Long-distance apartment-hunting in Boston

March 15, 2006 5:25 AM

I'm a midwesterner looking to move to Boston in August. How should I search for an apartment?

I was going to visit the city in early April, so my original plan was to spend a week there and do most of my searching then -- and hopefully sign a lease, too, if I was lucky. When I ran that idea by a couple of my friends who have lived there, though, they told me it was probably too early to search for an August apartment. When I asked them what they would suggest, they said I should pay attention to listings on Craigslist to see when August apartments start becoming available, even if I don't necessarily use Craigslist to find a place.

I can do that, but I'm not really sure what signs I'm looking for. If I search for apartments available in August right now, there's about 50 results that come up. I have no idea if that's enough for me to start looking, or if that means it's too soon.

So, I was wondering if people could suggest concrete strategies for figuring out when to start my search in earnest. If you want to throw in any suggestions for actually finding the apartment when I do start, I'd appreciate those, too; I already found a couple of AskMe threads (first, second) which were very helpful for that, but since they all seemed to be hunting from Boston, I don't have many ideas about how to do this from far away.

Thanks a lot!

posted by brett to Travel & Transportation around Boston, MA (21 answers total)

At least as of last year, turnover was pretty quick. Hunting in May for an August/September place yielded a lot of cranky realtors and interesting places that got scooped off the market long before we'd actually be able to put money down. This has a lot to do with the large number of students, I'd think.
posted by rxrfrx at 5:42 AM on March 15, 2006

(And by "put money down," I mean make a security deposit. This wasn't for buying property)
posted by rxrfrx at 5:43 AM on March 15, 2006

Being a college town, you're looking to get here about a month early for the best amount of vacancies, but this is still doable. My old landlord used to make me re-up a ridiculous amount of time beforehand, so I know that some folks are already thinking towards late summer/fall.

Your best bet with this much time is to think about the neighborhoods you want to live in-- do you want to live in Boston proper, or are you thinking in the city limits but in Allston/Brighton or one of the more suburban sections? Or do you want to live in Cambridge or Somerville?

Then decide if you want to live in an apartment building or a smaller apartment. You've got so much time that you might as well decide what you want and then work on getting it. Then it's just a matter of using Craigslist and having your friends keep their eyes open.

Don't use a realtor. Those dudes are rapists and with this much forethought you don't need one. Decide what you want and follow every lead you and your friends dig up and you'll have the place that you want, where you want it, without paying a fee.

Just decide what you want and look for it through th usual channels-- there aren't any reliable tricks/back doors to getting a place, especially when it's still a bit of a renters' market. It will be easier for a remote apartment hunter to go through the management companies of bigger complexes, but you don't need to do that if a more sterile, dorm-like atmosphere doesn't appeal to you.
posted by Mayor Curley at 5:54 AM on March 15, 2006

And as rxrfrx alludes, sudent areas (Allston/Brighton, parts of Cambridge/Somerville) will be hardest.
posted by Mayor Curley at 5:56 AM on March 15, 2006

Looking for an August apartment will be a bit easier than September. Do what you can to stay away from a September start as trying to fight for apartment among throngs of college students is no bueno. Plus, trying to move into the city on September 1st is a grade A nightmare.

When I was looking for a May apartment this time last year many realtors mentioned they were already renting for September.

What kind of neighborhood are you looking for?
Do you have a car and will you need parking?
posted by Constant Reader at 6:39 AM on March 15, 2006

Like others have said, it's almost too early to start looking for August. The realtors here will screw you and charge ridiculous fees to find you a place.

If you have a car, parking is almost always scarce and many apartments that provide parking will charge an additional monthly fee for the space. You can purchase a parking sticker from the city, but in some areas finding a spot is notoriously difficult.

You might also keep in mind where a potential apartment is in relation to the T --Boston's public transportation. There is also commuter rail if you're that far out.
posted by MasonDixon at 7:01 AM on March 15, 2006

Almost everything is a 9/1 - 8/31 lease because of the college town thang. I moved up here after 9/1, and there were slim pickings, but the unrented stuff had decent deals. (I have a decent deal on a 2BR in Cambridge, although I was looking for a 1BR).
posted by sachinag at 7:04 AM on March 15, 2006

Availability rates in the Boston area have increased in the past few years as people decided to buy rather than rent, so you as a renter will have a better chance of negotiating to have the landlord pay the realtor's fee. So don't completely write off using a realtor if you're having trouble finding what you want and you have the luxury of time.

Also, realtors list on Craigslist so pay close attention to the listing if you want to avoid using a realtor.
posted by schoolgirl report at 7:13 AM on March 15, 2006

Response by poster: Thanks for the help so far, everyone. I'd like a neighborhood in Boston with easy access to the red or green lines, and ideally lots of cool local restaurants and coffeeshops. I've gotten recommendations for Porter Square, Central Square, Coolidge Corner, Newton Center, and Arlington Center. I haven't done lots of looking into it yet, though, I have to admit, so more input along those lines would be great.

Right now I'm leaning towards selling my car and living life on public transit -- my employer will pay for a T pass every month, and I've already spent two summers in Boston that way, so I know I can do it. I'm a little reluctant to give up my car because it was a great deal and I love it, but even here in the midwest I get away with using it only once a week, so I think in Boston it'll weigh me down more than it'll help.
posted by brett at 7:24 AM on March 15, 2006

Brookline (which is where Coolidge Corner is located) has a no overnight parking rule, so if you keep your car, be aware that you'll have to pay extra for parking.

Arlington center is fun, but on the bus (not the subway)... You may also want to look at the Davis Sq. area (red line), or (depending on your price range), the South End, which is accessible via the green/orange lines, and the Silver line. Both meet the requirements you laid out, and rentals tend not to follow the 9/1 - 8/31 lease pattern.
posted by darsh at 7:32 AM on March 15, 2006

I've lived in Coolidge (well, between Coolidge and Washington) and in Newton Center (living there now, in fact).

If you want to live in Newton, it will be easier to keep your car. If you decide on Brookline, SELL IT. You will be paying upwards of $100/mo for a parking space, IF you can find one. We ended up with a space three blocks from the house which is a looooong trek in the winter. If you can rely on the T, do it; there's a green line T stop basically every block in Coolidge, and outbound from the Coolidge stop was free last I checked. I loved living in Coolidge; the restaurants are fantastic as are the coffeeshops. You have grocery stores and drug stores on (quite literally) every corner, and everything you need will be within 3-4 blocks walk. There's also a farmer's market on Tuesdays in the summer, which is lovely.

Newton is also very nice but much more car-friendly/car necessitating. There is no street parking (generally--may vary by neighborhood) in the winter, so keep that in mind. Overall the Newton population density is lower, so the density of walking destinations is correspondingly lower.

Basically--Brookline, ditch the car, you won't need it or want it and it will be more hassle than it's worth. Newton--iffier on the car; I have one and like/need to have it, but you could get by without it. Grocery stores are a lot sparser in Newton, though, so this might be a major consideration in favor of the car.

It's way way way too early to start looking for apartments in August. About 1 month is as far out as you can go. If you see a place you like, be prepared to jump on it. Really. I applied for the place I'm in the first time I saw it and signed on it something like three days later. Have money in the checkbook for it.

Re: Realtors...eh. They can be helpful or not; many places I looked at did have the fees paid by landlord. I found that Chobee Hoy (Will, in particular, but I don't know if he's still there) and LBK Realty both had nice places available and were among the more straight-up realtors I dealt with. But yes, many are scum.

Feel free to email if you have more specific questions...happy to chat.
posted by fuzzbean at 7:40 AM on March 15, 2006

If you are going to have any school affiliations, contact their housing offices. They are good at this sort of thing.
posted by alms at 8:32 AM on March 15, 2006

To add to fuzzbean -

Will from Cho Bee Hoy is still there. He's actually showing my current apartment in Coolidge Corner right now.

Boston is great without a car, you only really need one if you plan to leave the city. I use Zip Car for in town errands and rent cars for travel outside the city.

The Green Line Outbound above ground is still free.

I've also lived in the Porter/Davis Sq area and would highy recommend them. Davis has a great feel with a great bookstore, nice non-franchise coffee shops. and an awesome movie theater. Porter Sq is in walking distance with speciality shops and a grocery store.

I would caution against Central Sq. It's a great place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there. There's a strange unsettling mix of gentrification and sketchiness that makes me uneasy. Great food co-op though.
posted by Constant Reader at 8:38 AM on March 15, 2006

Zipcar is available in the Boston area, so if you do decide to sell your car you shouldn't have much trouble getting out of town once in a while, going to Ikea, etc. I recommend the no car option if you can do it. Insurance costs are redonkulous, and there's the parking issue.

The Central/Harvard/Porter/Davis Square Red Line corridor will get you what you're looking for as far as convenience and culture. But you'll pay a premium for it. I lived in Central for two years, paying close to $1500 for a one bedroom -- this was when there was about 2% availability -- and it was worth it. Hardly any need to go into Boston proper at all.

On preview: yes, Central has its sketchy moments, despite the rash of gentrification over the past few years. But it's not dangerous, just... colorful. I never had a problem, other than avoiding the ubiquitous panhandlers.
posted by schoolgirl report at 8:47 AM on March 15, 2006

Re: the car. You probably know this, but the farther from the city you go, the more you'll want the car. Arlington Ctr. is about as far out in that direction as you can go and live without it (and, as mentioned, it's not on the subway).

The Red Line goes south as far as Quincy, but I doubt that Quincy is very carlessable (I haven't been there in a while, though).
posted by Kirth Gerson at 8:53 AM on March 15, 2006

Also, when looking on Craigslist, be aware that some 'no fee' or 'landlord will pay fee' realtor postings actually have their fees added into your monthly rent. So if you find a place you think you want to stay at for more than a year, it's in your interest to pay the fee up front and save money on rent next year or get it in writing from your landlord that if you renew your lease another year, the rent drops by the amount paid towards the realtor fee.

I lived in Porter Square for five years and outside Davis for two-going-on-three now. If you're looking at Davis, there are a few areas that are going to be Tuftstastic, but plenty more that are not. You can even get away with keeping your car if you find a place in the Cedar street area. You'll be close enough to the T for daily commuting, but far enough out for parking spots and easy access to stores. Competing for Zip Car access for errands was one of the big factors in causing my wife and I to buy a car.

Also, consider a roomate if you are willing. You'll end up getting a lot more for your money (~600 bucks a room per roomie as opposed to 1000 on your own). You could also use it as a temporary stop before getting your own place once you settle into the city more.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 9:02 AM on March 15, 2006

I lived in Central Square from 1998-2005, and it definitely got sketchier over the past couple of years. It's still reasonably safe, but it's a little creepy at night. Porter and Davis are less scary.
posted by jpbutler at 9:27 AM on March 15, 2006

It's scary to think about signing a lease within 4 weeks of when you need to move, but thousands of people do so every month in Boston, and especially during the May-September months.

Most apartments require only 30- or 60-day notice for the current renters to say that they're leaving. (This was not the case when I lived in the Midwest, where the management company asked several months in advance if I planned to renew my lease.) There is always a decent amount of housing stock available in the Boston area, and the odds that you won't find a perfectly acceptable place are slim-to-none (unless you have unrealistic expectations of what you'll find in your price range). I've signed a lease two months in advance (on Beacon Hill), and two weeks in advance (in Medford).

Watching Craigslist is an excellent idea, as you'll educate yourself about the market - what's reasonable in terms of cost, space, etc. - and where you (think that you) want to be. This puts you in a good position when you're ready to start looking in person.

All of the above advice is spot on - I just wanted to add a note of reassurance: no matter when you arrive, you'll find someplace that you'll like. Being prepared + being in the right place at the right time + check in hand = great new apartment!
posted by hsoltz at 9:51 AM on March 15, 2006

I recommend south Arlington. It's a nice town, and there's a lot of rental housing within walking distance of the Alewife station on the Red Line, which is a convenient way to get into the city.
posted by Steven C. Den Beste at 10:15 AM on March 15, 2006

I lived in the Davis area for two years and then the South End for a couple of years. I recommend looking a little bit away from places like Davis and Porter at the surrounding neighborhoods. For example, North Cambridge is a quick walk from both Porter and Davis, is a quieter and more laid back place to live, has ample parking, and cheaper rents. All because it takes five extra minutes to walk to the T. You can save yourself a lot of money if you're willing to look at places that are just outside the most popular neighborhoods.

By the way, you should definitely look at the South End. It's totally up-and-coming and is becoming a culinary/cultural hub. But it's still kind of under people's radars, so you can get some great deals on beautiful apartments. There are tons of awesome restaurants and cafes and coffeeshops, it's walking distance to good shopping, and -- as mentioned -- is close to a bunch of different T lines.
posted by dseaton at 11:55 AM on March 15, 2006

Arlington, Arlington, Arlington. The students that do live there are mostly older, more mature types from the Harvard business and law schools. But it's a neighborhood of old houses that have, by and large, been iffily maintained - so if you're looking at a floor of a duplex or triple, vet your landlord carefully; look for things like smoke detectors and fire hazards in the basement.
posted by Saucy Intruder at 1:28 PM on March 15, 2006