I don't want to be homeless :D
August 14, 2009 8:28 AM Subscribe
How would I go about finding a place to live for just 3 months?
I have to move out of my current apartment by mid September and I will be traveling to Europe mid December. Upon my return I'm heading back to school and will have a dorm room. However, I need a place to live for the 3 months from September to December. I've asked around with friends and I suppose I could couch surf for 3 months, but I'd rather not. The only other thing I can think of is posting to craigslist, which I assume will have potentially disastrous results, or I could luck out. Are there any other options I am missing? Thanks for the help in advance.
Oh, and I live in Boston/Cambridge, MA if that makes a difference.
I have to move out of my current apartment by mid September and I will be traveling to Europe mid December. Upon my return I'm heading back to school and will have a dorm room. However, I need a place to live for the 3 months from September to December. I've asked around with friends and I suppose I could couch surf for 3 months, but I'd rather not. The only other thing I can think of is posting to craigslist, which I assume will have potentially disastrous results, or I could luck out. Are there any other options I am missing? Thanks for the help in advance.
Oh, and I live in Boston/Cambridge, MA if that makes a difference.
What you're looking for is a sublet - someone is going to be out of their apartment for X months, and is looking for someone to take their place for that time. You're looking for your mirror: Someone who's out of the country until december due to their own travels, but has a year-long lease. It's in Craigslist, in fact, in the apartment listings along with everything else. You may, however, have some trouble finding something for 3 months - especially if you're looking at college apartment sublets, there's a lot of semester-length activity, with people looking for 4-month chunks. But hard to find isn't the same as doesn't exist.
posted by Tomorrowful at 8:31 AM on August 14, 2009
posted by Tomorrowful at 8:31 AM on August 14, 2009
In my experience, post to Craigslist if you like, but focus much more on the postings other people make in "sublets/temporary". Be ready to build a plan based on 2 or 3 places, instead of one, if necessary, and don't hesitate to negotiate (if someone's offering 6 months, they may very well still be willing to consider 3, etc).
posted by game warden to the events rhino at 8:39 AM on August 14, 2009
posted by game warden to the events rhino at 8:39 AM on August 14, 2009
Google for "cambridge boston homestay". Might lead you to a few leads.
posted by hungrysquirrels at 9:00 AM on August 14, 2009
posted by hungrysquirrels at 9:00 AM on August 14, 2009
I've had excellent luck with the housing wanted ads on Craigslist. A lot of people are thinking about maybe getting a rooommate, or have a room to rent but don't *need* to rent it and so just kind of keep an eye open, etc etc etc. Anyways, I needed a room for 2 months in Salt Lake City last year and literally had someone call me with something perfect within 20 minutes of posting a housing wanted ad, so I just wanted to jump in and say you shouldn't rule it out.
posted by rachelv at 9:03 AM on August 14, 2009
posted by rachelv at 9:03 AM on August 14, 2009
Post a sign at or call whatever office handles semester abroad programs at Harvard, BU, MIT, etc. They may know someone taking Fall off who would be a perfect match for you.
posted by carmicha at 9:15 AM on August 14, 2009
posted by carmicha at 9:15 AM on August 14, 2009
Does Boston/Cambridge have a City Paper-style publication? Around here, the City Paper and Craigslist are the key places to go for sublet opportunities.
posted by EvaDestruction at 9:49 AM on August 14, 2009
posted by EvaDestruction at 9:49 AM on August 14, 2009
What? Sublets. Craigslist isn't as scary as you make out to be. In my experience Craigslist sublets in Boston/Cambridge was pretty friendly. Just email, ask for a short bio online maybe, scope out the house maybe with a friend, look at what the fridge/bathroom looks like, talk to your potential roommates to get a feel for what they're like, thank them and leave and take a walk for a few hours, decide in the middle of your dinner and get back to them via email. Wash, rinse, repeat. Bingo.
Craigslist housing is a seller's market, so don't post any ads but browse the listings. Reply with a friendly bio with two or three sentences about yourself, specify a range of dates you can see the place. Expect to get replies back about less than 50 percent of the time.
A search for September December gets you 12 listings already -- try searching for Sept/Dec, etc. etc. etc.
posted by suedehead at 9:57 AM on August 14, 2009
Craigslist housing is a seller's market, so don't post any ads but browse the listings. Reply with a friendly bio with two or three sentences about yourself, specify a range of dates you can see the place. Expect to get replies back about less than 50 percent of the time.
A search for September December gets you 12 listings already -- try searching for Sept/Dec, etc. etc. etc.
posted by suedehead at 9:57 AM on August 14, 2009
You might want to check out the community based livejournals. Housing messages come up quite frequently.
For example:
Davis Square
Porter Square
Central Square
Boston
posted by o0dano0o at 9:59 AM on August 14, 2009
For example:
Davis Square
Porter Square
Central Square
Boston
posted by o0dano0o at 9:59 AM on August 14, 2009
Apart from Craigslist, which is what I used to sublet my place two summers in a row and totally friendly, also check the local Facebook Marketplace postings. Desperate students leaving for a term will post everywhere and I got a decent number of replies to my posting.
You'll probably have to rent for four months - September 1st to December 31st. Starting in the middle of the month is a bit unfortunate.
posted by Phire at 10:14 AM on August 14, 2009
You'll probably have to rent for four months - September 1st to December 31st. Starting in the middle of the month is a bit unfortunate.
posted by Phire at 10:14 AM on August 14, 2009
Depending upon your financial resources you might also want to look for a short term lease in a a furnished apartment. There are plenty of brokers for these. Many of the clients are business people on temporary assignment. In my experience rents are about 25% to 35% higher than similarly unfurnished long term places, although when I was in one of these in Boston someone else paid everything and I didn't even see the bill so I am not sure about the specifics of the Boston market.
posted by caddis at 12:13 PM on August 14, 2009
posted by caddis at 12:13 PM on August 14, 2009
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posted by roomthreeseventeen at 8:28 AM on August 14, 2009