Shipping off to Boston! (need a place to live) (Cambridge: apartments, rent)

[squidget]

pardon the cliche title, both me and my husband and I will be relocating to Boston in December (from Austin.) I'm having a difficult time finding apartments online. In 3 weeks we will probably go out and look at places but before than I want to get some guidance on
neighborhoods -
public transit -
broker?

Some details. We both have jobs. His job is in Cambridge off the Kendall stop and my job is on the waterfront in the north end. Hoping to live somewhere off the T (TIL what Boston folks call the Metro ) We will have 1 car, so looking for something with some parking. We are both in our mid 30's so not really into the college scene but would like to live some where with easy access to shops/restaurants/etc

Trying not to go over 3K in rent for a 2 bedroom but it seems difficult (online anyway)
Also, looking for a neighborhood that is a bit multicultural (is that possible? Boston, seems segregated.) As a mixed race couple, acceptance is important to us.

Is public transit reliable? Looking at the map it looks good but do the trains run on time usually?
Also do I need a broker? Any recommendations for one?

Thanks in advance.

[BOSTON D]

Hi,

Growing up my entire life in Boston I will admit that at one time it WAS very segregated (70's and early 80's) - when I was a kid I lived in a 100% Irish area, but I never lived down South to really know what segregation really means. I am white and grew up inner city and went to an 80% black high school and most of my friends in HS were black or Asian. Race was NEVER an issue. You are not going to experience any prejudice - I can guarantee that. Nobody cares anymore as it is 2012. Depending on what you can afford and based on where you are working I suggest Cambridge(highest), Somerville(close in cost). I live towards Cape Cod and there is no better place to live and raise kids. Top 10 beaches in the world and Top 10 education. I have worked in Cambridge and the commute is not all that bad, but with weather and such it can be challenging. My opinion is avoid the city at all costs and look on the South Shore from Quincy, Weymouth down to Plymouth. If you can commute on the MBTA for an hour or so per day you can buy a home right now for 200 to 300k on the South Shore and be in a great suburban area with great schools. If I lived in the city my kids would be in private schools which run $10-15k per year. I live near Plymouth, MA and with traffic I am in Boston in 60 minutes - without 30. This is not Texas. You can drive North to South in 1 hour and East to West in 2 hours here from State border to State border.

Good Luck and Welcome.

[Verseau]

The T is a great public transit system. As with any public transit system, it's not without its delays, but trains are usually frequent and it will get you pretty much anywhere in the city without the stress or hassle of driving (and often in less time).

For multicultural neighborhoods along the T with shops and restaurants at your feet, I'd suggest Central Square in Cambridge, Jamaica Plain, or the South End. As BOSTON D pointed out, I don't think that "acceptance" will be an issue anywhere in Boston in this day and age, but these neighborhoods are three of the most genuinely diverse in the city. Granted, JP may feel somewhat "segregated" compared to the other two. Central Square and the South End have more integrated populations, although the former might have slightly more of a "college scene" than you're looking for and the latter would be the most difficult for parking (not to mention the most expensive of the three).

The South End is entirely urban in character, whereas Jamaica Plain has a leafy, suburban vibe, with Central Square falling somewhere between the two. But all three are well-connected to public transit.

For something a little outside the city, Malden also ticks a lot of your boxes (multicultural, quick access into the city via the T) and would be more affordable, but it doesn't have the same walkable, aesthetic urban atmosphere as the other neighborhoods. At any rate, I think your budget is perfectly reasonable... have you tried using craigslist? That's where the vast majority of by-owner listings are posted in Boston.

[squidget]

Thanks guys - very helpful. I have been using Craigslist but it's pain from a sorting/duplicate entry perspective. I recently found mapliv which works well.

Question on the weather and surround states - we plan to drive (after Thanksgiving) would it be snowy MA during that time?

[Verseau]

November snowfall is fairly rare in eastern Massachusetts. There's a decent chance of overnight snowfalls in the mountains of Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine if you're going up that way. In any case, I wouldn't worry too much about it.

[Blueberry Pancake]

Dump the car. You won't need it.