Why are 1BR apartments so expensive here?

[guxx.livejournal.com]

Hidden behind the cut for those who don't care. To the rest, thanks!


I've been living near Teele Square since last spring, so am familiar with the general Davis/Porter areas but not the rest of the city. I'm currently in a roommate situation but am moving out when my lease expires June 1, and want a 1BR unit. The problem is the amenities I want and the budget I'm willing to spend pretty much limits me to Quincy, Malden, and parts of Allston-Brighton (to be on the subway anyway).

Somerville has 1BRs in my pricerange, but centered around Winter Hill and Union Square. I've driven through both areas (and eaten in the latter), but how safe are they to live? I've heard Winter Hill is ghetto-like (at least it looks that way) and Union Square isn't much better. Thoughts? And do the buses run frequently?

If anybody happens to know of a vacancy, please let me know. The folks at the apartment rental agency on College Ave (across from Store24) were unhelpful to me.

Thanks!

Comments

[georgy.livejournal.com]

I've lived in Winter Hill since Fall 2003 and I have no complaints. It's no Teele Square -- it's a little grittier, a little more rough around the edges, but I've never felt truly unsafe, and I'll walk the five minutes from the bus stop to my apartment alone at 12:30 at night (I live near the Star Market on Broadway). To say WH is ghetto-like is sort of unfair -- it's not as nice as the Teele/Davis/Porter area, and it's more "ethnic," but it's got a nice character to it. And no college students.

I don't know much about the residential area near Union Sq., but I've never heard anyone complain about it. I've walked in the area a ton and Union looks pretty nice -- I walk down Walnut a lot from WH to Union and I find the area there to be really nice.

Tons of buses run through Union. In Winter Hill, you'll have a decent selection too. The 89 my lifeblood (I work at Tufts).

[guxx.livejournal.com]

I suppose by ghetto, I compared Winter Hill's character to that of, well, Mission Hill even, or Revere Beach, as compared to say downtown Chelsea which seems more gentrified.

[prunesnprisms.livejournal.com]

So what is your price range? That would help.

[guxx.livejournal.com]

$850-950 ideally, including heat/hw, and laundry in bldg

[talonvaki.livejournal.com]

You may have problems with $850-$950.

My apartment has been $950 since 2000 (6 years) but it's a weird, hard-to-rent attic apartment. I've been fortunate in not having a rent increase since I moved in. And I'm in an amazing location, equidistant to Porter and Davis Squares.

Not trying to be a downer, just stating reality as I know it...

[ron_newman]

My synagogue is on Central Street in Winter Hill, and that certainly doesn't feel "ghetto-like" to me. The streets are tree-lined with nice houses on them. Congressman Mike Capuano lives right across the street from the synagogue.

[chumbolly.livejournal.com]

That's a beautiful street. Somerville seems to have this neat pattern of alternating streets with fine, unique homes with a couple streets that are more working class tract. Seems like smart urban planning to me. And the tops of the Somerville hills always have better architecture. That section of Central is both on a hill and one of the "every third street that's nice" streets. Makes it doubly nice.

[aroraborealis.livejournal.com]

I walk between Union Square and Davis Square pretty regularly late at night these days, and I've never felt unsafe (usually walking up to Highland from Union and then towards Davis from there.)

[lidiya6.livejournal.com]

Union sq is a fine area - I have lived in the area for years. There are several major (timely) bus routes that go right thru union - the 91, the 87, and others.
A good place to look for apts is the rental place right in Union Sq - I forget the name, union sq realty, union sq apts, something like that I think. very nice people and they have a lot of 1/2 fee places. I was looking thru them last Aug - I ended up finding something on my own thru CL but they were very helpful.

[surrealestate.livejournal.com]

Ghetto-like? What does that even mean?

Union Square is a nice area, but the lack of T would frustrate me.

[nalz.livejournal.com]

I would agree with the original poster's assessment of it seeming ghetto-like. Many times when either frequenting some of the local businesses or driving through the area, I've witnessed less-than-savory happenings (people throwing things at cars, or each other, or screaming at strangers for no apparent reason).

That being said - I have a few friends that live over there and love it, and have no complaints. I do think it is a little rougher around the edges than the davis/teele/powderhouse area..but that area in general is pretty nice, I think.

[slinkr.livejournal.com]

Winter Hill is hit-or-miss. Some streets are nice, but some feel a little bit sketchy. The area between Highland Ave. and Union Square is pretty nice. The lack of subway access in those neighborhoods can be an issue.

You may want to check out East Somerville (the neighborhood around Broadway after you go down Winter Hill past McGrath). It's very close to Sullivan Square for subway access (orange line, but give it a chance) with a bus route to Davis. A lot of the side streets off Broadway are pretty nice.

[dcart.livejournal.com]

It's been 5 years since I lived there, but I liked East Somerville. The 89 is a pretty frequent, reliable bus line. The Orange Line isn't so bad and the neighborhood has some character. I lived right on Broadway. The side streets on my side of broadway did have some nice little blocks back there, not so much on the other side of the street at the time.

Good luck!

[rainbowbride617.livejournal.com]

I wish you well in your search, but I agree with the other posters that your price range will limit you substantially. We moved into Boston from a newly rennovated one bedroom out near Worcester for 850, all utilities included and it was nearly brand new. We currently pay 1150 all inclusive for a one bedroom in Somerville. That's just the price you pay to live in this area. But for us it is well worth it for great people like yourselves, and a wonderful community.

I don't know much about Union or Winter Hill, but I do know you can find a one bedroom in that price range in Jamaica Plain. We looked at a few places, utilities included (or at the very least heat and hot water) in the 900-950 range. JP is a great neighborhood, with some similar features to the Davis area. You might try Craigslist, or a realty place out there.

[joylewis.livejournal.com]

I live in Union and find it to be a great neighborhood with a true community feel. Neighbors talk to one another, and there are so many efforts to unite people (farmer's market, a neighborhood cleanup this past weekend *I think* sponsored by local businesses) etc. I've had no problems with vandalism or noise or anything like that.

Good luck!

[ron_newman]

The Somerville Arts Council has also put a lot of effort into creating summertime outdoor events in Union Square, known collectively as ArtsUnion.