, or would it still be possible to find something decent in the 30 days I'll have before the semester begins?

[MIT1985]

Thanks.. I'm an international student so I can't come to the States early in the summer, and I'm apprehensive about finding an apartment online without seeing it for myself. I'd imagine that most landlords won't want to let an apartment to someone they haven't met either. Would you recommend taking a dorm room for the first year and looking for something better while I'm there, or would it still be possible to find something decent in the 30 days I'll have before the semester begins?

I'm exactly in the same situation, I share your concerns! I am going to MIT as well (econ), I am arriving on august 15 and I have a temporary accomodation in Cambridge until the end of august, which means I have 15 days to find a place! Perhaps the best way to find a place if you are time constrained is through a realtor...

[Yellow#5]

Rather than sign on for a year's lease sight unseen, try renting a temporary, furnished apartment for 2 weeks, rather than make a mistake. It may cost you an extra k, but it might be worth it to actually live in the city and figure out where you want to be for the next year...or 7.

http://www.copleyhouse.com is a good bed and breakfast rental, though the furnishings, especially the beds, are a bit old. I'll bet you can negotiate a better deal for cash up front.

Studios

Daily $85-100

Weekly$525-625

Spring/Summer Pricing:

Small Studios

Daily: $95-$120

Weekly: $700-$750

Google boston and corporate apartments or weekly rentals or bed and breakfasts. Most offer a better rate than hotels if you rent for a week or a month.

Here is an example I found: http://www.bostonapartments.com

[MIT1985]

Well I already have a temporary accomodation for the last 2 weeeks of august, the probem is whether that time will be sufficient for finding a place...

[Yellow#5]

I think two weeks is plenty of time, but you have to be persistent.

Don't think making 30 minutes of phone calls will do it. Don't just call about one or two apartment, make as many calls as you can. Set aside the whole day, be ready to drop in and look at a place at a moments notice, know EXACTLY what you're looking for, (what you are willing to compromise and what you absolutely will not compromise and your price range).

Finally, show up with your checkbook in hand. If you like a place and it meets your must-have criteria, put down a deposit, don't think about it a few days and expect it will still be there when you make up your mind.

During rush months, landlords will pretty much do whatever is easiest for them, since they probably only have to wait 20 minutes after posting an availablity to get some interest, so don't flake.

[fuzzylogician]

So if I come to town around the 15th of August then I should be able to find something by September 1st? I understand that most leases will begin on that date. Would landlords be willing to accept checks from a foreign bank? I'd assume that it'll take some time to open an American bank account and get a credit card and checkbook for it, probably more time than I will be allowed to be in the country before the semester begins (=30 days). Would my award letter from MIT that says I'll receive a stipend be enough to convince landlords that I am trustworthy? Are there ways I can boost my credibility, considering I don't have a credit history in the US (a letter from my current landlord saying how wonderful I am? something else?).

[Yellow#5]

When you open a bank account, you will get a set of temporary checks and an ATM check card that day. That won't be a problem. It might help you to bring some travelers checks to deposit into your account, so you have money available immeadiately. I don't really know what the rules are specifically for opening a bank account in the US, but if you bring your letter from MIT, you should have no problem opening an account.

Bringing a copy of your MIT award letter to your landlord to help your credit approval is a good idea too.

As far as finding an apartment quickly, you should do as much research as you can on-line. Look on google maps to be familiar with the streets you might want to live on, so you'll locate the best listings right away, for example. You can even look on google street view to see if you like the area and take a virtual walk to campus! Then you'll know if there's an ugly freeway in the way, or a nice tree-lined path.

[fuzzylogician]

Thanks, this is very helpful! I visited Cambridge in March and took some time to walk up and down the neighborhood so I'll get a somewhat clear idea of where I thought the better places to live were. Do you know the popular websites where people post vacancies? I only know craigslist and couldn't find any info on MIT's site.

[inactive_since_inf]

Hi all,

this thread has been super informative... spent a few hours reading this and now I almost remember the names of most of the places and transit sobriquets.

Is anyone on the lookout for roommates and plan to live off campus? We could just see compatibilities (PM me :wink: )

The MIT on campus housing registration deadline is 15th May, so need to make up my mind on whether to stay on-campus or go off campus. Add to that, I can only come to Boston right before the semester starts, not a few days earlier

Anyway, thanks to all the members for the wonderful posts and best of luck to other new international students like me in finding good housing... :| :wink:

[MIT1985]

Could someone please tell me how much it would take from Porter Square to Kendall? I need to go to MIT econ, which is on Memorial drive near Kendall, and I was considering Porter square for housing. It's strange that I hear very different stories about the subway commute: some people have told me it's really quick, like 10 mins, others told me that the total commute usually takes 35 mins...

Also, could someone please elaborate on the issue Central square / safety?

[joeygiraldo]

It depends on if you get to the Porter T and the train is there/nearing the platform, or if you get there and have to wait for the next train. Also keep in mind that entering the Porter Square station *itself* is half the battle... you have to go underground to finally catch that Kendall-bound train (this only takes about an additional 2-3 minutes but it's something to keep in mind). It's just the way the station is structured--Porter Square's tracks are really below street level.

In any event, if you get there and catch a train quickly, then yes, it only takes about 10-15 minutes from Porter to Kendall. If you have to wait for a train, it's closer to 20-25 minutes.

And if you want to stop by Anna's Taqueria to grab a burrito before catching that train, give yourself those "35 minutes."