Speaking of Boston...

[shigidigi]

Thank you for the advice, it is very helpful! I am going to try and be flexible with my budget in the hopes that it wont break the bank! I am wondering how hard it will be to get from apt to apt without a car! Could I persuade an agent to take me around like a realtor would?

That would be worth the fee!

My company hasnt decided yet on whether they will or wont offer relo- I am hoping they will but I am also planning this move before they want to let me go (thanks to HR dragging their feet about my job switch within the company) so I may just have to foot the bill myself. I dont want to because it will eat into the house saving fund but I will obviously because I want to move!

If you are around, maybe we could meet for coffee! My office is over by the courthouse, but frankly I am willing to go anywhere. I need to get a feel for Boston eventually, and sooner rather than later is most likely best!

 

[mercoledi]

It looks like you have options.

Huron village is nice, though a bit of a walk to the T.

This could be good, but I''m not sure about that exact area of JP. The street view looks nice.

This is a nice part of JP and looks like a nice place too.

 

[mercoledi]

Date: 7/16/2008 3:06:12 PM
Author: shigidigi
Thank you for the advice, it is very helpful! I am going to try and be flexible with my budget in the hopes that it wont break the bank! I am wondering how hard it will be to get from apt to apt without a car! Could I persuade an agent to take me around like a realtor would?

That would be worth the fee!


My company hasnt decided yet on whether they will or wont offer relo- I am hoping they will but I am also planning this move before they want to let me go (thanks to HR dragging their feet about my job switch within the company) so I may just have to foot the bill myself. I dont want to because it will eat into the house saving fund but I will obviously because I want to move!


If you are around, maybe we could meet for coffee! My office is over by the courthouse, but frankly I am willing to go anywhere. I need to get a feel for Boston eventually, and sooner rather than later is most likely best!

Moving around to look at places does take time. If you guys are Zipcar members you can just use a car here. If not, a realtor will drive you from place to place. It''s a little underhanded, but you could always book with someone and basically have them show you around apartments in the areas your interested in. Then you can either book something they have (if you like it/price is right/whatever) or at least you''ll have a better idea about the neighborhoods.

That whole HR thing stinks; I hope they sort it out for you soon. Moving is $$$. Do you know when you''ll be here? I work in the medical area, but I have some flexibility in my schedule.

 

[swimmer]

Hey Shigi!
Soooo, I''m just chillin'' online for the next few days, pretty much anything but working on my dissertation.
If you want to give me a super specific list of hoods, costs, and such, I can tackle the craigslist angle for you. I also can suss out Davis area realtors you might be thinking of.

 

[oceanlove]

Date: 7/16/2008 3:06:12 PM
Author: shigidigi
I am wondering how hard it will be to get from apt to apt without a car! Could I persuade an agent to take me around like a realtor would?

That would be worth the fee!

Hello! I''m very late to this thread, but ''Boston'' in the title got my attention...I live in Boston, and just wanted to HIGHLY recommend that you get an agent/realtor to show you apartments. This was what I eventually decided to do when I was apartment hunting and it made my life *so* much easier. Oh, and we started out looking to rent (we ended up buying after all) and the agent still drove us around in his car to show us places, so I wouldn''t think that would be a problem. I definitely still saw some really bad apartments, but I saw some really nice ones too, and was way less stressed about the whole thing. This is a generalization, but it my circle at least, those who used an agent have much nicer places than those who found them on their own. Not to say that you can''t find a nice place without an agent, it just seems easier to find what you''re looking for when you do have one.

Good luck with the apartment hunt! It''s really a great area to live in, I hope you love it.

 

[shigidigi]

You girls are so sweet!! Mercoledi the two apartments in JP you found actually seem really awesome, thank you for posting them

Swimmer you are too nice! I guess what I really need to know is which neighborhood do I have the best chance of finding something good in my price range? I see tons of apartments listed in Brighton and Allston on top of the places I mentioned but I worry about ending up sandwiched in an apartment surrounded by 18 year olds that party the week through. (Does that sound terrible? I hope not...)

I really need two bedrooms PLUS either a dining room or additional room (like the place Mercoledi last listed) to be used as a library for DH who owns thousands and thousands of books (doesnt every academic though??)

Since I am not a member of zipcar (although I know I could join) perhaps going the agent route would be best. How does one pick a good agent? Has anyone used one or know of one that has been a god-send when looking for a place to live? I could definitely use some names since this is very overwhelming indeed

Oceanlove thanks for letting me know about your experience with your agent!! It is helpful to know it was really beneficial to you, and since I am on such a limited time schedule I need all the help at this point.

I should know by the end of this week what days I will be there and will let you know in case anyone is up for a last minute PS meet and greet!! I would definitely like to thank you all in person!

 

[mercoledi]

It''s not worth joining zipcar just for that!
When I first moved to Boston we used Metro Realty. In my experience they only represent nice, liveable places. Maybe check out Yelp.com for other recommendations. I think I said this before, but avoid Paragon like the plague.
Sadly the market here is still pretty tight, but you guys will be pretty much ideal tenants (Two professionals, mature, good credit, etc). The down side is that you need a lot of space and big apartments near the T get expensive since they''re easy to rent out to roommates willing to pay more than a couple would.

I''d be game for meeting, I''d certainly like to see my ring''s cousin

 

[NewEnglandLady]

For a tight schedule, I''d also suggest meeting with one (or two, depending on how many areas you''re looking into) realtors who can zip you around pretty easily. You can look at a dozen or more apartments in a day as opposed to 2 or 3 max looking on your own.

I tried looking on Craigslist for nice listings in Quincy, but the pickings are pretty slim right now. I like the listings morcoledi posted.

Sorry you''re under so much stress! They didn''t give you much notice...

 

[shigidigi]

Eh, stress seems to be my middle name nowadays! I will check out Yelp (dont you just love that site??) and also ring up Metro Realty to see what they could dig up for me. Does working with an agent mean that I will most likely/definitely have to pay a fee or does that depend on what the landlord is willing to pay?

Also, do most places need a landlord recommendation? I am wondering if I need to contact my currently landlord and ask him for a letter stating that DH and I are good upstanding people. I have never had to do this but I see a few places asking for this online.

NEL- I think I would feel like I am cheating on an agent! haha, but good idea nonetheless!

Mercoledi, I think my ring would love meeting it''s Muse

 

[cellososweet]

ohhh!!! I wanna play! I work right by Government Center I know it''s probably been talked about before, and I''m sorry for being lazy and not looking at previous posts, but you definitely want to go with an agent, and your instinct to move in the week before are spot on (two weeks might be even better, honestly). Good luck! And let me know if you need any help navigating things.

Going apt. to apt. by foot shouldn''t be too hard if you can''t get an agent to drive you around. Google maps (and most mapping things actually) portrays Boston as being really big. The truth is you can whiz around anywhere in a short amount of time. Here''s some examples for me:

I live Marlborough St. between Arlington and Berkeley St. I can walk to my office, which is near Government Center in 15 minutes. In heels. I can walk to the Holy Cross Cathedral at 1400 washington st. in the south end in about 25-ish minutes. I can walk down to Newbury and HEreford in about 15 minutes. I can walk to Modern Pastry on Hanover in the North End in less than 30 minutes. Now, keep in mind that I tend to hustle sometimes, but all in all, Boston is a lot smaller than it looks.

Good luck!

 

[shigidigi]

Yea Cello!! I was just thinking about you and wondering if you were enjoying Boston since your move!

What agent did you use?

That will be fun with us working so close together (that is once I actually get my rear in gear and move!) I am really crossing my fingers for an August rental to avoid Sept1st... but we''ll see. I may not be in control of that

Now I''ve got my boss saying that perhaps flying out next week will be too expensive. I have a free ticket somewhere in my cluttered apartment for United and I am going to tear the house apart looking for it so I can go regardless. I need to find a place to live dammit!! I am so sick of having my company ruin this for me at every turn...

 

[cellososweet]

i love love love Boston to pieces. It is fantastic in every which way. Before we moved, we talked about renting for a few years, and then moving out to the ''burbs and having kids. Now I never ever want to leave Boston proper and we are finding out how to make it work (waiting to have kids is one way haha. we''re young. so that''s an option).

I didn''t use an agent. I worked my tailpiece off on craigslist. Emails, phone calls. Insanity! I was lucky that I had an aunt close by in Marlborough (city, not street. confusing. I know!). She did all the leg work looking at the apartments I was interested in. I landed a summer sublet with an option to renew (which we are debating about renewing. Awesome location, not so awesome landlord. He''s a really nice guy, but is lagging on some paperwork). THis was our best option. The rent went up by a little, but it''s still significantly less than anything I''ve seen. If you need any help looking at apartments (perhaps you don''t have enough time to look at all of them) let me know. Maybe I could help. I really need to go back and read all of your details. I have the day off tomorrow, so perhaps then!

Good luck!

 

[shigidigi]

I''m afraid you girls are gonna hate offering to help me!

I LOVED the 3br place in JP that Mercoledi listed but I am hoping if I am gonna pay over $1600 that heat and hw will be included.

Let me through a few places out to you all and see what you think about them:

2br plus office in Allston I like this place because the office could be used as DH''s library and of course heat and hw are included!

No heat but parking incl Cambridge

JP Pricey but library possible

Do you think (I would never do this otherwise but I am getting seriously desperate) that it might ever be OK to rent an apt sight unseen? Or is that a super no-no?

 

[swimmer]

You need to see it!
OK, please prioritize these things.

Parking
Heat included
Library (is this in addition to the second BR?)
Location to your work
Cost (what are the parameters here?)
Number of bathrooms
Closets
Washer/Dryer proximity (do you already own?)

Other things I would look at:
Does it have new windows? That makes a huge difference with heat.
How recently has the electricity been done? (like my apt can's support a hairdryer, but we are cool with that, DH is bald and I'm a mess.)
If parking isn't included, how is street parking? (duh, but permit parking is better because the students whose cars aren't registered locally can't use the area)
Neighbors...the students are gone now, and you have a totally valid fear of their noise. There are buildings in Allston and Brighton that are uninhabitable unless you are a young person in a band or legally deaf, and I bet the vibrations would still throw you off.

OK, enough from me! What do you think/want/prefer?
ETA love that third floor JP apt. That is seriously lovely and great quiet location. Friends live on that street and parking is not an issue when I've visited.

 

[mercoledi]

Ditto Swimmer''s list.

And yes, you really really should see a place before signing.


The thing about Allston/Brighton is that A. it is very studenty and tends to be run down. There are nice parts of Brighton but they aren''t close to the T and B., those places are on the B, maybe the C lines and that will significantly increase your commute time. The B is a terror. Also in general laundry in teh building is much more common than laundry in the unit.

Realtor fees and H/HW are almost always negotiable, and you should feel free to haggle. A landlord can pay your fee for you if they really want you. Some places will ask for references and a credit check, but I haven''t run into that often.

Off-street parking is nice, but shouldn''t be a must in most of the places you''re looking at.

It looks like Kunevich and Lau has some nice properties; I think they''re only recently in the rental game (I know one of them died recently

)so they may be worth contacting.

Here''s my guess at your priorities:

Square feet/library
Location commutable to your work (under 60 min)
Heat included
Cost (what are the parameters here?)
Number of bathrooms
Parking
Closets
Washer/Dryer proximity

 

[shigidigi]

Ok, here is my priority list:

-size (so library in addition to 2br is a serious must!)
-proximity to work (Mercoledi you are GOOD- less than 1hr is a must) I can walk from South Station to give you an idea of location.
-Heat incl/Cost I combine them because I don''t really want to pay more than $1450 without heat but will go up to $1700 if it is included.
-W/D While I dont own one if there are hookups I so will be buying a set (miss my old set in Atlanta

) If there is a W/D on the premises (and in the apt is an even BIGGER plus!) than I would be happier than having to cart my clothes out of the building- because I so see myself not washing anything in the colder months and I dont have enough undies to last me 3 and a half months!
- parking: it doesnt have to be included (which is nice obviously) but easy on street parking is a must (I can deal with permits, no biggie)
- as for bathrooms that is a joke to me because although we currently have 2 here in SF, I have not seen a SINGLE apartment in Boston (in my $$ range) with more than one, so I am resigned to one

- closets are obviously needed but I dont need a bunch of them if we have the 2BR and the library

I have heard horror stories about Allston and Brighton because of the students. I dont mind students I just dont want 24hr party people in my building.

I''m glad you liked the JP apt Swimmer! Too bad I bet it will be gone before I get there

Mercoledi, thanks for the agency name- I am off to google!

So, now that I know fees are negotiable (am still wondering how I could negotiate h/hw though??), I know I have mentioned this before- but do you think I could haggle lease terms? So, say 9 months instead of 12?

 

[shigidigi]

PS- I want honesty here ladies:

Do you think my "wish" list is unreasonable based on my cost parameters?

 

[mercoledi]

Unreasonable? No. Easy? Also no.

2+ for $1700 with heat/hot should be doable in Sommerville, Quincy, and probably in JP. Closer to the city? You'd have to get lucky. You do want a relative ton of square feet, so you need to see the apartments to be sure they'll work.

If you're willing to go down to 1 bath, your odds improve dramatically.

Laundry in the building is common, if that's OK, then you're OK. Usually it's $1.50 wash, $1.00 for 60 minuted of drying.

Really truly, avoid Allston/Brighton for now. If you move here and ferret out a part of Brighton you like, great, but it's a big risk and a lousy commute. It may look OK in July, but it won't in September.

As for H/HW, you can argue that it be part of the rent, just make sure it's in the lease that way when you sign. Like if an apt is $1550 tell them you'll pay $1700/mo to include H/HW. Or something like that. Utility rates vary widely by area. Do NOT agree to pay your own H/HW UNLESS you are on your own meter. Some land lords will just divide the bill by the number of units and it can be a nightmare!

The under-12 month lease will be more a stretch, 12 month is pretty much standard here. Try to look for owners renting apartments, they're more likely to go month-to-month or tenant at will than a company will be.

Is that most of it? Kunevich and Lau (I may not be spelling that correctly) hosted one of the listings you posted today, I think the JP one right by the Arboretum.

If I were you, I'd try to stay on the Red Line and look in NQ and Davis/Inman/Porter. The Red Line is pretty choice as the I goes and those neighborhoods are pretty hip and affordable.

 

[NewEnglandLady]

Date: 7/17/2008 6:24:21 PM
Author: shigidigi
PS- I want honesty here ladies:

Do you think my 'wish' list is unreasonable based on my cost parameters?

I don't think you're asking too much. Here is a listing in Quincy Center:

http://boston.craigslist.org/sob/abo/759180309.html

3 BR/1 BA, close to T, parking, w/d hookup, for $1450 + utilities. I know you wanted heat included, but I don't think it would be that much.

For reference, I live in a 2 family and the apartment above us is for rent. It's 2 bedrooms plus a den, 1 bath, hardwoods, parking, storage, w/d in basement (free) etc. with all utilities included and it's $1495/mo. My neighborhood is just a teensy bit south of Quincy Center (I'm at Quincy Adams), so my neighborhood isn't as nice. Plus we have no yard at all, which stinks.

ETA: I chose this one because it's listed by an owner--not only can you skip the fee, but they are usually flexible about lease periods. We negotiated ours to be month-to-month.

Oh, and I'd say it's 20 minutes or so to South Station from Quincy Center? I get on one stop south at Quincy Adams and work at Downtown Crossing (one stop north of SS) and I go door to door in about 35 minutes.

 

[shigidigi]

Ok, glad to know I am not being entirely unreasonable!!

I will definitely avoid Allston and Brighton- besides it will probably be very helpful for me to have less neighborhoods to look at.

Hopefully I can dust off my negotiation skills and land a killer apartment with nice landlord owners.

NEL- How close are you to the T? Are you sure you arent living below my potentially perfect apartment???

 

[NewEnglandLady]

We''re a little less than a half mile from the T.

Trust me, you don''t want to live in my neighborhood, haha. In the past week, the following things have happened:

1. The chinese food delivery guy told me that he was robbed in the next house over.
2. While returning from a walk with my dog, a man pulled over in his car wearing nothing but boxers and peed in our bushes and;
3. The police pulled in front of my window at 3 a.m. to help a woman who had driven her car into our neighbor''s fence. The funny thing was that the police were super friendly and didn''t even give her a ticket or tell our neighbors what happened.

I love our apartment (huge, original hardwoods, lots of great old details but also a brand new kitchen), but our neighborhood is seriously wacky. Our neighbors regularly have loud marital spats on their front porch, we live right next to a commercial truck parking lot and the loud engines wake us up every morning at 5:30 a.m. and the Brazilan block parties frequently go into the wee hours of the morning...and they don''t turn the music down. But hey, the rent is under $1,500/month and that was our first priority, haha.

There are definitely nice parts of Quincy--the wackiness above only applies to South Quincy. And I would argue Quincy is in one of the best locations of any Boston borough--it''s right next to Routes 93 and 3, which makes it ultra convenient to pretty much everything. I''d stick to Quincy Center or areas near the hospital, though.

You''re definitely going to find something!

 

[shigidigi]

Wow! That does sound wacky!! Although I bet the neighbor''s who lost their fence to that woman''s car werent as pleasant as the police

 

[shigidigi]

Update! I have bought my plane ticket (ridiculous boss fell through so I ate the cost- but it will be well worth it!) to Boston and will be in town from June 30th through the evening of the 5th! I am hoping that will be sufficient time to find a good place.

How soon should I contact the agents before I go? I guess it might be a good idea to speak to a few starting Monday to see whom I can secure.

Thanks for all your help everyone! You have been a fantastic wealth of knowledge and I dont think I could have made it this far without you!!

 

[mercoledi]

So you''re flying out to give a talk and your work isn''t paying for it? That''s lame. July 30-Aug 5? Sounds like plenty of time! I''d go ahead and call a few agents, see what they can get together for you. And keep an eye on Craigslist, you can always do a few trips with an agent and some on your own. Kunevich and Lau had two decent placed in JP and two between Central and Inman that might work well for you too. I''ll be around until the 2nd if you want to meet up.

Yay planning!

 

[shigidigi]

Thanks Mercoledi! And yes, my work is lame but I just told them this morning that I will "try" to make it into the office but that my first priority is finding a place. I am about to begin making phone calls to the agents. Wish me luck!

I can get together any of those days, if there is one that is better for you let me know. Perhaps I will have good news when we meet of having found a great place!

 

[mercoledi]

Soooo I had high hopes of going to Miami with DH next week, but really $300 is an awful lot to pay for me to sit on my butt when I can do that here for free. Thus, probably the 30/31 ist is best for me, I have company on the evening of the 1st and leave on a mini vacation on the 2nd.

Where are you staying? How did the calls go?

 

[mercoledi]

Listings:
Kinda sterile and near quincy adams

Could be good if includes H/H

Cheapo in JP. I had a friend who lived around the corner from here. It''s not the nicest part of JP but it''s fine and convenient.

Somerville near Mass Ave

Near Porter

Between Harvard and Inman

Maybe ok part of JP

Great in JP if it''s big enough

 

[shigidigi]

How about the 31st? I called Kunevich and Lau and Tory Row today to tell them what I was looking for and will get back in touch with both next Monday to schedule some viewings. Based on some apartments I have seen today (one you listed too)- I think I may call City Central Realty as well since they seem to have a bank of really great places that include heat and hw.

I am starting to get anxious because I just want to be there now and looking at places!! How frustrating! Oh well, hopefully this week will go by quickly!

Now I am off to look at the other places you posted- thanks again! You are really good at tracking down great potential places!

 

[mercoledi]

31st it is!

Oh good, I don''t want to annoy you with listings. This is good practice for me since we''ll probably move in the next year to a 2 br Somerville or JP and I need to get an idea of what the market is like.

Good luck!

 

[mercoledi]

This is a very very long shot, but these condos seem pretty reasonable and they''re having open houses ever week. I don''t know if you''re really ready to buy yet, but it''s always fun to look!

JP lofts