Starting job in Boxborough..Where to rent? (Lowell, Cambridge: apartments, car insurance)

[bos_n00bie]

Hi! I'm going to be working in Boxborough in a few months. Need some suggestions on where to rent an apt. Here are my criteria:

1) 2BR / 1.5BA+
2) Max $/month (exclusive of utils): $1600
3) 30 min max commute to Boxborough
4) Not too suburban. Under 30s, married couple (no kids) so would prefer localities a bit on the younger side. Would like to be able to walk to cafes, restaurants, etc.

[brightdoglover]

I live one town over from Boxborough, and must say I find everything out here too suburban, or at least not urbane. Lots of older people, kiddie things, few if any cafes and restaurants.
I think the best you could do would be move to Arlington, either East or Central, and have a very urbane but safe quiet environment, and get out on Route 2 (going against traffic) to Boxborough. Should be within your 30 minute limit, maybe a bit more.
There just aren't those small city/town environments out here. If there are, I'd sure like to know where.
Best wishes.

[bos_n00bie]

Thanks! I'll be sure to add Arlington to my list. How about Waltham and/or Lowell?

[nate14ri]

I agree on waltham (I went to Bentley, not bad of a town)- Moody street area has what your looking for. yuppie/college vibe, great bars, restaurants...meets your rent requirements and commute times.

also, easy access to Route 2.

Also, Belmont is a nice consideration also.

[brightdoglover]

Lowell is an empty shell after dark. All those nice gilt signs and brick sidewalks and some low-riders on the streets, a few young women with baby strollers, going...where? The loft apartments are beautiful,though.
Waltham is OK. I agree with the poster that the Moody Street area is a good walking street- restaurants, a moviehouse- but you'd have to live right there to benefit from it, and Waltham is a big sububan/urban area.
I'm posting from my job in Belmont. Quiet town, utterly boring. No "young" neighborhood. Expensive. Right on Rt. 2.
I still vote for East Arlington, is you're not willing to try for Cambridge. (Between Harvard and Porter Squares, great walking activities, easy drive to E. Arlington/Rt.2.

[bos_n00bie]

Thanks, I also have some hesitations with regards to Lowell. And the same for Waltham, if I can't get within walking distance to Moody St, I might as well live in a cheaper suburb.

Can you give me some street names around East Arlington?

I also was recommended Acton. Any comments regarding that?

[brightdoglover]

Acton is a great suburb, with some "village" areas. Again, no real walking neighborhood of any size, and very very family oriented.
Let's see. East Arlington. Mass. Ave is the main street, very wide. The Capitol Theater area (my favorite moviehouse, and all the restaurants are walking along Mass. Ave). f you got a town map, any streets off Mass. Ave east of Arlington Center (Rts. 2A/60, I think) are fine. Lake Street. Belknap St. Pond St. Any apartment listed as Hamilton Road has a fantastic view of the lovely Spy Pond, behind the Capitol and right off Mass. Ave.
If you would rent an apartment, I suggest anything on Hamilton Road on Spy Pond. Perfect view (looks like the country), steps to Mass.Ave and everything on it.
Franklin Street. Thorndike St.
Really, anything off Mass ave. would be good. It's not that above Arlington Center is bad or anything, but the real walkable/coolish neighborhood is East Arlington. It gets more suburban as you go out further.
No crime, required off-street parking so your car insurance is minimal, unlike Cambridge, which is all of a few blocks away.
There are a lot of two-family houses in East Arlington, with floor-through apartments.
Please feel free to direct mail me, although I think I've tapped out off the top of my head!

[bos_n00bie]

Thank you so much! Will be checking these places out (online of course) in the next few days.