Mid-20s female with car looking for Boston apt

[kingeorge]

Originally Posted by Kay_Rah

I'm a female in my mid-20s looking to move into the city. I work in Kenmore Square, so T access is a must, but my car is coming with me so I need a place to park it as well. My budget is around $700 a month, which I know is rather on the low end. I have a general idea of areas to avoid (Dorchester, Roslindale, Southie, JP, Mattapan) and areas to look into (Allston, Brighton, Cambridge, Fenway, Back Bay, South End, Somerville). I am relatively social but not a huge partier, I like grabbing a beer at the bar, cooking/baking, and reading. Can anyone help me out?

Your budget will dictate where you land. This area will not be working for you unless you can up it up to at least $1000-$1200, and even then, there will be plenty of compromises to make.

Good luck.

[thatspoetic]

Keep in mind that Brighton Center, although it's not right on a subway line, has the 57 bus, which would work well for your commute. It ends in Kenmore and runs frequently. It's normally about a 30-40 minute commute from the main area of Brighton Center to Kenmore during rush hour. That's about the same as it is on the B line from the Cleveland Circle area. On off times with less traffic it can be 20-25 minutes. It's also fairly easy to do street parking without a residential permit as long as you keep track of when you have to move your car for street cleaning to avoid a ticket. Besides the 57, there's the 86 bus to Harvard/Sullivan or Cleveland Circle, the 65 to the Longwood area, two express buses to downtown and Copley (they don't run on weekends), and it's about a 20 minute walk to the B line. It's more of a mix of students, professionals, and families than the Cleveland Circle area, which is mostly students. You'd need at least one roommate though.

[flowbe202]

Originally Posted by sharencare

You probably could drive up to Brookline or Newton, park your car, and take the green line into Kenmore though.

Because no one else ever thought about doing this.

Follow this advice only if you want to be ticketed and/or towed...

[Rozzie Rat]

JP is one of the best neighborhoods in the city. I'm not sure how you got any other impression. I grew up there many years ago when it wasn't so sweet and now I can't afford to live there. I wish I could, it is great. My Mom and two sisters still live there.

I live in Roslindale now, and it is relatively affordable. Parking is not as much as a hassle as most places in the city, so you may want to consider it. There are definitely sketchy areas here, but that is true of JP too, so do your homework. With your budget, you should be able to get a decent place with only one roommate here.