Anyone move to Boston from DC/MD/VA? How did you get around the housing prices shock?

[chicagoliz]

Originally Posted by graceC

OP, I think grouping MD/DC/NoVa together is misleading. DC is comparable to Boston, but MD (Montgomery county) and NoVa (Arlington and Fairfax counties) are more comparable to cities outside Boston (Quincy, Braintree, Randolph, Brocton).

DC and Boston are the main city for each region, while the rest are suburbs.

I live in NoVa and considered moving to Boston area at one point in time but changed my mind due to job market. In my line of industry, NoVA has a lot more jobs to offer with better pay. I still visit Boston area often, this place is beautiful with fantastic seafood!

I don't understand this response. OP lives in the DC area. The DC area very much includes DC/MD/VA. OP asked about the region in general. In some ways DC and Boston are more comparable than are some other cities, because there is a lot of bleed-over in terms of the city limits. Lots of "DC" jobs are actually in VA or MD, and quite a few "Boston" jobs are actually in places like Cambridge.

[jpdivola]

Originally Posted by lrfox

It's been a while so the markets have evolved, but I was living in that area for a while (Kensington), and now live here (Somerville). I see a lot of the lists that come out that rank real estate markets, COL, and all of that. DC and Boston are frequently side by side, but I don't think that, in reality, they are equal.

I'm not sure what your budget and preferences are (and for good recommendations here, you'll need to give us a little more info), but I would say that unless you're in the very top of the market, you'll likely be happier with what your money gets you in DC/MD/NOVA. For the same money, you'll find newer and larger construction (a lot of times with better transit access) in that region vs. older and smaller (and often disconnected from transit) here.

The suburbs up here are very different than the suburbs down there. For starters, counties are essentially irrelevant here. Everything is done on a municipal level. So things vary significantly even you're looking at homes that are a mile or two apart. New construction is harder to find because things operate on micro level vs. the county-based setup in MD/NOVA and new construction (especially apartments, condos, and multi-family development) are often met with opposition in the more desirable communities. Long story short - due to the lack of new construction, homes are older and more expensive.

Yeah, I think the big advantage DC has over Boston is it builds a lot more outlying sprawl.



DC's MSA has a lot more sprawling suburbs full of new townhouses and TOD. It may not be not everyones cup of tea, but it does provide "missing middle" housing. Inner core housing prices are pretty comparable, although Boston being an older city has more "urban housing" options. Boston's high end is higher than DCs. But, it also has lots of "cheaper" urban options in safe, walkable areas (Somerville, Allston, Mission Hill, etc.)

[BostonBornMassMade]

Originally Posted by massnative71

Comparable in what, price?


Nothing at all similar to a Brockton in Montgomery Co. or Northern VA. Quincy/Braintree, MAYBE a few. But I would assume the OP was looking at the whole Boston area, not just Boston itself. Apples to apples, Boston does sound more expensive now (sadly).

Comparable to Brockton would be half of Prince George’s county and some places like Langley Park and Takoma Park in MoCo. Lots of areas south of Boston would be comparable to PG County price wise/status wise

[BostonBornMassMade]

Originally Posted by jpdivola

Yeah, I think the big advantage DC has over Boston is it builds a lot more outlying sprawl.



DC's MSA has a lot more sprawling suburbs full of new townhouses and TOD. It may not be not everyones cup of tea, but it does provide "missing middle" housing. Inner core housing prices are pretty comparable, although Boston being an older city has more "urban housing" options. Boston's high end is higher than DCs. But, it also has lots of "cheaper" urban options in safe, walkable areas (Somerville, Allston, Mission Hill, etc.)

This is true. the equivalents of this in the DMV are noticeably less safe... Hyattsville Silve Spring NE DC Alexandria-very good areas and locales but with more crime than the bolded areas for sure.

[massnative71]

Originally Posted by BostonBornMassMade

Comparable to Brockton would be half of Prince George’s county and some places like Langley Park and Takoma Park in MoCo. Lots of areas south of Boston would be comparable to PG County price wise/status wise

PG County yes, although even there I'm not sure if anything really matches the worst of Brockton ie. N Main, S Main? My impression of (the rougher parts of) PG are a higher crime Randolph.

[massnative71]

Originally Posted by jpdivola

But, it also has lots of "cheaper" urban options in safe, walkable areas (Somerville, Allston, Mission Hill, etc.)

None of those are anywhere near "cheap".

[jpdivola]

Originally Posted by massnative71

None of those are anywhere near "cheap".

Yep, not "cheap" but "cheaper" than central Boston or prime DC areas.

Given Boston/Cambridge/Somerville's greater urban density, older lower rent (under $2000) apartments are easier to find in vibrant walkable areas. DC simply has less options for traditional urban living.

For example, Apartments.com lists 491 apartments available in Allston for that price. By contrast, there are only 120 for Adams-Morgan/Columbia Heights.

https://www.apartments.com/allston-m...ms-under-2000/

[rethcir]

Somerville is affluent now outside East Somerville

[massnative71]

Originally Posted by jpdivola

Yep, not "cheap" but "cheaper" than central Boston or prime DC areas.

Given Boston/Cambridge/Somerville's greater urban density, older lower rent (under $2000) apartments are easier to find in vibrant walkable areas. DC simply has less options for traditional urban living.

For example, Apartments.com lists 491 apartments available in Allston for that price. By contrast, there are only 120 for Adams-Morgan/Columbia Heights.

https://www.apartments.com/allston-m...ms-under-2000/

Alexandria has 1,245 listed.

[jpdivola]

Originally Posted by massnative71

Alexandria has 1,245 listed.

Yeah, but Alexandria is basically a giant sprawling area including both the city of Alexandria and parts of Fairfax county that uses an Alexandria mailing address. Most of it is post-war suburbia. In practice only the Old Town area is equivalent to Somerville or Allston, even then it is further from the downtown core.