Advice on where to live in Boston? Moving from WV. (Cambridge: apartment, rental)

[lvoevge]

I might have a job offer in the financial district and my wife and I are looking for recommendations on a few neighborhoods or apartment buildings. I am hoping to get some advice on neighborhoods to target and/or specific apartment buildings.



About Us:

• We are a young married couple in our 20s.
  
• We have two cats who are definitely coming.
  
• We currently live in West Virginia, where I am at the end of a PhD program.
  
• We love restaurants and nature (access, views, whatever), and prefer a location on the quiet(er) side. We don't mind being near bars as long as I can't hear the bass in my bedroom. The same goes for the bass from party-neighbors which I know is more difficult to control.
  
• I have spent time in Boston before, so we are aware of the cultural/lifestyle differences from WV and look forward to them.
  

Budget: We are comfortable spending up to $2500/month for a 1-2 bedroom place. That said, I would love to spend a lot less than that.


Desires:

• Not to be murdered or in fear of being murdered near my residence or on commute.
  
• Short-ish commute. I'd love to be downtown if it meets the criteria I've described. Definitely open to living further away if the commute can be reasonable by metro/bus/whatever. I would define reasonable as less than an hour.
  
• Family type neighborhood/building with access to grocery stores and restaurants. It's not necessarily that we prefer a family neighborhood, but rather that we prefer to avoid party neighbors.

We are pretty open on the rest. I know I can get what I want near the top of my budget, but I would strongly prefer not to spend that much, if possible. That's why I came here to consult those with a little more knowledge. Also, ignoring my desire to spend a little less, if there is anything within my budget (up to 2500) that is just so super cool that I need to know, please feel free to share. I could not complain about high-rise harbor views or beach access, for example.


Thanks in advance.

[such sweet thunder]

It's really hard to give advice without a little more information. In particular, are you planning on keeping a car? Can you describe the type of population density you're looking for? Like, are you looking to stay in a classic Boston triple-decker flat? Would you prefer a high rise? Are you looking for a more suburban type location?

If you love restaurants and nature, and are looking for something on the quieter side, there are a ton of neighborhoods that can give you that in the city: Large portions of Jamaica Plain; Fort Hill (Roxbury); Hyde Park; Lower Mills and Low Dot (Dorchester/Mattapan). You might want to check out Winthrop too, if you're into the ocean.

If you're willing to sustain an hour commute, though, you may be better off looking in the suburbs, to be honest. Your rental dollars will likely go much further in the suburbs than it will in the city, even than in some of the city neighborhoods that are rougher around the edges.

There is relatively broad MBTA train service to a large number of surrounding suburbs, though it should be mentioned that train service around here is neither cheap, nor consistent. Be sure to run the math on what your train service will costs and figure it into your finances.

Good luck on your search!

[kingeorge]

Rents are high, you will be shocked how little you get for your money in general. I would stick with Red Line and areas adjacent to subway stations.

Look in Somerville, Davis Sq. neighborhood, or Porter Sq. in Cambridge. Also check Alewife area neighborhood in East Arlington. All three are mecca for younger urban professionals. On the opposite end is Braintree and Quincy and both should be interesting as well, but not as hip as the other three.


Good luck!

[yaeger07]

If you're willing to pay a bit more for your commuter pass, check out neighborhoods on the commuter rail as well (the ones that terminate at South Station will put you near work).

[bigfatdude]

Savin Hill, specifically the over-the-bridge part - family neighborhood, great park, water views, beach, grocery store and restaurants nearby, very close to downtown, reasonable rent. What more can one possibly ask for?

[G-fused]

I vote Arlington or Medford. Both are a little away from the city and closer to nature areas, both are really nice towns, both have decent eateries, both are less expensive than other areas that are closer to the city (but neither are cheap), and both provide decent access into the city.

Best of luck

[caligirl2345]

As other posters have noted, you will be shocked what you get for the money in Boston. Rents are incredibly high [as high as NYC]. 2500 a month is definitely a good place to start, and you will definitely find a 1-2 bedroom at that price.

If you don't want a party scene, I would avoid Davis Square [living around it is fine, but don't live on the square, its a weekend mecca for beer guzzling students]. Likewise, Harvard Square is a total sh!tshow, constantly overrun with tourists.

Inman Square in Cambridge is desirable. East Cambridge is nice as well [although avoid windsor street, as there is a particular block with very high crime]. Cambridgeport [south of Central Square] is leafy and quaint, although depending on where your apt. is located it may be a bit of a walk to grocery stores, coffee shops, etc. The area directly south and west of Harvard campus [just before Huron Village] is also nice, though lacking amenities [although everything is in biking distance!]

In Somerville, Union Square is becoming more and popular [and expensive] with each passing year. A T-stop has long been promised in the area, but it is still years away. Landlords, however, have already raised the rents in anticipation. If you need to commute to the city, its a 20-30 min slog from Union Square to the nearest redline stop [fine in summer, but impossible in winter]. Teele square is also a semi-desireable choice but again, not near public transport [and not as hip as Union].

Jamaica Plain is very nice, but I personally know less about that area.

A large portion of housing in Cambridge/Somerville is in buildings with 2-3 units stacked on different floors. Often, the landlord lives in the building. In terms of landlords, be VERY wary of these Owner Occupied buildings. Many of the owners are elderly/ageing and prone to capriciousness, petty squabbles about noise, bike storage, pets, front door use, guests, etc. are rife in these sorts of arrangements. At the least, you'll have to tip-toe around irrational demands about radios/music/normal household noise. At the worst, the landlord will enter the unit while you aren't there, move things, turn up the heat, take pictures, leave notes demanding you do certain things, etc.... I know dozens of people with these sorts of horror stories, who had no recourse other than to move out.

[Northern-Mike]

I would consider the North End of Boston too.