Moving to Boston from UK - but where? (Cambridge, Brookline: for rent, townhouses)

[Teych22]

Hello there!

My fiancé got a job at BU, and in a couple of months, in July to be exact, we'll be moving across the pond. We currently live in London and after 5 years it will be nice to be somewhere less busy. I've never been there myself, but I've heard great things.

We are in our 30s, 34 + 37, no kids, no cars. We enjoy a night out, a good restaurant, concerts, theatre, but we also tend to be really lazy and just stay in with netflix and wine. So, having an option to go out would be nice, but peace and quiet is also very important. Our budget would be $3.500/600+bills, hopefully enough for a decent sized 2 bedroom flat.

His idea is to walk to work, 30-40 minutes ideally, but having the public transport option close by would be a huge bonus. Especially in winter, I hear it can be brutal.

Brookline is apparently a really good place to start or even settle, but there are so many areas/neighbourhoods. We don't really know which ones should we be focusing on, which ones to avoid, if any.
Coolidge Corner keeps popping up in my searches, South End,... and apparently we shouldn't live in Allston, unless we want college kids around at all times. I am googling, checking listings on zoopla, but nothing beats first hand experience and advice.

I don't know, I was hoping you might be able to give me some guidance. I hear the market is crazy. But then again, we live in London, so... it cannot get worse!

Thank you for your help in advance.

[redplum33]

Back Bay

[BOORGONG]

Yes, Back Bay has a nice posh proper british appearance as a neighborhood. As you venture out from the center of Boston, the masonry gets scarcer, and you get more the feel of New England Clapboardia. With a good budget for rent you might as well stick to central Boston and get all the cultural and consumer choices available to you. It's a great looking city.

[tysmith95]

Agree with back bay. Another good option for the OP could be Cambridgeport. Coolidge corner is another good option.

[Teych22]

Thank you guys, I'll check on zoopla! Boston really looks nice and I cannot wait to move to be honest. My OH visited several times now, always sending me pics and he loves it. I really like the idea of being able to walk anywhere as well, visit parks, walk down the river...
Sure, we can do that here too, but it get so crowded. I have a bit of social anxiety issues and that doesn't help at all.

Another question, and it might sound silly. I was googling but couldn't really find anything, so I guess it's not really a thing. Urban working farms. The concept is really popular here. There are farms in the middle of the city that you can visit, feed the animals, grab a bite, some even offer produce. Perfect escape for a few hours. Does that exist in Boston?

[chicagoliz]

Don't know about farms in the city, but Coolidge Corner in Brookline sounds like exactly what you want.

[missionhill]

Boston has Allandale Farm on the Brookline Boston border which you can visit. And it has the Food Project with urban farms in Roxbury and suburban counterpart in Lincoln. Also many community gardens—vacant lot gardens following demolition. In the back bay fens you can visit the victory gardens, a holdover from the World War II home front.

[MadameMerle]

Hi - another a British/London transplant here.

Where do you live in London currently - and what are your favourite areas of London?

My instinct would be that the South End would be perfect for you - especially given your budget. It is relatively quiet and residential but along the main thoroughfares is packed with great restaurants and some nice small parks. It's also well situated to walk to other areas of the city. I think there is a BU shuttle too that goes directly to campus via the South End.

The Back Bay would make for an extremely easy commute to BU, and has lots of shopping and things like the library, but it's got less good food than the South End, and is more busy. Newberry St is packed on the weekends, whereas in the South End there are more residential streets that stay quiet.

I would also consider the parts of Brookline anywhere from Coolidge Corner to St Mary's - again, super easy commute, and great amenities. Greener, slightly more suburban: decidedly low-rise urban landscape, but still has a lot to do with a cinema, libraries, tons of eating out options.

As far as urban farms go: as missionhill mentioned there's Allandale Farm in Brookline, but it's not that easy to get to without a car. The South End seems to have a lot of community gardens - I don't know how you go about getting one - I know out here in Brighton my friend rents one for a small fee each year, so I assume it's the same kind of deal but there may be longer waiting lists in the more built up areas.

[OutdoorLover]

I lived on Newbury St in Back Bay for 5 months when I first moved to the area, and while it was very nice, it was just too much churn for my taste, due to the swarms of people visiting the shops and restaurants there. Just one block over though, Commonwealth Ave is much calmer, and there are beautiful townhouses there and a grassy median with trees, which makes it feel very different, though it's so close. Easy walk to many things, including BU and you can even walk across the Mass Ave bridge to Cambridge - I walked to work many times. I think you might nab a 2-bedroom there for $3,500/mo?

[mwj119]

Originally Posted by MadameMerle

Hi - another a British/London transplant here.

Where do you live in London currently - and what are your favourite areas of London?

My instinct would be that the South End would be perfect for you - especially given your budget. It is relatively quiet and residential but along the main thoroughfares is packed with great restaurants and some nice small parks. It's also well situated to walk to other areas of the city. I think there is a BU shuttle too that goes directly to campus via the South End.

The Back Bay would make for an extremely easy commute to BU, and has lots of shopping and things like the library, but it's got less good food than the South End, and is more busy. Newberry St is packed on the weekends, whereas in the South End there are more residential streets that stay quiet.

I would also consider the parts of Brookline anywhere from Coolidge Corner to St Mary's - again, super easy commute, and great amenities. Greener, slightly more suburban: decidedly low-rise urban landscape, but still has a lot to do with a cinema, libraries, tons of eating out options.

As far as urban farms go: as missionhill mentioned there's Allandale Farm in Brookline, but it's not that easy to get to without a car. The South End seems to have a lot of community gardens - I don't know how you go about getting one - I know out here in Brighton my friend rents one for a small fee each year, so I assume it's the same kind of deal but there may be longer waiting lists in the more built up areas.

This is perfectly said. Back Bay does have the added convenience of the river front, but the South End is cozy, and the food scene is world class. Brookline is very nice too.