Easy Commutes to Boston U? (Cambridge, Brookline: rent, transferring to, law school)

[mj103]

My fiance and I will be moving to Boston over the summer for her to attend law school at Boston University. The nearby communities seem a little pricey (am I way off on this?) so I was wondering which surrounding communities were a good match for a young couple looking to commute into the city?

Thanks in advance for your help!

[HowGoesIt]

what's your budget?

You can get a nice, two bedroom in Brighton for about $1400 (H+HW inc). Access to the T is there and you can get to BU in about 15 minutes.

[mj103]

We were looking to do the best we could for no more than $1200...but that's kind of top end. I think we'd rather save some money and commute a little farther.

[septimus]

get rid of your cars, you can't park anywhere near BU anyway and try Brighton/Alston, Fenway, JP, and Cambridgeport.

[mj103]

Okay, I suppose that was more of my question than anything. In other words, is it better to pay a little more and live closer, or pay a little less and commute in? I'll mark one down for live close. We've been looking mostly in Allston/Brighton. How do the other three compare in terms of price and accessibility?

[septimus]

you don't want to waste your time in law school commuting. Anything in Allston/Brighton will be an easy commute but not necessarily the nicest accomodations (it is basically a student ghetto btwn BU and BC). If you go off Brighton Ave rents shold be a little cheaper than right off Comm. Ave and the 57 bus is pretty regular vs. the green line on Comm Ave (which I always found painfully slow and crowded). There are parts of Brookline that would be very convenient too either walking/or T. Lower Cambridgeport would just be a walk over the BU bridge and the closer to the river (and thus BU) should be cheaper than closer to central Sq and there is a bus.

Whatever you do just invest in a good jacket and you'll be fine.

[Stockholmaren]

I would echo the other posters and try to minimize your commute. Even if you try and do a longer commute, the rents are not going to be considerable cheaper. I would say that Allston is probably the cheapest place that's close to BU, but it's all students so Brighton may be a better option. It won't be easy to find anything decent for 1,200 or less, but it can be done. My advice though is that it's worth to pay slightly more in rent and have short commute, especially with being in grad school.

[mj103]

Alright, that sounds good. So avoid Allston if possible and look more into Brighton (and what about this JP and Cambridgeport suggestion?).

Also, it will be my fiance going to law school, and I will be working (probably in the city? I don't have a job yet), so I was curious about the transit into downtown. I went to the Boston transit website and couldn't really figure out where anything was or what the best routes were, etc., so taking that into consideration would it change your answers?

Also, the good jacket investment has been made for awhile now. We're moving from Nebraska. The windchill here today is 1. 1 degree. Ugh.

[eevee]

ooh, I'd avoid JP if you want a quick commute to BU. your choices for commuting to BU via the T are limited and will take a long time:

-take orange line from Forest Hills/Stony Brook/Green to Ruggles, take #47 to the BU bridge
-take orange line to Ruggles and take #8 to Kenmore, then either walk, take the #57 or the B green line
-take the #39 or E green line to the MFA stop, transfer to either the #8 or #47

both the #47 and the #8 are slow running buses (they don't run too often so it's important to check the schedule) and both are at the mercy of traffic around the Fenway. and I wouldn't even consider taking the E green line downtown and transferring to the B green line- doing this would take forever!

JP is nice, but not worth the hassle to commute to BU IMO. I'd stick to Brighton (quick, one bus/train ride) or certain parts of Cambridge

[ctrres]

JP is too far away. Cambridgeport is way too expensive. Brighton would work; try to stay close to the #57.