Young Professional Moving to Boston (Waltham area) (Cambridge, Newton: sublet, apartments)

[Moving2Boston]

Hi guys,

I am a recent college graduate, from Florida, moving to the Boston area mid-May--working for a company in Waltham. I've been told decent places to live within a reasonable commute are Somerville and Cambridge. Those places seem a bit closer to the city and are, I've heard, younger than Waltham. My priorities are, broadly, being somewhat close to the city (at least on the outskirts), having reasonably priced accommodations, and parking. I can probably afford up to $1200/month rent but <$1000 would be awesome.

I have a few questions and am hoping for some help:

1) Any hope of finding a decent 1-bedroom apartment in that price range? Other areas I should check out that are still close to the city but maybe cheaper than Somerville/Cambridge?

2) Suggestions on finding roommates or apartments? Craigslist listings typically aren't posted 5 months in advance. I'm fine with waiting a few more months to finalize housing, but I'd rather not wait until April unless it's necessary. I know virtually no one in the Boston area.

Thanks!

[Cantabridgienne]

That rent is pretty low for a one-bedroom. It would be fine for a share. I'd definitely recommend Somerville or Cambridge over Waltham for someone just out of school. Lots of bars, music venues, good arts scene, etc. Close to the city, but you may find you like the scene even better than that of many parts of Boston.

[charolastra00]

I would strongly suggest moving to Waltham itself. You can find a small 1 bedroom or studio for $1200 a month, but utilities likely would not be included. Make sure to budget for heat, which can cost over $200 or $300 a month in cold weather using oil.

The commute from Camberville is a pain - it can be over an hour each way. I commute to Waltham from Medford (and used to commute from Somerville) only because I am trying to find a job closer to the city and don't want to be tied into a lease in Waltham if that happens, but it definitely is a negative impact on quality of life. For instance, I commute about 15 miles each way and this morning it took me 2 1/2 hours to get to work because of an accident - normally it takes an hour to go that distance. Living close to where you work makes a HUGE difference. You're not going to be socializing every day so it makes more sense to travel to be social. Cambridge and Somerville rents are more expensive, so it would be difficult to find something in your budget.

Waltham's Moody Street attracts young professionals from the metrowest with a few good bars and restaurants. It's not as hopping as Cambridge, but I never had trouble when I lived in Waltham.

One thing to consider is that Waltham is the home to two universities. If you were willing to be a bit transitional, you could probably find a summer sublet with undergrads or grad students who are home or interning for the summer. Are you planning on making a trip up here to apartment hunt? It would be difficult to find roommates or a sublet without being in-person because of scam potentials, but it would be a great way of meeting people, getting your bearings, and figuring out where you'd like to live more long term.

[Moving2Boston]

Thanks guys. These are helpful.

Good to know about the heat--that's going to take a toll on my finances come the winter months.

Charolastra, I do see the point in living in Waltham. I really don't like the idea of an hour commute every day. However, I will be working slightly "off" hours (and quite a few hours), about 9:30-7:30pm. But I am definitely tempted to just try to find a place in Waltham--even though the housing seems to be more expensive there than in Somerville or Cambridge, from brief perusals of listings? Is it generally cheaper there? If I could save on both rent and gas money and commute time, that's more important for me than living in a more vibrant social environment.

[charolastra00]

Waltham is significantly cheaper than Somerville or Cambridge, but you're also a little more limited in housing choices. A lot of searches will bring up results in complexes, which will be out of your price range. Cambridge and Somerville have a wider array of housing to choose from, but is more expensive due to its proximity to Boston and the T. You also either have to pay for parking, deal with tandem parking, or find on street parking in both of those cities. Your working hours make the commute a lot less of a hassle, so it's still worth considering.

Have you visited Boston? I ask because I know I experienced a lot of sticker shock over the cost and quality of housing in New England when I moved here from Georgia. I went to college here, but always lived in dorms. In your price range, you're looking at a studio or small 1 bedroom in a multifamily house. You may be able to find an apartment in a building, but most of Waltham's more affordable housing stock tends toward the multifamily.

There are parts of Newton that are further from the T that also would be an affordable close commute. Look into Watertown and Arlington (both have less going on for young people and would require an off-street parking space) for a good midpoint in between the action and work.

[mmyk72]

When I was looking for apt within the last year with a set budget of 1200 a month, most of what I found for a 1-bed was pretty crappy. I was looking in Waltham, Newton and other more surburb towns and they were either basement apts or a converted attic in a private home or in a very old multi unit building. So it is possible but don't expect a 'nice' place as 1200 is the low end for a 1-bed apt. I never found anything decent.

I agree that Waltham prices would be lower and makes sense for your commute as opposed to living in Somerville or Cambridge. Also keep an eye out for Newton which abuts Waltham and has lots of rental apts. Sometimes the rent includes heat, esp if the rental is in a private home and doesn't have separate meters. If not, your preference should be gas over oil and plan extra $ in the winter

[ogre]

Originally Posted by charolastra00

I would strongly suggest moving to Waltham itself. You can find a small 1 bedroom or studio for $1200 a month, but utilities likely would not be included. Make sure to budget for heat, which can cost over $200 or $300 a month in cold weather using oil.

Originally Posted by charolastra00

Waltham's Moody Street attracts young professionals from the metrowest with a few good bars and restaurants. It's not as hopping as Cambridge, but I never had trouble when I lived in Waltham.

Originally Posted by mmyk72

I agree that Waltham prices would be lower and makes sense for your commute as opposed to living in Somerville or Cambridge. Also keep an eye out for Newton which abuts Waltham and has lots of rental apts. Sometimes the rent includes heat, esp if the rental is in a private home and doesn't have separate meters. If not, your preference should be gas over oil and plan extra $ in the winter

I agree that Waltham is at least worth a look. Even though it's not right in the city, it does have a young professionals crowd, and some restaurants and bars and an indie movie theater downtown, and rents are likely to be lower than in Cambridge/Somerville. For what you are looking for, you'd most likely want to focus any search in Waltham on downtown. The rest of Waltham has a suburban character.

Another area you may want to consider is Brighton. Brighton has a reputation for being a noisy student ghetto area, but the areas around Brighton Center and Oak Square--more generally, west of Market St.--are less like this, with more of a mix of young professionals, longtime residents, and grad students. As a working person, you may find that you'd prefer to avoid having the noisy undergrad parties right around you, so you might look at the western side of Brighton. That area does not have a really hopping nightlife, as it's oriented around neighborhood bars and eateries, but it does have those local places, and it's a fairly quick bus ride from there to more lively spots farther into Boston. If you feel you'd still like to have the student parties right around you, then farther east in Brighton, in the Cleveland Circle area and along and near Mass. Ave., could be worth a look.