Son is considering a job/move to Boston. For those familiar with Boston & the surrounding areas what is the average rent for a 2b/1b rental? What areas are considered desirable? How is traffic if you commute into the city? Thanks for any insight you may have.
My S lives in Brighton (west side) and pays $2k for a 2b/1b. He works in a western suburb so needed a place close to 90. His roommate works downtown and takes the T. About 30-40 minute commute for him. In nice weather he bikes to work. Lots of young professional and students in his neighborhood (it’s very close to BC.) He also has a lot of friends who live in Somerville. S and his friends are just out of college and can’t afford the more expensive areas yet like Back Bay.
S loves living there. Great city for young professionals.
You don’t want to drive into the city - you want to get an apartment somewhere that you can use public transportation. Brookline and places west of the city are popular for young professionals. Rents are high in Boston!
S shares a 4-BR first floor apartment in Somerville (technically the house is in Somerville, although the sidewalk in front is actually Cambridge). His share is just over $1000 and he pays for parking separately. The T is a short walk away and he rides to work every day (needs a car for other reasons).
You really need to know exactly where the job is. Many jobs that are “in Boston”, are really in the near suburbs. If he’s going to one of those then he would want to live closer to where he works. I agree if he the job is actually in downtown Boston then you want to be near the commuter rail or the T.
S lived near Davis Square and paid about $900/month for a room in a house. Short walk to the T. He saved money by not having a car. Really, not anymore expensive (and maybe less so) in my area for a rental plus car (need to have in my area).
+1 for looking in Somerville!
My son lives and works in Somerville. He is in a studio apartment in a luxury apartment complex. He pays $2100 a month. Somerville is really a city of two worlds. There are young professionals and college students, but there is still a seedy component to the city. There was a huge gang/drug bust a few days ago resulting in an arrest of about 50 gang members from one of the most notorious gangs in the country. That’s why it’s important to make sure young people find a safe area of the city in which to reside.
I agree it depends upon where the job is in Boston. My son lives in South Boston and he and his three roommates pay under $800 for their 4 bedroom apartment. He’s right near a T-station for getting into the city by actually drives to work as he does a reverse commute to work in Quincy. But it’s also an easy T ride to downtown. His best friend lives in the North End in a 3 bedroom and they pay $1,200-1,400 a month. It’s easy for him to visit by T but he wouldn’t want to do the trip as a commute.
One thing to know about Boston is there are two bit train stations - South and North - that the T and commuter rail trains go in and out of. But they’re not connected directly and it’s difficult to transition between the two.
My son shares a 4 bedroom, 2 bath,1715 sq, ft apartment on two floors in Somerville. (I didn’t know there was a “bad” part of Somerville. Where he lives is quite nice.) Cost for the 4 bedroom is $3,850, split 4 ways. A 2 bedroom place will be a bit more person, than a 4 bedroom. My son’s apartment is a 5 minute walk from the Red Line, one of the more reliable train lines in the Boston area. Tell us where your son’s job is actually located, and we can be of more help.
I grew up in Somerville when it was called Slumerville. It has become gentrified over the past few years. It is one of the most densely populated cities in the country.
Brighton and Allston are very popular for young professionals because of the price, but my graduated cousin lives there and says the rowdy college students can be annoying if you live in a building with them.
I have two daughters living in both Somerville and Cambridge ( Porter and Central Squares ) neither have cars…just not practical in the city. My niece lives in Brighton…all pay between $1000 to $1500 a month with roommates / fiancé . I agree with other posters about accessibility to T if working in the city.
Definitely find out what the closest mass transit stop is to where he will be working and work out from there, trying to stay on the same line. And don’t worry too much about Somerville being safe. Most of the gang arrests referred to above were from Revere/Chelsea/East Boston, not Somerville. Medford is also a good option. He shouldn’t have to deal with driving and parking if he can avoid it.
wrong thread oops
When is he moving there? When our kid was a student, we found working with an agent was really the only way to get an apartment.
If his time frame for moving happens to fall around May/June, its pretty easy to get a sublet from college students for the summer months. That would allow him some time to scope out areas where he might want to live longer term.
Thank you all so much for suggestions. I will pas this on to son. He’s excited about living on the east coast for the 1st time. Really depends on a job offer that will meet his needs!!!
I knew CC’s would have good advice. You guys are awesome
My D lives in Cambridge near MIT - pays $3K for a smallish one bedroom (includes underground parking) in a new building with a gym and other amenities. Price is a little high for the size, but the apartment is very nice and secure. There are several new apartment buildings in her area, which is convenient to everything.
She also looked in Brighton, Brookline and Somerville, but liked this location better, although I remember one she seriously considered in Brighton was directly across the street from the T station. She only uses her car on the weekends - takes the red line into Boston - about 10 minutes, plus the walk to the station.
She did not use or feel the need to use a realtor to find an apartment in a new or newly rehabbed building. All of these buildings have onsite sales staff that will show the apartments to walk-ins or with an appointment. If you would like specific buildings, pm me.
Is it easy to transition between the red line (say, starting from Cambridge) and the the green line (say, the destination is one of Fenway/Kennore/Longeoord/Alston)?
Is the apartment in the Mission Hill or Longwood area expensive?