WFH in MA

[yesmaybe]

Originally Posted by newenglandgal123

I don't know for certain...but they are younger (mid to late 20's) Guessing it's a housing/rent cost issue...they probably have no choice but to take a more affordable rent in NH and a horrible commute vs having most of their earnings squandered away to outrageous MA rent/housing prices.

Kinda hard to believe. I looked at apartments.com and I don't see any apartments in Madbury. There are a few in nearby Dover but only a handful that is actually that cheap.

If they bought a condo in Dover at the beginning of the pandemic, they would be up 70%... for now.

[massnative71]

Originally Posted by yesmaybe

Kinda hard to believe. I looked at apartments.com and I don't see any apartments in Madbury. There are a few in nearby Dover but only a handful that is actually that cheap.

If they bought a condo in Dover at the beginning of the pandemic, they would be up 70%... for now.

Just because there aren't now doesn't mean there weren't when they moved in. And apartments.com is notoriously overpriced and not reflective of the general market. It's not how people in this area look for rentals, unless they are a transplant from elsewhere moving in blind.

[newenglandgal123]

Originally Posted by yesmaybe

Kinda hard to believe. I looked at apartments.com and I don't see any apartments in Madbury. There are a few in nearby Dover but only a handful that is actually that cheap.

If they bought a condo in Dover at the beginning of the pandemic, they would be up 70%... for now.

I don't know what he pays for rent but a quick search on zillow in that area, Dover...I'm seeing rents for $1500-1700...some $3K in the mix too. If he got something around $1500--1700 that's a heck of a lot cheaper than any Waltham, Lexington area rent.

[yesmaybe]

Originally Posted by newenglandgal123

I don't know what he pays for rent but a quick search on zillow in that area, Dover...I'm seeing rents for $1500-1700...some $3K in the mix too. If he got something around $1500--1700 that's a heck of a lot cheaper than any Waltham, Lexington area rent.

I looked at Craigslist, and while you aren't getting anything in Waltham for that much anymore... you might be able to slum it in Acton or Maynard for about that much. Commute wouldn't be great but certainly better than all the way up there.

[newenglandgal123]

Originally Posted by yesmaybe

I looked at Craigslist, and while you aren't getting anything in Waltham for that much anymore... you might be able to slum it in Acton or Maynard for about that much. Commute wouldn't be great but certainly better than all the way up there.

I'll be curious to see how long before he quits and finds a job closer or moves closer to the current job. I don't see how anyone can sustain that type of commute, especially in winter or summer tourist season (Thurs/Friday afternoon commutes home).

[BostonMike7]

Our office just changed the WFH home policy.

It's now 3 days in office min for "worker bees" and 4-5 days in office for managers/directors.

[simplexsimon]

Originally Posted by BostonMike7

Our office just changed the WFH home policy.

It's now 3 days in office min for "worker bees" and 4-5 days in office for managers/directors.

What was it previously?

[BostonMike7]

Originally Posted by simplexsimon

What was it previously?

2 days min for workers. Managers/Directors could work fully remote if desired.


A lot of folks i work with were 5 days/week regardless, so no changes to my dept. However there are a lot of managers I haven't seen more than 1 day a month in the office. The kicker is there is no seating for them, so they are going to be located to a different office building a mile away.

[simplexsimon]

Originally Posted by BostonMike7

2 days min for workers. Managers/Directors could work fully remote if desired.


A lot of folks i work with were 5 days/week regardless, so no changes to my dept. However there are a lot of managers I haven't seen more than 1 day a month in the office. The kicker is there is no seating for them, so they are located to a different office building a mile away.

Yeah that last part is odd and is a pretty drastic change from allowing full remote to 4-5 days in office. A way to make people self select out so the company doesn't have to force layoffs?

[newenglandgal123]

That is strange...so the worker bees get the option of more WFH days than managers now? Quite a reversal from the original scenario you described! Guess since middle managers/directors are making the most $$ and the bigger drain on dollars it's either get your butt back in the office or, as simplex theorized above, c-ya later alligator!