Neighborhood suggestions? Looking for 3br apt & will be working at the Pru (Newton: apartments)

[merrimackattack]

Hi,

This fall I'll be starting a new job, and I'll be working at the Pru. We have one child, and my wife is due with our second in september. We'll probably move to the area in October. We'll probably only rent for 1-2 years before we try to buy a house. Here are my questions regarding the housing search:

1) Timing. It looks like most of the apartments listed on craigslist right now have leases that begin Sept. 1. I'm currently planning on heading out to find a place in early September (once my wife's mother is in town to help her with the new baby), but i'm concerned that the selection will be a lot more limited if I wait until after Sept. to start looking. On the other hand, I don't want to sign a lease that leaves me stuck paying a month's rent when I'm not even living there. Any thoughts on how much I stand to gain by finding a place now?

2) Location. We want something family-friendly, ideally with parks/green space within walking distance. I'm planning on getting to work on the T or commuter rail, and I'm hoping to keep my commute to under 30 minutes, 45 minutes tops. Our son just turned two, so we aren't really worried about choosing a school district at this point. We'd like to avoid any place with a crime problem.

3) Agent? I've only once before used an agent to find an apartment, and I wasn't charged a fee. I think I know how to avoid CL scams... Am I asking for trouble if I do the apartment search myself?

So. . . any suggestions?

[495neighbor]

Jamaica Plain or Brookline or possibly Newton near one of the green line stops would be perfect for you and your family, lots of green space and more rentals in these areas than in many places. Rentals are scarce around here these days. I would personally pay the extra month's rent just to know I had something in place.