elly_185

Hi everyone,

I was wondering if anyone can help me out. I am moving to Cambridge for a new job. I don't know Boston at all and apparently I am finding out that looking for apartments is rather difficult. I am looking in a range for 1300-1400 to pay for rent. Can any one recommend a good area I can look in? I am focusing on Cambridge, Brighten, Back bay, Fenway and south boston. Of course, looking for places on line, many of them seem wonderful, but I don't know if I should trust the neighboorhoods they provide. Is it better to find places by owner, or through a realtor? I have 2 weeks and don't even know where to begin. Any help will be useful and so appreciated

Thank you,

Elina

wyatt92

Hi Elina,

I think craigslist is your best option for finding apartments.

As for neighborhoods, Central Square, Harvard Square, Porter Square, Davis Square (Somerville)and Cambridgeport are good areas to look into in Cambridge. Which area will you be working in?

Southie (South Boston) is a good area for singles, and you can probably find a decent 1 bedroom for that price. If you're working in Cambridge, I'd stick to the West side, as close to the Broadway T stop as possible.

Brighton will have plenty in your price range and you can probably hop on a bus and be in Cambridge rather quickly, but it's a big student area. If you're in your early to mid 20s it might be good.

Back Bay is one of the nicest areas of Boston. If you can find something here in your price range, it's a great place to live. You'll be right in the center of shopping, restaurants, etc. However, it's also one of the most expensive neighborhood in Boston and you probably won't find anything in your price range.

I really like Fenway/Kenmore Sq. There's a ton of new restaurants and shops that have opened recently and it's a convenient area to get to a lot of other places, and there's Fenway Park. If you're using public transport, it will take you a little longer to get to Cambridge from here. If you're driving, it will be pretty close. Your price range will be a little tight in this area, but a 1 bedroom is probably doable.

elly_185

my zip code is 01241, cambridge. I heard that apts go really quickly there, as if it is listed this week it's gone the next! Is that true? Thanks for your help

gail

Looking for an apartment long distance is always a problem - and Cambridge/Boston area is no different and presents some unique difficulties. Some areas are so loaded with students that a working adult would find them awful, for example. Also, depending on where you are working in Cambridge transportation from apartment to job will be important to research - bus, subway lines - or even driving - even a mile or so different residential location can make a huge difference in commuting time.

Much of the housing in these areas is in multi-family homes, small apartment buildings - rather than larger apartment buildings of other cities. In that, the actual building itself can make a big difference.

I think you are looking, in general, in the right areas. Brighton/Allston tends to be over-run with BU students. I do not think you can afford Back Bay - unless someone is listing an apartment that is on the edges of official Back Bay and calling it that.

Wherever you rent, if you will have a car, find out specifics for parking that car. There is street parking for residents in all these places, but sometimes it is so scarce as to be truly annoying. And then there is issue of where the car goes when it snows - make sure you understand where/whether you have to move the car for the 6 months it could snow.

Is there anyway at all you could take a short trip to Boston area prior to your actual move for the sole purpose of finding an apartment. Depending on level of job, employer might be able to help with finances of this, or even suggest a cheap place you could stay while apartment hunting. Two weeks is really a rather short time - and some landlords would not even have an apartment available on such short notice.

I think your best bet is to stick in Cambridge or possibly Somerville.

bachslunch

You're getting good advice by and large above. The city-data.com website is actually a great place to ask questions like this.

Cambridge (good subway and bus service) tends to be pretty expensive. It's generally good; the few areas which are dicey in the city are:

-the area in North Cambridge down Rindge Avenue towards the Alewife subway stop.
-various areas around Central Square, especially immediately north and northeast of the square.
-the stretch of East Cambridge heading out of Inman Square going towards the Cambridgeside Galleria Mall.

The area in Somerville in the vicinity of Davis Square (on the border with North Cambridge) is also very pleasant, though again not the cheapest. It's also the part of the city best served by public transportation. One can also say that about East Somerville, but that area of town is not at all a good one. The rest of Somerville falls somewhere in between, with so-so public transportation, though if the proposed Green Line extension indeed gets built, things will improve.

If you're venturing into Boston proper, Beacon Hill is great as is the North End and much of Back Bay. The subway serves it all well (all these areas tend to be costly). The South End is generally fine (also pricey) but has pockets that are not as good. Allston and Brighton are more college student and working class type areas, cheaper usually but can be noisy from the students, with public transport okay to so-so. West Roxbury is fine but kind of isolated and not that well served by public transport. Would definitely recommend avoiding Roxbury, Mattapan, East Boston, much of Hyde Park (just because the mayor lives there doesn't make it all that great), parts of Jamaica Plain (especially the Jackson Square area and the parts bordering Roxbury), and (except for Savin Hill and the Lower Mills area) Dorchester. Much of Charlestown and South Boston are fine, but avoid the areas around the housing projects -- and note well that public transportation can be less than ideal.

Unless you have off-street parking (which also often costs a bit), owning a car in Boston, Cambridge, or Somerville tends to be a liability. But with public transportation by and large very good, you don't really need one, either.

wyatt92

I'm sure the really good apartments go quickly, yes. But this is actually a good time to be looking, as opposed to Sept 1st when tens of thousands of college students are searching. I'm sure you'll find something.

If you find listings that look good, post the general location and I'd be happy to let you know my thoughts. Cambridge zip codes don't mean anything to me, so I'm still not quite sure where it is you'll be working.

Ackislander

Well, the zip code where he will be working is East Cambridge, broadly considered, which could include all those software/science places between Kendall and Cambridgeside Galleria or it could be in one of those building with lots of startups on First St etc.

But he (is it a he?) needs either to be on the Red Line to get to Kendall or the Green Line to go to Lechmere or Science Park for easy commuting, assuming those techie towers that overlook the Zakim bridge are more than his/her budget.

There are also buses from Davis Square to Lechmere.

So, all in all, if I were a young person, I would start looking in Davis Square. OP, you should expect that most people do not live in the kinds of apartment buildings that you might find in other cities but in 3 story woodframe houses that were constructed as flats (3 deckers) or converted from single family houses. These are very dense areas. Parking is at a premium and requires a permit. But there is a lot going on in this area, and it is a reasonable commute to East Cambridge.

Brighton and especially Allston have traditional brick apartment buildings but are heavily tenanted by students, many of whom are more interested in partying than studying. There might be places on the fringes of Brookline in your price range, but there is no legal onstreet overnight parking, and they tow, so expect to pay $125 per month, and the Green Line trolley on either Commonwealth or Beacon Street can be frustrating.

I personally find Jamaica Plain to be the end of the earth if you have to take public transportation (yes, yes, Friends of JP, I know you are loyal to your neighborhood). The Fenway area is an increasingly attractive area as is pointed out above with lots of new highrises and lots of new restaurants and shopping and movies. Roxbury and Mattapan are primarily African American and Afro Caribbean neighborhoods that are economically mixed, with many poor people and a growing number of middle class residents. Hyde Park is as far out as you can go and still be in Boston. You would have to commute to South Station by train, then make your way across to Cambridge on the Red Line.

It is a long walk from many parts of Southie to the T, though the buses are pretty good. West Roxbury and Roslindale are also way out.

So start near Davis Square and work your way elsewhere. Try to come for a visit, and buy a copy of "Car Free in Boston", a guide to getting places without using a car. The updated edition is out of date in some respects, but the bus routes and their destinations have pretty much remained the same.

cw

Writing from the "end of the earth"! (i.e. Jamaica Plain), you could easily commute to East Cambridge by a combination of Green Line and/or Orange Line but you'd have to change at least once. I have friends who commute easily to the Harvard Square area from JP and that would work if you're near Kendall Square. Jamaica Plain may be the greenest part of Boston having Jamaica Pond and the Arnold Arboretum at your doorstep. It also has a wide variety of good restaurants with easy access to downtown. But it all depends upon what you're looking for.

The Fenway area has lots of new building going on and a couple of new apartment buildings but is not much more convenient to East Cambridge, though is becoming a more convenient area to live with new restaurants, etc.

Can you ask the HR office at your new workplace for ideas of convenient locations? Without knowing where exactly you will be working, it's hard to advise on convenient locations. Check your work address to potential apartment addresses on www.mbta.com route planner. And ask us if you have an address--we'll tell you about the area.

Otherwise, if you can't come to Boston in advance of moving, I would recommend getting a short-term rental and look around for something more permanent when you get here.

elly_185

Wow, thank you all so much for this amazing info. I definitely have a clearer outlook now. I will be working in the Galleria Mall in Cambridge. I am actually thinking about Fenway because I prefer a newer building rather than a small 3 story type. What does it mean "multi-family" owned anyway? I will start looking more into the areas of Davis Square areas, and somervill because I prefer using public transportation. I will have a car, but driving in the winter (I am from Miami) scares me a bit Also, for one bedroom, how expansive is back bey really? And aside from Fenway, what areas have new buildings with garages?

Again, thank you so much for you advice

yk

My sis-in-law (single) lives in E Cambridge. She has been living there for over a decade now, and E Cambridge has gentrified a lot over the last 10-15 years. The area is safe and she walks alone at night all the time. Of course, you need to be vigilant and avoid quiet streets.

In any case, I think you *may* be able to find something in E Cambridge that fits your budget. Honestly, if you can walk to work, it beats commuting every day, esp if you're thinking of coommuting via the Green Line. Green Line is PITA most of the year, and much worse in the winter because parts of it is not underground and subject to snow conditions.

Parts of E Cambridge isn't as convenient to the subway; eg where my sis-in-law lives, it's a 10-min walk to Kendall, 20-min walk to Lechmere, 10-min walk to Central. The area is relatively cheaper because it's not right next to a subway station.

In Cambridge, you can get a resident parking permit and park on the streets (if you're going to have a car). But honestly, if you're going to be living in the city, I recommend getting rid of your car and just use zipcar as needed (which is what my sis-in-law does).

Apart from E Cambridge, I'd also consider Somerville.

Most of the houses in Boston area are triple-deckers, aka multi-family homes. Generally speaking, they are 3-storey homes that are cut into 4-6 apts.

You didn't say where you're moving from. If you're not familiar with the Boston area, here's some advice:

1) Invest in good quality winter clothes/shoes - you'll be walking a lot
2) Don't bother with a car: it's a liability and is expensive to keep in the city
3) Be ready for sticker shock

Good luck.

cw

Your budget is probably too low for finding a one-bedroom apartment in a new building in Boston. Also garage parking, available at most new buildings, will probably not be included in the rent.

Multi-family just means a house that is divided up into two or more apartments. A "three-decker" is a house where each of the three floors is its own separate apartment.

It's awfully hard to advise you when you haven't been in the area though if you see something that sounds good, you can "walk" through the neighborhood by looking at Google maps.

wyatt92

There are a few large apartment buildings in E Cambridge, but they'll be out of your price range. Likewise in the Fenway, there are 2 great newish buildings (1330 Boylston and the Trilogy) but 1 bedrms start at $2500ish/mo.

I personally wouldn't be all that interested in living in E Cambridge if I couldn't be in one of the newer large apt buildings. You'll be on the Green line, but the Kendall Sq stop of the red line is only about a 15 min walk to the Galleria, so look for apts with easy access to either the Green or Red lines.

DonTopaz

I worked for several years next to the Galleria. The closest public transportation is Lechmere station, which is served by several bus routes and the Green Line. The area is also about a 10-15 minute walk from either North Station (commuter rail and Orange Line) or Kendall (Red Line). That walk can be really, really grim on cold/windy/icy days.

You big trade-off will be location vs price. Back Bay is in the center of everything and has excellent access to the Galleria (via Green Line), but it's frighteningly expensive. A Cambridge location with good access to Lechmere via bus -- for example, the Inman Square area -- would be a reasonable choice. Somerville is a good value -- you'll typically get more for your money there than in Cambridge. Some of the 2- and 3-decker houses in Somerville do have driveways, and the residents share the space. Another interesting choice might be Charlestown, which is just over the bridge from E. Cambridge, and which may well have good values in rentals.

suze

This is not specific to Boston, but about long distance moves. I would spring for temporary housing for 1 month, so you can do your apartment hunting in person after you arrive.

Ackislander

Listen to Suze if you possibly can. You have a lot of really great information here, but there is no way to assess it until you are actually on the ground here.

elly_185

Yea I'm actually realizing that's the case. I started looking for temporary or sublease so I can focus over there.
- Rizzuto How is Fenway transportation? That area seems more and more attractive to me. All of you are helping me out tremendously. I really appreciate it!!

yk

Honestly, I'd avoid Fenway area like a plague, unless you love baseball and the Red Sox.

For 6 months out of the year, the Fenway area is congested with traffic jams whenever there's a home game; in addition, plenty of rowdy/drunk fans when the games end.

In addition, depending on which Fenway area you're looking at, you may be listening to ambulance sirens all day all night because of the proximity to the Longwood medical center area.

If it were me, I'd stick with the E Cambridge neighborhood.

DonTopaz

While I sort of agree with yk about the Fenway area, I also sort of don't agree.

I lived for about a year on the Fenway, at the corner of The Fenway and Westland Ave (60 The Fenway). It's true that the street and sidewalk traffic is a major concern for the 81 nights/year when the Sox are at home, but I found that I got accustomed to the traffic (and to the sirens) very quickly. I loved being within a 10- or 15-minute walk of 2 great museums, Symphony Hall, and the Prudential Center. All that said, the appeal of the Fenway area can vary enormously block-by-block: some can be wonderful, others can be overrun by multiple undesirable elements.

As for transportation, that's also very variable. It's actually surprisingly easy to get to/from the Fenway by car, except for those 81 nights. Public transportation is ok, but not great: the Green Line stops at Kenmore Sq and on Huntington Ave, which are within 5-15 mins walk from most places in the Fenway area. However, the Green Line can be slow, and it's a particular pain for those 81 Red Sox games.

yk

I think it really depends on what type of person the OP is. If he/she is a young professional, likes to eat out and enjoy nightlife, and don't mind living in the middle of hustle/bustle, then Fenway would be a great area, due to the reasons given by rizzuto. You'll find lots of young people (in their early-mid 20s) living in that area; many of them are students in the various schools in that area (Berklee School of Music, Simmons College, Emmanuel College, WIT, Northeaster ...)

In the E Cambridge neighborhood where my sis-in-law lives, there are many more couples with young children or DINK couples. Generally speaking, it's more of a residential neighborhood and more quiet.

Kealalani

agree %100 If you can afford to do short term housing for a month or two, then it will pay for itself in loving wherever you land.