<p>D2 just got a job in Boston. It is a low pay “I want to save the world” kind of job. She is excited, so I am too -for her. </p>
<p>So now she needs to find a place to live. Obviously it will be roommate situation. Any suggestions on the best way to proceed? Obviously there is Craig’s list. But it is not always reliable. Are brokers necessary, like NYC? Do apartments go in a day or two like NYC? </p>
<p>Any help would be appreciated.</p>
<p>Son left cambridge for a year out west. Sublet already. Craig’s list was how we found new apt. I think he responded to so many ads, some wrote “rented already” and others gave no response. There is always a fear of scams, but if in an apt building, you can check with landlord. You don’t use a realtor for subletting with other roommates. Plan B was to get corporaate housing for a month, so be ready to go visit anything new listed on craig’s list in person. Also, ask your DD to talk to HR at new company, see if they have a board that posts listings.</p>
<p>Friends, colleagues and friends of friends are good for referrals, but barring that, Craigslist, is the best resource for Boston. </p>
<p>My son has used CL repeatedly to find shares, sublets and leased apartments, and his experience has been generally good. </p>
<p>Turnover in Boston is fairly constant for shares and sublets; some go through brokers, but most do not. The greater volume of new leases start in September. Most of the leased apartments are handled by brokers (who usually take one month’s fee). They will also help matching tenants up with roommates.</p>
<p>Boston has some great neighborhoods even at the lower rent levels, both in the southern parts of the city like Jamaica Plain and Brookline and across the river in Cambridge and Somerville.</p>
<p>I would add that there CL also has quite a few listings for furnished rooms with shared kitchens and/or baths that are good options for transitioning.</p>
<p>I would go with Craigslist 100% over brokers. Obviously there are some good ones, but I’ve tried working with one, and never found an apartment I liked through them - and have been shown apartments that were way outside of my requirements, including affordability. Also, Craigslist will help her find roommates - brokers will not. For her requirements, I’d look most in Jamaica Plain, Somerville, maybe Allston/Brighton, although she could get lucky with Cambridge, Brookline, South End. I work in non-profits in Boston, so I know what that salary is like and where many of my coworkers have tended to live.</p>
<p>Daughter’s boyfriend found 2 great apts. through Craigslist. First was a 1 yr. sublet. He did spend some time looking at various neighborhoods and balancing that with transportation logistics. Boston is a great place for young people. Most vacancies are Sept. 1st, with moving vans and trucks booked at least 1-2 months in advance. Congrats!</p>
<p>Craig’s List is her best bet–also the cheapest. She should start now–this is when all the college kids in the area start looking for next year. Most rental/sublets start September 1. Also, there are many sublets available in the summer. Will she start her job in September or in the summer?</p>
<p>When DDs have moved to an entirely new town, sometimes they would rent a room via CL for a month or two in order to determine where and with whom they wanted to live for the rest of the time. It worked well for finding a perfect placement after that first month, getting to know the city, knowing where they want to live, etc.</p>
<p>Are you members of a church or synagogue? If so, consider calling churches in the same or similar denomination to see if the members have any leads. That’s how we found my daughter’s home in a resort community in the Adirondack state park. Real estate agents had no leads on rental properties because anyone with homes to rent got really high “by the week” rates. I called the one mainstream Protestant church in town, and the secretary sent out an email to everyone in the church. Someone decided it was time to move her mother from the guest cottage to the main home with her, and my kid got a fully furnished, fully equipped home on a private lake for a very good rental price.</p>
<p>My older daughter rented apartments in WI during the school years while subbing, and spent summers living at a church camp where she worked. She found three apartments for those three years, all through Craig’s List. </p>
<p>I’d just like to add a clarification about CL and brokers (at least per my son’s experience in Boston). Sublets and shares are usually person to person and don’t involve a broker. </p>
<p>Apartment leases – full year or partial takeover – usually do involve a broker. You will find a few apartments by their owners, but the overwhelming majority in the “apts/housing” category are posted by brokers. </p>
<p>Thanks for the info. They actually want her to start in a couple of weeks. (After the first week of March) They told her they could almost guarantee her a place to stay for a couple of weeks while she looked for something. But it is all happening so fast.</p>
<p>My first apt after college was on Stedman St in Brookline. We had some epic parties in that apt.</p>
<p>Can she contact the alumni organization? My daughter’s school keeps a data base of alum who volunteer to help find housing for interns and apts for alum.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Most important things to consider</p>
<ol>
<li><p>What is her budget? </p></li>
<li><p>Will she have a car?</p></li>
<li><p>Where is her job?</p></li>
<li><p>How will she commute?</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Generally speaking:
Price goes down in proportion to number of people sharing an apartment.
Price goes down further from a T-stop. Some bus lines run as frequently as the trains and trollys so that living on them can often be a good deal, and parking is generally easier.
Price goes down further from Boston
Price goes down in less desirable but often livable blue-collar neighborhoods. </p>
<p>Some neighborhoods are really hard to park and off-street parking is expensive
Some neighboring towns allow no overnight on-street parking such as Arlington, Belmont, Watertown (in winter), Newton (in winter), Brookline. Some towns require a permit to park on the street - Boston, Cambridge, Somerville. </p>
<p>Even on the T, some commutes can be extremely long, so it pays to consider the commute.
The Green Line evokes conversations like “Should we walk or do we have time to take the T”. </p>
<p>And of course, driving in Boston is a contact sport, but it can be mastered. </p>