Relocating fr North Carolina To Andover, MA: need rental guidance! (Boston: apartment, rentals)

[Peace&Prosperity]

Hello, I am relocating from North Carolina to the Andover area in mid-Aug with my partner who has a new job. We're going to rent hopefully in Andover until while we get our bearings. I will be a full-time student in her 40’s at an area school. We are looking for a 2-bedroom house or apartment to rent for $880/mth that is near a park or green way to walk the dog. Coming from and urban/suburban area with many trees, I would like to walk outside the house/apartment and be on a quiet tree-lined street/neighborhood/or downtown area.

We want something safe, spacious, modern or with character, hardwoods, good insulation, a deck with view of trees, woods, greenway. I’m surprised at what little I have seen on-line. How do we find out what’s available in the area? Given that the cost of living is higher in the Andover area than in North Carolina where I currently live we are considering 2 options: living close to Andover in a smaller place or commuting for lower rents and a larger place. A long commute would be a concern in bad weather. Will a long commute really save us money and increase our chances of getting more for less? If so where/what areas do we look at? Or can we find something in/near Andover at our price point? Any advise would be most appreciated.

[forrestgump]

I don't know the situation in NC, but in MA, the towns are lined up next to one another without any clear demarcation across towns. As a result, there are several towns adjacent to Andover.

Andover is a very nice town, but it is pricier than the surrounding towns, some of which are extremely nice themselves. Check out towns adjacent to Andover such as Methuen, North Andover, etc. I am sure rent in Methuen (and even North Andover) would be less than what they are in Andover. Moreover, Methuen and North Andover have several dining and shopping options, as does Andover. However, Methuen has an edge over Andover when it comes to chain stores like Target, Gap, Home Depot, etc. - Andover doesn't have those stores but Methuen does.

[KickAssArmyChick]

Try looking at places in Wilmington but please stay away from Lawrence. It is right next to North Andover and it is a dump. You'd most likely be able to rent a place there for cheap but the place is a NO NO.

I don't think you will be able to find anything for $880 a month in Andover. Especially a 2 bedroom apartment. I rented a 2 bedroom / 2 bath in Wilmington ( less than 10 minutes from Andover ) and it was $1650 a month plus ALL utilities. I know that is a bit on the higher side but most places will charge you at least $1000 a month.

Try Billerica, Tewksbury, Bedford. They are about 20 minutes or so from Andover and much cheaper...but they're still nice towns.

Good luck.

[Valerie C]

Good Morning. Unfortunately, you're about to discover that there is a HUGE variation in cost of living (COL) from NC to MA. And you've chosen a highly desirable town to begin your search. It will be VERY difficult (I never say impossible) to find "a quiet tree-lined street/neighborhood/or downtown area" that is also "safe, spacious, modern or with character, hardwoods, good insulation, a deck with view of trees, woods, greenway". Not for $880/month, and finding a dog-friendly rental adds to the issue.

Where will you and/or your partner be commuting to? Nearby Haverhill may be worth considering. With public transportation, many independently owned shops & restaurants in the downtown district, and an abundance of newly-available rentals (former mill buildings turned into condos), rental prices in the outskirt neighborhoods of Haverhill are seeing some lower rents (young professionals that are commuting to Boston want to be nearer to the train station & downtown amenities, so those are more premium properties at this time). Haverhill's biggest downfall is the struggling school system, which doesn't sound as though it would be an issue for you.

The reason you're not seeing much online is that the MLS system for that area of MA does not have a public search feature as does the NH MLS system. You'll have to contact a realtor licensed in MA to access this database (or check realtor.com for rentals).

Originally Posted by Peace&Prosperity

Hello, I am relocating from North Carolina to the Andover area in mid-Aug with my partner who has a new job. We're going to rent hopefully in Andover until while we get our bearings. I will be a full-time student in her 40’s at an area school. We are looking for a 2-bedroom house or apartment to rent for $880/mth that is near a park or green way to walk the dog. Coming from and urban/suburban area with many trees, I would like to walk outside the house/apartment and be on a quiet tree-lined street/neighborhood/or downtown area.

We want something safe, spacious, modern or with character, hardwoods, good insulation, a deck with view of trees, woods, greenway. I’m surprised at what little I have seen on-line. How do we find out what’s available in the area? Given that the cost of living is higher in the Andover area than in North Carolina where I currently live we are considering 2 options: living close to Andover in a smaller place or commuting for lower rents and a larger place. A long commute would be a concern in bad weather. Will a long commute really save us money and increase our chances of getting more for less? If so where/what areas do we look at? Or can we find something in/near Andover at our price point? Any advise would be most appreciated.