Apartment hunting - don't know where to begin!! (Boston, Brookline: apartments, condo)

[shellbell12]

Need to start looking for an apartment but am overwhelmed with where to start looking ...I cant decide if its worth living in the city (for the $$$ rents) versus continuing to commute from further out (to save for a house - looking to buy within a year). My current commute is an hour and forty mins each way on the commuter rail and I have been doing it for nearly four years and am at my witts end! Problem is I dont know Boston well enough (nor have the time to venture through all of the different neighborhoods) to narrow down my search. For those familiar with the areas - this is generally what I am looking for:

1. Safe - this is priority
2. Within walking distance to T or commute rail
3. less than 45 mins commute total on T or commuter rail
4. As much apartment I can get for my money - in other words willing to pay ~$2k for a 1 bedroom close to the city - farther out willing to pay that for a 2br 2 bath or up to $1500 for a 1 bedroom
5. Don't want to be in suburbs
6. Want a newer type apartment (i.e. dont want to live in a triple decker) - would like a doorman, would also consider a brownstone if it was newly renovated and near Beacon/Copley/Back Bay or in the South End on the Back Bay line......
7. Not interested in Davis/Central/Kendal Square

Any suggestions???

ALso can anyone give their opinion on Brookline? Where are the hotspots for young thirty somethings to live? Thanks!

[NotAPrincess]

I was with you up until your #6 (newer doorman building). If you're really trying to save for a house, you are going to be spending a lot of extra money to live in a new apartment for only a year. Far be it from me to tell someone else what to do......but if I were trying to save, I'd focus on convenient commute (because obviously your commute is driving you crazy) and cost, and live without some of the luxuries for a year. But again, that's just me.

All that said, Brookline along Beacon street is wonderful for 30somethings (between Kenmore and Washington square). You might find something newish there. But there really aren't many doorman buildings in Boston. There are some newer buildings near the Longwood Medical Area on the Brookline side, I believe.

[shiver]

ALso can anyone give their opinion on Brookline?

I'm 31 and live in the Coolidge Corner area of Brookline. Love it. There's lots to do in the immediate area as well as all my amenities. As NotAPrincess noted, Beacon St. from the St. Mary's T stop through, I'd say the Dean Road stop on the Green C line is pretty popular. There's a mix of undergrads (although numbers are kept down by the cost), grad students, medical people who work in Longwood, 20 and 20 somethings. I'm a big fan. It's easy and quick to get into the rest of Boston.

Now, for the rest. Boston isn't like NYC where the doorman is common. Few buildings in Boston have them (ex. Ritz Carlton residences, Church Park and the Devonshire) and it's serious $$$. 2K is probably more in line for a studio and one beds will START in the 2s. Some more buildings will have a concierge, but it's still not the norm. That doesn't mean you have to live in a triple decker - you'll be in a brownstone or a building with 5+ apartments.

If you're living in Back Bay, Beacon Hill, South End, you're paying for location. But you can certainly afford a nice one bedroom for 2K in a nice building in those areas (although not doorman and maybe not concierge). I'd suggest playing around on craigslist and seeing what's in the different parts of town.

If you really want to experience city life and location is more important, I suggest to live in the Back Bay, Beacon Hill, parts of the South End. Just depends on what's most important to you. I have a friend who recently relocated back to Boston. He's paying $1300 for a small studio (but a nice building) on Comm Ave. right next to the Public Garden. Phenomenal location. He has a 10 min walk to work in the Hancock Bldg. He's going to buy a condo in a year or two, but can't afford to buy a nice place in that area so he's living there for a few years to get the experience.

But no matter what, 1 hr and 40 min each way for 4 years - blah!