Got a job in Burlington, MA. Where can I live for less than 1200? (Boston: for sale, apartments)

[Sy_Mercade]

I currently travel about an hour to get to my job each day. I'm paying 1200 for my apartment in NH, technically a 2-brdm but it's only me, and I was hoping to save some money and move closer to Burlington. My job isn't high-paying at all but I figure there must be an affordable place closer....apparently $1200 isn't even near the threshold of getting an apartment anywhere near there without a roommate though according to my searches. Burlington (near the mall) seems really nice but I bet it's extremely expensive. Any ideas? Also, where on craigslist is Burlington? Boston area? The other sections are

cape cod / islands
south coast - southern bristol and plymouth counties
western massachusetts
worcester / central MA

How bad is Lowell's/Haverhill's crime? A lot of those are popping up in the hundreds but I hear they have bad reputations and I want to decrease my chances of dying or getting robbed.

Bonus question: What do you think is wrong with this? https://boston.craigslist.org/nwb/ab...342433436.html

There's no way there's nothing wrong with it....

Thanks

[tysmith95]

700 a month rent for a single family home. That's too good to be true. No way that's a real ad.

I'd look at Lowell.

[bostonguy1960]

Wouldn't Woburn be good, as it's next to Burlington and seems affordable and convenient?

Seems to have a stigma all these years (from industrial water pollution, I think, many years ago). I like their town center and nice library, plus it's next to desirable Winchester.

They do have some apartment communities there.

Plus there's a large pond, I think.

Maybe Wakefield and Waltham are also good choices for you, though a bit farther to Burlington.

[robr2]

The problem with the house in that ad is that it's actually for sale at $400K:

https://www.realtor.com/realestatean...2_M49648-96593

Scammers will often pull photos from a for sale ad and advertise it on craigslist at a super low price hoping to get someone to send them a deposit to hold it in order to see it.

You might be able to get into Lord Baron Apartments in Burlington for $1200 but it's a studio and that complex has always had a bit of a stigma attached to it here in town.

[timberline742]

Lowell and Haverhill are fine. There are probably a still sketch areas of both, but lots of good ones too. Lowell apartments have shot through the roof though as the school bought up a number of apartment buildings to make student housing. You'd have a better bet in Haverhill. There is some fun stuff going on in that town.

[sal1181]

Get an apartment in the Bradford section of Haverhill

[ramaka]

Originally Posted by robr2

You might be able to get into Lord Baron Apartments in Burlington for $1200 but it's a studio and that complex has always had a bit of a stigma attached to it here in town.

^This!

We lived at an apartment community down the street on Middlesex Tpk a few years back. The rent was about $1500 for a single BR and $1800 for 2 BR. The rent must have gone up by now for sure.

[tysmith95]

Haverhill to Lowell is a bit of a hike though. That's a 30+ mile commute with a good bit of traffic.

[timberline742]

Originally Posted by tysmith95

Haverhill to Lowell is a bit of a hike though. That's a 30+ mile commute with a good bit of traffic.

He's would be going to Burlington though, and that's a 45 min or so commute which isn't bad at all in this region.

[GeoffD]

Originally Posted by timberline742

He's would be going to Burlington though, and that's a 45 min or so commute which isn't bad at all in this region.

Do the math on commute expense. Even at 25 cents per mile driving a used econobox, it's probably cheaper to pay more rent to be closer. And that's ignoring the soul-crushing daily traffic jam.