How is the area around Prudential mall (Boston, Quincy: apartment complex, rent)

[JCFord]

I might be moving there for a business opportunity....I have a choice between Maine and boston...I think I'd rather live in boston even though the cost of living seems high...I'o from k small town in Georgia...anyways I know that apartments are expensive in general in boston but what about the area surrounding prudential mall...is it on par with the retu me boston ..I don't mind paying more rent if its a good area...I'm a single 22 year old guy...

[JCFord]

oops sorry for the typos i typed the original post from my phone!

any help would be appreciated!

would it be a good idea to get an apartment a little outside of boston...how is traffic and driving times?

[CityGirl52]

It depends on your income & what you can afford. You could go the roommate route to save. Living right by the Prudential Center in the South End/Back Bay is extremely expensive. I've seen rents $2000 a month all the way up to $15,000 a month there. The convenience and location is what you'd be paying for, it's got some stunning brick row houses, on the other hand you need to do your homework & research on a lot of them too, they can be overrated and if you are in one to see for yourself you'll know what I mean about it right away--(*as soon as you walk in to it you'll know it's NOT for you, lol!) The neighborhoods of Boston are also "up there" with their rents, I personally think they're ridiculous charging these type of rents, BUT I would think with a roommate arrangement it would work out much better with those fees. Just do your research & think about how you want to do this when you get up here to check them out & also when you actually see for yourself the various places it will all fall in to place better for you, some of them are astronomical.

I'll tell you, hopefully City-Data let's me tell you this thought that just popped in to my head. There's a fairly new complex in Dorchester right near the JFK Library & UMASS that's only a 10 minute walk to the MBTA red line and it's on bus route 8 & 16 that would be SO convenient for you or any one interested in moving to the City. This building is SO beautiful too! If you can get one of them, it would be one place you'd be happy you were living in. It's got a pool, a landscaped deck, a fitness center, garage parking is available there and also a plus is that heat's included in the rent, that's what you want to try to get with your monthly fee. There's a bike, jog & walking path connecting you to Boston & the South Shore called the "Harborwalk". This apartment complex is called the Peninsula. So google it online to see what you think, as far as what they're charging a month & all that with this one. I saw an article in the Globe about it recently and couldn't believe how nice it was, especially good for getting around Boston & this particular area of the city. This place could be a great possibility for you, you'd be right along the MBTA red line for getting to South Station as you'd be in downtown Boston in seconds if you lived here.

You should also check the Boston dot com site and Craigslist too for places and if you end up going the roommate route, don't worry about that, half the City of Boston is living with that arrangement due to the high rents, trust me on that, you wouldn't be alone with that scenario! It's actually a wise move, you would save in the long run.

If you go further out of Boston, any where along the MBTA commuter rail would be convenient & the rents get a little lower the further out you go, so remember that. Go to the MBTA site to see the various towns along the route, as well as the subway routes would be even closer. You should definitely check the town of Quincy out on the south shore and on the north shore check Malden, Melrose, Wakefield, Everett all on bus routes to get you to the train that would bring you right in to downtown Boston. Arlington is another place that you'd like along Mass. Ave. so check the sites out further for any one of these towns, they'd be convenient for getting in to downtown Boston for your job.

I'm willing to bet you'll find an awesome apartment soon enough, it won't be a problem once you get here to check them out. Driving in to Boston from any one of these towns wouldn't be too bad. BUT the clinker is the parking fees they charge in the City now. You won't like that part of it, they run $27 and up per day, that's pretty steep for even the high paying executives these days, so that's why you're going to love taking the "T" in! There IS a parking lot down at the Fan Pier that is reasonable though, it's something like $12 now per day. It's located near the Moakley Federal Courthouse building, across from the "Barking Crab" restaurant. If you drive all the way in to the City, you just need to time it IF you do try that way of getting in to town. The earlier you leave in the morning, the better off you are. Traffic happens here, but there's alternatives, which is the beauty of living right near the "T", In fact, it would be really really good if you can get something right along one of the MBTA routes just for the convenience of it all. You will really appreciate it once you get here and see for yourself. Instead of driving you're going to WANT to take the "T", once you get on a roll with it all:

www.mbta.com

To conclude my little spiel here...If you have a job opportunity in Maine, is it in Portland? If it IS? You would enjoy living there you know. The rents are half of what Boston's are. It's got a pretty funky downtown, very seaporty and quaint. The Portland Head Light (the lighthouse) is absolutely beautiful too, this is in Fort Williams State Park, especially nice for the warmer months to jog & walk thru, it's right along the ocean, you'd have to see it to see what I mean, it's so pretty there, also driving further to Cape Elizabeth is awesome. You can get to downtown Boston within an hour and a half on weekends so don't rule Maine out, you'd like it there a lot. It's a little colder than Boston though in the winter months. Nice in the summer months though. If there's a concert or show that's in Boston it would also be on the way up to Portland too most likely, so you wouldn't miss out on any one that's good putting on a show any where in New England. There's some really great bars, bistro's and restaurants in Portland too, so remember that. It's actually up to you in the end of course. I just wanted to make sure you were aware of how neat Portland is to live & work as well as Boston. Actually, wherever they give you the most $$ that's where you need to go & that's really the priority in the end, right!

Best of luck!

[Cantabridgienne]

No one can really answer your questions without more information from you: how much can you spend on rent, are you looking to live alone or a share, where will you be working, are you taking the T to work, what kind of neighborhood amenities do you want, etc.

[litlux]

I think it would be worth spending a few days in each location rather than asking strangers about it. I certainly think the area around the Pru is pretty safe, but without knowing you, how can I tell if you would be happy there.

Someone coming from a small town, and used to easily driving everywhere would be in for an awful culture shock in Boston. Imagine walking to a grocery store and lugging the purchases home. That is what most people in the area do for starters. And parking rates if you do have a car are amazing. Try $40 a day for some of the area garages.

OTOH if you are adaptable, you may find a lifestyle you will never want to give up.

[ColorsOfMe]

In my experience, the area around Prudential was SNOBBY. I went to Shaw's all the time to get a bite to eat, and spent some time out at the Prudential Mall. People coming and going through that area just were not friendly!

[Jscohen]

The area closer to Northeastern, the eastern side of Fenway, could be a good match. It is much cheaper than the South End or the Back Bay, and you still have access to the Pru and its amenities. It's a very undergrad-heavy area (people call it a student ghetto), but since you're 22 you might enjoy it. It's a better place to meet people your age than the more expensive neighborhoods, plus you have access to the Fens Park, Museum of Fine Arts, etc. I live on the West side of the Fens so I'll vouch for the area.

The other posters are right: in every neighborhood mentioned here, you should probably forget about a car. There is plenty of public transportation and parking is a nightmare.

Maine and Boston are drastically different. If you're a real small town guy, Maine might be less of a culture shock for you. The Boston burbs range dramatically in price; which burb you look at depends on where you're working.