the hunt

[tamalinn.livejournal.com]

My boyfriend and I are looking for our first place together!

We're looking for a 1- to 2-bed (I'd kind of like a 1.5-bed) with an eat-in kitchen, preferably in Cambridge or Somerville, starting 5/15 or 5/1. One off-street parking space would be wonderful, though it's not a requirement. Within a mile walk of the T or bus is a requirement, though, since only one of us has a car. My boyfriend would adore some kind of outdoor access, like a yard or a deck. I would adore not living in a basement apartment.

We're pretty limited financially, so I'm hoping to avoid using a realtor. I've been checking Craigslist, but so far, everything is available now or available 9/1. No doubt more things will become available, but I'm a planner, and--honestly--I'm ridiculously excited to be sharing a home with my boyfriend, so I really want to get the ball rolling.

We're also considering Medford on the Somerville side of the Mystic River and Lower Allston because we're kinda strapped for cash. And we're not limiting our search to the West and North areas of Cambridge, nor West Somerville. How easy is the commute to downtown from Arlington? What about from Watertown? Do any of you have any suggestions or know of any places?

Comments

[yourenotwithme.livejournal.com]

The two bedroom apartment above mine is currently available. My landlord has been preoccupied with other things so it has been open for a while. I am in a split level house in West Somerville, 1.5 miles from Davis and approximately .5 miles from five bus lines. I walk to work so having a car is not a necessity.

Rent is $1,250 not including heat. The apartment has an enclosed front and back porch and you can share the backyard with my roommate and me.

Let me know if you're interested. Aside from being a touch further from the T than you'd prefer, it seems like it may fit your needs.

[tamalinn.livejournal.com]

That sounds great, thanks! Would your landlord be willing to wait until 5/15 or 5/1, though, to rent it?

[yourenotwithme.livejournal.com]

Possibly. It has been empty for a while, as I said before, so he may. I can pass his information over to you via e-mail so you can discuss it with him. He is more concerned about quality of tenant than getting it rented quickly.

What is the best place to e-mail you his information?

[stormsdotter.livejournal.com]

Living in Arlington means an extra 20-30 minutes to get downtown each way, but I pay under $1000 per month in rent so I don't mind.

[ukelele.livejournal.com]

I think it depends where in Arlington. I used to live in east Arlington within a 15-minute walk of Alewife; getting downtown from there would be only a couple minutes longer than getting downtown from where I live now (in Somerville, within a 15-minute walk of Davis). Of course my apartment there wasn't cheaper than Somerville either.

[tamalinn.livejournal.com]

Under $1000? Is it a really nice apartment? How many bedrooms?

[stormsdotter.livejournal.com]

It's a decent apartment, if a little small for myself and my partner. Heat and hot water and parking are included in the rent, and the complex is well maintained. My only, and I really do mean *only* complaint is that pets are not allowed. The Conservation Foundation runs things well.

[perich.livejournal.com]

:D

[808.livejournal.com]

I live in Watertown and love it. If you live near Mt Auburn St., the 71 bus is very easy and quick access to Harvard Sq. and runs relatively often. If you live near the square, then there are express buses to downtown Boston (Copley) too. It's nice being next to the Charles River bike/running/walk path too.

[tamalinn.livejournal.com]

That sounds really wonderful, actually. You don't happen to know of any places that will be available, do you?

[808.livejournal.com]

Sorry I don't. I live on Spruce St. and there was a house condo with a rental sign on it a couple of weeks ago, but I don't know its status. I just recommend being within walking distance of Mt Auburn as that makes all the difference in terms of mass transit here. Another bonus: there is a Stop N Shop on the 71 route to Harvard square. :)

[nonnihil.livejournal.com]

Check Union Square. It doesn't have the T, but half the buses in the known universe pass through, and it at least used to be that you could find decent rents only a few minutes' walk from the square.

True, though...

[nvidia99999.livejournal.com]

I'd hate living around Union Sq. Too much damn traffic and smog! Perhaps it'll get better after they revamp it.

Re: True, though...

[in-parentheses.livejournal.com]

I live in Union now and think it's fantastic! I've never noticed smog, and no more traffic than anywhere else in Somerville (though I don't drive, so that's easy for me to say). The point being: YMMV. It's worth checking Union out.

[tamalinn.livejournal.com]

Thanks! Do you happen to know of any places that might be available then?

[enochs-fable.livejournal.com]

congrats. W. Medford on the Somerville side is nice, where we used to live before we moved, and we had a yard. We also had crazy upstairs neighbors and a deadbeat landlord, but that was why we left. Anyway.

[intuition-ist.livejournal.com]

yeah, always remember to do a sanity check on your landlords. esp. if you're planning on staying more than a year.

[enochs-fable.livejournal.com]

problem is, sometimes you can't tell right off. We stayed five years in the same place, and the first four were fine. The LL was one of those guys who just wasn't that interested in keeping up the place and we had to hound him when stuff needed fixing. Nice enough but couldn't be bothered. Then when there was a vacancy upstairs, he had some people move in without checking *their* references and to keep it short, I'll just say it was a bad, bad, scene that was beginning of the end.

[tamalinn.livejournal.com]

Hm. If I see a place I like out there, then, remind me to tell you who the landlord is before I sign anything.

[enochs-fable.livejournal.com]

No problem, I'm sure you'll find a great place. Plus, close to Danish Pastry House.

You also might look between Davis and Union, although you're less likely to find yards there, you'd be close to a lot of cool stuff.

[bangie24.livejournal.com]

I have a similar situation! Except, we're looking for 9/1. Where are you looking? Craigslist? I feel like there are hardly any September apartments out there yet. I've never worked with a realtor but I may cave, I'd really like to find a great place.

Anyone out there have a wonderful 1-2 bedroom apartment in the Camberville area, where they know they'll be moving out by 9/1 and want to give a heads up to LJ apartment searchers? :)

[icecreamempress.livejournal.com]

I feel like there are hardly any September apartments out there yet.

Well, yeah, seeing as it's March.

[bangie24.livejournal.com]

I know that. That's why I was surprised to see that the original poster was seeing mostly 9/1 apartments.

[avecvu.livejournal.com]

She's not... everything she is seeing is either available now or 9/1.

[bangie24.livejournal.com]

Ah, I see. Thanks.

[voodoocheese.livejournal.com]

I live in a three family home in Somerville, and the third floor has been vacant for about a month. Our landlord has been showing it off and on, but so far it's still available. He may be able to wait until May, it's worth a shot! Anyway, it matches your requirements pretty well- balcony, 10 min walk to T, eat-in kitchen... although the parking space is iffy.

http://boston.craigslist.org/gbs/abo/1624138456.html

Good luck!

[tamalinn.livejournal.com]

We can totally afford that! Thanks!

[delahk.livejournal.com]

nothing comes to mind yet, but you know i will be keeping an eye out of course

[tamalinn.livejournal.com]

Thank you, sir!

I was just looking for something similar

[jamie97.livejournal.com]

I was just looking for something similar, for April 1. I started my search in mid-February and ran into the same problem as you: everything was either available immediately or available March 1. I was looking on craigslist and used Al at apartment realty experts in Davis, who told me I was going to need to wait til the beginning of March at the earliest to look for April 1. I know it's tough but you just have to be patient! I found a great place at the end of February for a lease that started March 15 - big Ball Sq 1 bed, 10 minutes to the T, heat,hot water, electric and 1 tandem parking spot for $1200. So just try to be patient :-)

[ajg1981.livejournal.com]

Hi, I don't know if you found a place already, but I have a 1.5 bedroom (bedroom + extra/private storage room off the back) that I am subleasing now, April 1 or May 1. Currently one female roommate lives there, but she is not planning to renew her portion of the lease after July 31. Rent for the room is $800, total rent is $1,500 (if you and your bf don't plan to fill the second bedroom).

Apartment has: porch + backyard, shared driveway parking, garage + basement, full living room, dining room and kitchen, central heat and A/C, and free, in-unit washer and dryer.

5-minute drive to Whole Foods + Foodmaster, 20 minute walk to Davis Square, a few blocks from 80/94/96 buses into Davis/Harvard. Easy, permit street parking.

Let me know if you're interested: ajg1981 at gmail dot com.

[tamalinn.livejournal.com]

I haven't yet, no. Unfortunately $1500 is a little outside our price range (we're hoping for $1300, $1400 if the rent includes heat). But thanks for the heads up!