Suggestions on where to live? (Boston, Newton: apartments, rent, safe neighborhood)

[1taplay]

Hello All,

My wife and I are moving to Boston and are looking for a nice apartment. We have never been to Boston so we do not know anything about Boston or its surrounding neighborhoods. I have gotten a new job offer from Children's Hospital in Boston which is right in the downtown area...

Here are the things we need suggestions on:
1) Safe cities/neighborhoods around Boston which are 15-30 minutes from Boston downtown (my primary work location)
2) Local transport around the city/neighborhood and to/from the work place
3) Reliable apartments in the $800-1000 price range


We are not looking for anything fancy, we do not have kids right now and as for nightlife, we dont have preferences. We mainly want a safe neighborhood and grocery stores in the nearby vicinity/area.

Any help is appreciated
Thanks!

[Cantabridgienne]

That's a very low budget for this area. Are you okay with living in a studio?

[1taplay]

Originally Posted by Cantabridgienne

That's a very low budget for this area. Are you okay with living in a studio?

thanks for the reply, we can possibly increase the price range for the apartment...since we dont know anything about this area, i dont even know what the general price range looks like...as far as studio, we can possibly consider that as well...

[proudestmonkey]

Yup for that kind of commute you'll definitely want to increase your budget. Children's is not "downtown", so are you working at some other location "downtown" or are you in the medical area? If you're going to be in the medical area then some of the more affordable neighborhoods you're going to find that are that close are Jamaica Plain and Mission Hill. Brookline is close but pricey and Newton is close on the T, but pricey, too. If you're planning on being outside of Boston proper then it's just going to be a longer commute.

If you're asking to see if this would be possible at all and you're not going to be able to visit Boston before accepting the offer, I'd say it's possible but you'll have to increase your rent allowance and not be too picky about housing/space and even location. If you're able to come visit before accepting the offer and have someone show you some apartments, I'd definitely suggest that.

Good luck and congrats on the offer.

[Bostonmania]

There are some cheap but fairly nice apartments in Malden, which is about 20 minutes on the T to downtown boston. It's pretty safe and is nice place to hang out. There are plenty of shops and grocery stores there. You can use Rent.com to find some apartments there, the first one I can think of that's that cheap is Parkwood apartments I think, in Malden, ma. hope that's helpful

[Cato the Elder]

Brookline and Newton would be convenient but aren't in the ballpark of your budget. I would second Malden as a possibility but I would look near the Oak Grove station (north towards Melrose and west towards Medford), not near Malden Center. You'll be able to find a 1br in-law unit or a large 1br/small 2br unit in a triple decker close to your budget.

[Martha Anne]

Originally Posted by Bostonmania

There are some cheap but fairly nice apartments in Malden, which is about 20 minutes on the T to downtown boston. It's pretty safe and is nice place to hang out. There are plenty of shops and grocery stores there. You can use Rent.com to find some apartments there, the first one I can think of that's that cheap is Parkwood apartments I think, in Malden, ma. hope that's helpful

Malden!! Malden is nowhere near or convenient to Children's Hospital. On a Sunday, with no traffic, it's a minimum of 20 minutes, and that's with no lights. It's realistically up to an hour by car in traffic and a hell of a ride on the T from The Fenway. I ought to know - I went to college next to Children's Hospital.

[Martha Anne]

Originally Posted by 1taplay

Hello All,

My wife and I are moving to Boston and are looking for a nice apartment. We have never been to Boston so we do not know anything about Boston or its surrounding neighborhoods. I have gotten a new job offer from Children's Hospital in Boston which is right in the downtown area...

Here are the things we need suggestions on:
1) Safe cities/neighborhoods around Boston which are 15-30 minutes from Boston downtown (my primary work location)
2) Local transport around the city/neighborhood and to/from the work place
3) Reliable apartments in the $800-1000 price range


We are not looking for anything fancy, we do not have kids right now and as for nightlife, we dont have preferences. We mainly want a safe neighborhood and grocery stores in the nearby vicinity/area.

Any help is appreciated
Thanks!

I volunteered at Children's Hospital and attended college next door, practically (well, a block away).

If you don't know Boston, IMO, if you can possibly hold out, I do think you'd be best off to get that apartment after you have seen the areas closest to Children's.

Don't even think about driving unless you want to spend you salary on the parking garage, and I mean hundreds of dollars per month (if they let you park there at all).

Mostly everybody takes the "T", which means the trolley and bus. And they are so convenient to Children's Hospital.

You are going to have plenty of safe places, areas in which to live. But you will find nothing decent for $1000 a month unless you get a small studio.

You will need to spend at least $1400 (and that is cheap) for a decent one bedroom apartment.

Children's probably has apartment helpers in the Human Resources Dept.

Areas you can consider are: Brookline (fabulous, next door, very expensive), The Fenway area (nearby and you can walk to work), Mission Hill, Jamaica Plain, Newton, and Boston itself.

[Cato the Elder]

Originally Posted by Martha Anne

Malden!! Malden is nowhere near or convenient to Children's Hospital. On a Sunday, with no traffic, it's a minimum of 20 minutes, and that's with no lights. It's realistically up to an hour by car in traffic and a hell of a ride on the T from The Fenway. I ought to know - I went to college next to Children's Hospital.

I guess someone has never taken the Orange Line.

[Bostonmania]

I Second that, pretty much nobody commutes by car from Malden cause the orange line is so convenient. I mean if you compare it to the Green line it will knock it out of the water in terms of speed. There's a difference. The green line is a light rail system and the orange line is a subway line. much faster. Leave it to people from Malden to talk about living in and commuting from Malden.