Commute to Waltham, live where? (Worcester, Marlborough: consignment, home, live in)

[rethcir]

Hudson has a happening little downtown with an awesome cafe, a couple good brewpubs, etc. I'd certainly look into it if I was willing to be in that general area.

[charolastra00]

Originally Posted by 495neighbor

I think you will bored out of your mind in Marlborough and worn out by the commute. I looked at some of those apartments in Marlborough when I working out there and wasn't impressed with the crowd in some of those buildings. Bad neighbors can result in as much stress as bad roommates, IMO. If you must go suburban, Maynard or Hudson would be a little better and happening and an easier commute, but you will still be surrounded by young families, not singles and couples so much. If you could up your budget a few hundred, I think you could squeeze into Arlington or Melrose, where you would find a more mature crowd and still be close enough to the city to enjoy it. Have you considered a situation where you would live with only one roommate or renting an in-law apartment of a family home? More manageable than multiple roomies I think.

I have really astoundingly bad roommate luck, so I'm not willing to try again. For some examples over the past 7 years in my current apartment (keeping in mind they all seemed great during the interview process, had references, and were college-educated professions):

• two roommates who moved a partner in without my knowledge (even getting their mail at the apartment to establish residency)
• the roommate who faked a British persona, including a very convincing accent that fooled some of my British friends, for 6 months before he was caught because he was writing bad checks on a checkbook he stole from his grandmother
• a woman in her 40s with a drug problem who would spend the week at the apartment and then go home to western Mass on the weekend. She lied to her husband about where she was spending her money so when she moved out suddenly, he accused us of stealing from her and left us holding the bag for her share of rent and utilities for the month
• a guy who was nice and clean, but developed hording behavior and would keep buying things on Ebay and off of Craigslist to fill every corner of our living room with boxes
• the man who decided that because he was a man, he didn't have to clean and would (we believe) pee on the floor of the bathroom to prove that point
• the woman who I was very clear with upon looking for an apartment with her that I was introverted and have a social job, so I probably wouldn't want much social time in the apartment. When she moved out a few months later because she was angry me and the other roommate didn't want to have dinner with her every night, she said we were "ruining her life"
• the guy I lived with when going through chemo who would almost without fail throw parties the night before or day of getting treatment. He would never tell me he was having 10+ people over, but we had been friends before moving in together and were in the same social circle, so our friends would ask me if I needed anything and that's how I'd learn they were all coming over. The last 2 months of living there, he wouldn't speak to me.

That's to say nothing about people who were late on rent, ran out last minute on the apartment leaving me to pay their share of rent and utilities, and people - including my current roommate - who seem allergic to dusting, sweeping, or even putting dishes into the dishwasher rather than the sink.



On the flipside, I feel like I could write a pretty funny book of short stories!



Maybe I really screwed a roommate in a previous life, but I just don't want the anxiety of trying to find another one. Imagine spending years not feeling like you have a home to go to and that's been my life. I'm *constantly* anxious at home, and have had to get on medication to manage it. I also have basically stopped using our kitchen because my roommates are in there from when I get home from work (they both get home hours earlier) until late at night, so I'm wasting tons of money on prepared food and take out. As I get older, I'm getting less tolerant of roommate issues as a whole anyway.


Maynard and Hudson are sort of the ideal, but I just haven't been able to find anything. At this point, I'm actually leaning to the Marlborough apartment so I can get out and be in a better headspace, and then I can regroup next year. Unfortunately, even keeping my housing budget at 25% of my income has me pretty anxious (I can afford it, but I'd rather spend less) so I really can't up my budget any more.

[Brave Stranger]

Darn, I wish you luck. That room-mate run-down was frightening.

[CaseyB]

I'd be done after #2. My youngest had real problems with them. The last one stole clothes and bed sheets from her and when my daughter was gone for the weekend, sold a bunch of furniture my daughter had bought on craigslist.

[Peabody99]

Just be careful with Marlborough, there are some iffy apartment areas that are known for section 8/drugs/higher crime. From what I've heard the city has been going downhill in the last few years, very diverse, wealthy on the East side only. Someone else mentioned checking out the neighbors and I agree, make sure they are people you want to live near.

[Peabody99]

I forgot to say, I'd move to Hudson or Maynard. You can find a place in your budget.

[jon12791]

27 year old single male here - 25% is awfully low considering I'm somehow paying over 50% of take-home/over 35% of gross and still saving money overall. I live alone renting an apartment in Chelmsford paying $1,755/month and it's a lovely complex! You're not going to find anything at a complex under $1,400 in a nice area unfortunately, which is a shame.

[charolastra00]

Originally Posted by Peabody99

Just be careful with Marlborough, there are some iffy apartment areas that are known for section 8/drugs/higher crime. From what I've heard the city has been going downhill in the last few years, very diverse, wealthy on the East side only. Someone else mentioned checking out the neighbors and I agree, make sure they are people you want to live near.

Does anyone know anything about the Royal Crest complex? I've been by several times at different hours and it seems pretty quiet.

Originally Posted by CaseyB

I'd be done after #2. My youngest had real problems with them. The last one stole clothes and bed sheets from her and when my daughter was gone for the weekend, sold a bunch of furniture my daughter had bought on craigslist.

It's been pretty heinous. The cost of living with roommates has gone up so much that moving out would cost me more as well as be yet another unexpected set of roommates. My income has increased fairly dramatically in the last 3 years, particularly in the last month, which is what makes it possible to move out now. I would have earlier if I could!

Originally Posted by Peabody99

I forgot to say, I'd move to Hudson or Maynard. You can find a place in your budget.

Right now there's absolutely nothing listed in either city. I've been to everything listed in my budget in Maynard and they are definitely run by slumlords. :\

Originally Posted by jon12791

27 year old single male here - 25% is awfully low considering I'm somehow paying over 50% of take-home/over 35% of gross and still saving money overall. I live alone renting an apartment in Chelmsford paying $1,755/month and it's a lovely complex! You're not going to find anything at a complex under $1,400 in a nice area unfortunately, which is a shame.

I'm a cancer survivor, which means I pay way more than average for medical bills and also am acutely concerned about savings. I'm behind where I would like to be in retirement and savings due to my medical issues, so 25% is a hard stop. If you are comfortable spending 50% of your take home on rent, great! I can't imagine doing so myself - and my only debt at this point is my car.

I'm not beholden to a complex, just that is what I'm seeing available at this time.

[495neighbor]

Originally Posted by charolastra00

Does anyone know anything about the Royal Crest complex? I've been by several times at different hours and it seems pretty quiet.

Last I knew Charolastra00, Royal Crest is one of the better ones. That neighborhood is pleasant and fine. The complexes I rejected when I was looking over there are all along route 20 and Main Street. Some of those were seedy back then and haven't improved.

[charolastra00]

Thanks for all of your help, everyone! I bit the bullet and am moving to Marlborough mid-month. Less turn around time than I planned, but I'll have two weeks to move which is a lot less stressful than the alternative.

Worse comes to worse, if I hate it I'll move in a year.

Now, to start finding furniture and a way to get it into the apartment!