Moving to Boston!

The last decade for me has been about as much of a whirlwind tour of the US as anyone at a desk job can ever expect. I've lived in Daytona Beach, Dallas, San Francisco (2 places), Los Angeles (3 places), and Dallas again. It continues as I've accepted a job in Concord Massachusetts, 20 miles west of Boston!

I'll be moving in a few short weeks and am looking forward to meeting the local GWJers.

I intend to move to a town west of Boston. I've heard Worcester (Woostah? Really? Where did the R and the C and the E and the other E and the R go?!) is pretty cheap but that's farther than I was hoping to go. While I scour craigslist and all that, I figured I'd see if you folks have any advice. I'd l like to find a nice 2 bedroom (or 1 bedroom plus den/office/whatever) place for under ~$1400 a month (the less and more awesome the better, obviously). Ideally it would have good access to both Concord and Boston. The Boston access being important for my ladyfriend who'll be looking for an editing job at a publishing company when we're settled. She's interested in taking a train into the city.

Waltham is looking promising but Im hoping for more options.

If you know of great rental properties, especially quiet townhomes and the like, please let me know

Thanks Bostonians. And feel free to make fun of my southern accent when I get there.

Rs only exists at the beginning of words.
Car = Cah.
Park = pahk.
Lobster = Lobstah.
Chowder = Chowdah.

Also, instead of saying where you've previously lived, you can just say you're "from away", or a flatlandah.

Stengah wrote:

Rs only exists at the beginning of words.
Lobster = Lobstah.
Chowder = Chowdah.

? = Stengah

polypusher wrote:

I'd l like to find a nice 2 bedroom (or 1 bedroom plus den/office/whatever) place for under ~$1400 a month (the less and more awesome the better, obviously). Ideally it would have good access to both Concord and Boston. The Boston access being important for my ladyfriend who'll be looking for an editing job at a publishing company when we're settled. She's interested in taking a train into the city.

Good luck on the 'less' part of $1400.

Check out the MBTA website for the commuter rail lines if you haven't already. Concord is on the Fitchburg line.

Not to derail too much, but where did you get a new job? I'm betting by your name you are a 3D modeler (like me), and if so, where might I see your work?

Good luck on the move and congrats on the new gig!

polypusher wrote:

I intend to move to a town west of Boston. I've heard Worcester (Woostah? Really? Where did the R and the C and the E and the other E and the R go?!) is pretty cheap but that's farther than I was hoping to go.

Definitely too far for someone hoping to work in Boston

polypusher wrote:

Ideally it would have good access to both Concord and Boston. The Boston access being important for my ladyfriend who'll be looking for an editing job at a publishing company when we're settled. She's interested in taking a train into the city.

Waltham is looking promising but Im hoping for more options.

Waltham is a decent choice. I would also suggest looking in Arlington. It's right on MA-2 for you to get out to Concord and the red subway line has it's last stop (Alewife) right on the Cambridge/Arlington border. Also in the same area is Belmont for another town to look into.

WipEout wrote:

Not to derail too much, but where did you get a new job? I'm betting by your name you are a 3D modeler (like me), and if so, where might I see your work?

I was once My job's in QA. I'll be setting up and running an elite squad

Furtivespy wrote:

Waltham is a decent choice. I would also suggest looking in Arlington. It's right on MA-2 for you to get out to Concord and the red subway line has it's last stop (Alewife) right on the Cambridge/Arlington border. Also in the same area is Belmont for another town to look into.

I haven't checked out Belmont yet. Had looked at Arlington a tiny bit. Thanks for the tips

Kelric wrote:

Good luck on the 'less' part of $1400.

Oy, Tell me about it. And what is up with the 'fees' for getting a place? I see some advertised as 'No Fee' '1/2 fee' and then there's the 'ream you for $600 for no reason fee' that seem completely separate from your standard rental deposit. Between those and idiotic pet rent ($100 a month extra to keep a dog?!) I'm really looking forward to this time next month when this part is over with.

Welcome to one of the most expensive regions to live in the USA. For neighborhoods, you might even be able to push to Cambridge/Somerville, leaving you right next to Boston and about a half an hour drive away from Concord (not counting traffic). Just a bit closer to the city than Furtive's recommendation of Arlington and Belmont. The budget might get stretched in that area though.

polypusher wrote:
Kelric wrote:

Good luck on the 'less' part of $1400.

Oy, Tell me about it. And what is up with the 'fees' for getting a place? I see some advertised as 'No Fee' '1/2 fee' and then there's the 'ream you for $600 for no reason fee' that seem completely separate from your standard rental deposit. Between those and idiotic pet rent ($100 a month extra to keep a dog?!) I'm really looking forward to this time next month when this part is over with.

In the Boston area the standard real estate agent commission fee is 1-month's rent on a 12-month lease.

cyrax wrote:
Stengah wrote:

Rs only exists at the beginning of words.
Lobster = Lobstah.
Chowder = Chowdah.

? = Stengah

Stenger, obviously.

Good luck with the move!

polypusher wrote:

I intend to move to a town west of Boston. I've heard Worcester (Woostah? Really? Where did the R and the C and the E and the other E and the R go?!)

I just wanted to point out that it's almost how it's pronounced in UK English. Worcester is like Borough = Whusster and Burruh..... not Warsester and Borrow.

It's called "New" England for a reason, though if you go further north there's a good bit of french in the town names, too.

Pop quiz, what rhymes with Calais?

Waltham is a nice area. Also, consider Woburn. My wife and I rented a two bedroom apartment for under $1300 per month there. The violent crime rate is near zero, and they have some of the best restaurants in the north shore (Pizza Market on Main Street has the best Greek style pizza I've had this far east.)

There seem to be job opportunities clustered on the north shore and south shore, but businesses are moving out of Boston proper because it's too expensive to pay the taxes there. Waltham, and North Reading on the north shore and Dedham, Norwood and Raynham on the south shore.

Norwood on the south shore and Woburn on the north shore have really easy access to Boston by train (Norwood) and bus (Woburn) if you can afford a monthly T-pass these days, which almost nobody can anymore.

Welcome to Beantown. I hope you like Dunkin Donuts.

Duoae wrote:

Good luck with the move!

polypusher wrote:

I intend to move to a town west of Boston. I've heard Worcester (Woostah? Really? Where did the R and the C and the E and the other E and the R go?!)

I just wanted to point out that it's almost how it's pronounced in UK English. Worcester is like Borough = Whusster and Burruh..... not Warsester and Borrow.

:)

Just don't make the mistake of thinking the same rules apply in Dorchester. That one is still pronounced how it's spelled.

Congrats on the new gig!

Sucker.

Im seeing some great places in Belmont. Is that as nice as it looks from Google satellite / street view?

doubtingthomas396 wrote:
Duoae wrote:

Good luck with the move!

polypusher wrote:

I intend to move to a town west of Boston. I've heard Worcester (Woostah? Really? Where did the R and the C and the E and the other E and the R go?!)

I just wanted to point out that it's almost how it's pronounced in UK English. Worcester is like Borough = Whusster and Burruh..... not Warsester and Borrow.

:)

Just don't make the mistake of thinking the same rules apply in Dorchester. That one is still pronounced how it's spelled.

The 'H' makes all the difference.

I don't know much about Belmont, but having driven through it several times it seems halfway decent. I do know there are some conservation areas, parks and a nationally well ranked high school - for whatever that is worth.

If one of you will be looking to work in the city - look for T access (not commuter). It makes all the difference in the world. It's really nice being able to hop into the city to explore a new town, without having to worry about parking.

As for driving: Having a reverse or cross-commute is also really nice. Worcester would be a hell of commute, and you'll be making it with everyone else.

I actually work Woburn just north of Arlington. and live in Winthrop. Not far from the airport (Logan). It's less than a 35 minute commute by car at rush hour. I have 2 bedrooms on the ocean for exactly your price point. But, when we first moved here 5 years ago, we were living in a 600 sq foot basement apartment in Brookline for nearly the same price. Take a few days to look around and see lots of different places. What you get for the rent can vary extremely widely.

Charlestown might be good place to look - over by the navy yard is a pretty nice area IIRC.

One other piece of advice since you'll be working near Davis Square. Red Bones! The Jamaican jerk BBQ beef is awesome.

I found an awesome apartment that's perfect for us (on paper) in every way, and its taken Im hoping to find more

Does anyone know what this kind of housing is called?

http://www.postlets.com/rts/3541335

There's a good view of houses on the street if you check out this street view

Edit: b slippy, can you elaborate on the benefits of being on the T rather than commuter rail? I imagine it's cheaper and faster since it's right there..? Are the subways in Boston scummy or dangerous at all?

polypusher wrote:

Does anyone know what this kind of housing is called?

http://www.postlets.com/rts/3541335

That looks like a standard multi-family house to me.

doubtingthomas396 wrote:

Welcome to Beantown. I hope you like Dunkin Donuts.

If you don't - well your choice is to join the Honey Dew fan boys, or move away.

This Saturday i am moving to Austin TX from Cumberland RI (aka southern MA). Why would anyone come up to this weather!

There area awesome things in Boston - make sure to go to museums,etc.

try inside the 128 belt for best commute to Beantown I think.

I've visited there twice. It's a fantastic city, my favorite other than San Francisco, but I have one very strong suggestion:

Do not drive in Boston.

LeapingGnome wrote:
polypusher wrote:

Does anyone know what this kind of housing is called?

http://www.postlets.com/rts/3541335

That looks like a standard multi-family house to me.

I'd call it a duplex, though apparently "semi-detached" is more official.

You're heading to boardgaming central, lucky stiff! be sure to check out http://www.unitygames.org/ when they next meet up.

Woohoo! Im getting into some fun board/card games lately.

Grew up in the city and now live on the north shore. I have to say I love living here just wish it wasn't so expensive. And that Redbones is indeed delicious.

Malor wrote:

I've visited there twice. It's a fantastic city, my favorite other than San Francisco, but I have one very strong suggestion:

Do not drive in Boston.

Also, don't ride a motorcycle either. Hell, even when riding a bike you risk life and limb.

Does anyone know a good furniture store in the just-west-of-Boston area that will deliver for a reasonable rate, if not free? Im hoping to buy a cheapish but nice second hand couch and have someone who's not me and my tiny girlfriend lug it up potential flights of stairs

polypusher wrote:

Does anyone know a good furniture store in the just-west-of-Boston area that will deliver for a reasonable rate, if not free? Im hoping to buy a cheapish but nice second hand couch and have someone who's not me and my tiny girlfriend lug it up potential flights of stairs :)

Nope. Welcome to Boston.

Edit - On a serious note, you might be able to find something that works but it might take some looking. And, most likely, the furniture will be crap. You're most likely going to have to temper your expectations all around. We're an expensive part of the country that generally doesn't give a damn about anybody else.

Second Edit - Maybe I'm just a cynical bastard, but I have grown up around Boston my entire life....

Indignant wrote:
Malor wrote:

I've visited there twice. It's a fantastic city, my favorite other than San Francisco, but I have one very strong suggestion:

Do not drive in Boston.

Also, don't ride a motorcycle either. Hell, even when riding a bike you risk life and limb.

Nor a bicycle.

Every person my wife or I have ever known who's ridden a bicycle in Boston is either dead (Seriously; Guy got killed by a construction vehicle) or has been hit by a car or doored.

Your safest bet is to walk everywhere. Don't worry about crossing streets. Just try to stay in the cluster of people who march across the streets without looking. And always remember: Making eye contact with a driver is a sign of weakness.

polypusher wrote:

Does anyone know a good furniture store in the just-west-of-Boston area that will deliver for a reasonable rate, if not free? Im hoping to buy a cheapish but nice second hand couch and have someone who's not me and my tiny girlfriend lug it up potential flights of stairs :)

I like Bob's discount furniture myself.

They're delivery guys aren't the most gentle in the world (they damaged our couch bringing it in through a door) but I don't recall their fees being exorbitant.