Work in Watertown-- where should a 29 year old single guy live that's close by? Waltham?

[dave1983]

I (un?)fortunately missed the Steampunk Festival. However, today I drove around Coolidge Corner in Brookline, most of Allston, most of Brighton, Watertown, Waltham, Huron Village / Porter, and Cambridgeport.

Waltham-- rapidly dropping down the list based on this forum (key point of being closer to Boston and testing various neighborhoods during the next year was helpful; Waltham is far away from it all, and not the nicest)

Watertown-- yes it's where I work, but it really doesn't offer anything aside from a jumping off point.

Huron Village / Porter-- cute, but too close to where I live now and is still infested with hipsters

Cambridgeport-- too expensive

Allston / Brighton-- certainly a more urban feel than the others, but I've been there at night and it seems to be all early 20-somethings and college students.

Coolidge Corner in Brookline-- This was actually pretty cute, albeit an older crowd (late 30s+ is who I saw, though fairly it was midday on Saturday). At least half of the people I saw were Asian, too, which was reminiscent of Quincy's strong presence. There wasn't much to do there other than nice-looking restaurants, but that's better than Watertown. Some of the side streets were very cute, and there is access to the Greenline (not my favorite line, but still a way to avoid driving into Boston).

I am going to look into Coolidge Corner and just to the north of that area. If I can find a place with off-street parking (as necessary in Brookline), with utilities for under $1700 (I had to raise my price based on the offerings in the market right now-- $1500 doesn't buy a whole lot outside of Waltham. Sigh, that does mean that I could live there and drive to places to visit and park once a weekend rather than pay for a more expensive area, but that's the whole struggle people make.

I'd really like to get a modest place that's somewhat clean for $1300 with utilities and save that $400/mo-- which is $100 per week to do whatever I want, vs not having it and then paying the $100 on top of it.

What do people think about Coolidge Corner and just to the north of that below Beacon? How is the traffic going north into Watertown from Brookline? I imagine it's really bad. Coming home?

[dave1983]

Once again the forum was right. Coolidge / Brookline is very expensive and parking usually costs an extra $150/mo or is built into higher rents.

I'm beginning to think I'd be better off paying as little as possible for something in Waltham off Moody, bicycling to work along the river (that's a major upside of Moody or downtown Watertown), and just telling myself "well, you get what you pay for" and saving money. Paying $1800 after utilities/parking is just not worth it for me, ESPECIALLY for the modest accommodations that actually affords in Brookline or other places (and yes, Coolidge Corner was "yupscale" with a Y, not my ideal but at least it felt clean and safe and educated). Paying a mid-price for Watertown still seems like a waste-- $1575 for a complex downtown so I can look out the balcony at everyone else. Grrr.

First instincts of the subject post, "Waltham?" seem to be right, even if the logic is flawed (go cheap or go home). This sucks.

[dave1983]

There were no satisfactory options, so I moved way up north to Burlington, VT.

[495neighbor]

Originally Posted by dave1983

There were no satisfactory options, so I moved way up north to Burlington, VT.

Interesting

[timberline742]

Very. I lived in Burlington. The COL is very high compared to the salaries being paid in the region. I recall when I lived there rents were super high.

I almost relocated back twice, but economically couldn't do it.

[WoodyWW]

Originally Posted by dave1983

There were no satisfactory options, so I moved way up north to Burlington, VT.

What??? Two of your big criteria were avoiding areas that were: "infested with hipsters", or that "seems to be all early 20-somethings and college students". So you picked Burlington, VT?

And after all the endless, minute discussions of every Boston area town & neighborhood that were all rejected. I mean, I love Burlington, VT, but it would seem to embody a lot of what you wanted to avoid. Then again, I've also always really liked Cambridge (MA), Brookline, Arlington, etc, going back to the '70's.

[johngolf]

Originally Posted by WoodyWW

What??? Two of your big criteria were avoiding areas that were: "infested with hipsters", or that "seems to be all early 20-somethings and college students". So you picked Burlington, VT?

And after all the endless, minute discussions of every Boston area town & neighborhood that were all rejected. I mean, I love Burlington, VT, but it would seem to embody a lot of what you wanted to avoid. Then again, I've also always really liked Cambridge (MA), Brookline, Arlington, etc, going back to the '70's.

I agree.

[dave1983]

Up here there are hippies (friendly, tie dye and weed), not hipsters (smug, skinny jeans, unfounded entitlement and superiority). Lots of college students, but Boston has 250k college students (total area pop). Rents in burlington are high, but just outside is very affordable and with a lot for your dollar. Limited job availability, but it's there for the persistent and qualified / in demand. I can someday buy a place with acreage up here for decent money and not have a long commute; impossible around Boston. Scenery, low stress, slower pace, friendly people, culture and nightlife, amazing local produce and beer and meats, all active outdoor enthusiasts (everyone skis, hikes, goes on the lake-- much easier to find common interests up here for me), an airport, prettier seasonal changes, and little driving to ski/hike/leaf peep.

This forum helped me realize I was unhappy in boston and Watertown, finding faults in anything that would keep me there longer. I owe everybody here a drink on me!